How to make beef brisket in crock pot

Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.

Table of Contents Show

Getting to Know Classic Beef Brisket
The Secret Ingredient for Better Brisket Gravy
3 Steps for the Best Slow Cooker Brisket
Serving and Storing Your Brisket
How To Cook Classic Beef Brisket in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe Notes
Does the brisket in a slow cooker need to be in liquid?
What is the best method for cooking a brisket?
How do you keep a brisket moist in a crock pot?
How much water do you put in a slow cooker for brisket?

updated Jan 29, 2020

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Let’s talk about falling back in love with a classic dish. When is the last time you made a classic beef brisket? You know the one — tender beef in a rich gravy with melting potatoes and carrots. The beef brisket that makes the whole house smell like a cozy day perfect for snuggling on the couch. It had actually been years since I’d made beef brisket, but since I recently discovered I could make this traditional dish in the slow cooker I’ve fallen back in love with brisket all over again.

If you’re looking for a stunning but easy Sunday supper to get you through the long winter or to serve during the upcoming holidays, this is it — classic beef brisket made in the slow cooker.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Getting to Know Classic Beef Brisket

Brisket refers to a certain cut of beef that comes from the underside of the animal, near the ribs. It’s the cut used for corned beef and pastrami, and many variations on slow-braised pot roast that is also called brisket. When we talk about classic beef brisket, we mean a pot roast-style dish where brisket is slowly braised in a rich gravy and more often than not vegetables like onions, carrots, and potatoes are braised alongside the beef.

Read more: Everything You Should Know About Brisket, the King of Braised Beef

For Your Information

Buy a piece of brisket in the three-pound range, flat rather than point cut is best if you can find it. Flats are usually more square or rectangular in shape and have a thick fat layer on top.
Cook the brisket on low for six to eight hours; it should be easy to pull apart, but not falling apart.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

The Secret Ingredient for Better Brisket Gravy

Personally, my favorite part of this recipe isn’t the brisket itself, but the rich gravy that results. The brisket requires some liquid for braising in the slow cooker, but that could easily be just broth or wine and you’d still have delicious brisket. Instead adding some enriched tomato products — in this case ketchup and tomato paste — gives the broth body and adds layers of flavor including some acidity to balance the briskets richness.

Yes, We said ketchup!

I was surprised to see a number of classic brisket recipes call for this addition and even more surprised by how much better this made the gravy. Don’t worry about a raw ketchup flavor — this beauty cooks for six to eight hours. Ketchup adds sweetness, body, and a depth of flavor that tomato paste alone cannot.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

3 Steps for the Best Slow Cooker Brisket

Skip browning the beef. I know that this goes against many brisket recipes, slow cooker and oven alike, but having tested browned versus not browned brisket side by side, I can safely say this step doesn’t lend any extra flavor to this particular brisket recipe.
Start the gravy on the stovetop. Here’s where you can add some wonderful caramelized flavors without flinging your brisket around a hot pan. Cook the onions and garlic in a large skillet until the onions are beginning to brown, then deglaze the pan with the broth and add the other gravy ingredients.
Add the vegetables and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. The cook time for your particular brisket is going to depend on its size and shape and the doneness you prefer. For me, classic beef brisket means sliceable beef brisket, not one that’s falling apart, but some folks prefer a more shredded brisket. If you like the latter, head towards the longer cook time.

Serving and Storing Your Brisket

When you remove the brisket from the slow cooker, use a spoon to scrape off any large pieces of fat from the brisket’s fat cap, then thinly slice across the grain. Serve with the tender vegetables, the rich gravy, and a hearty piece of bread for dipping, on preferably a cold Sunday evening.

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22 Ratings

How To Cook Classic Beef Brisket in the Slow Cooker

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YieldServes 6 to 8

Show Nutrition

wheat-free
shellfish-free
dairy-free
fish-free
alcohol-free
peanut-free
pork-free
gluten-free
egg-free
soy-free
tree-nut-free

Per serving, based on 8 servings. (% daily value)

Calories 711
Fat 43.5 g (67.0%)
Saturated 15.7 g (78.4%)
Carbs 46.1 g (15.4%)
Fiber 4.4 g (17.6%)
Sugars 28.4 g
Protein 34.7 g (69.5%)
Sodium 906.0 mg (37.7%)

Ingredients

1
(3-pound) beef brisket (preferably flat cut)
2 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons
vegetable oil
3
large sweet onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves
garlic, minced
1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon
dried thyme
1 teaspoon
dried oregano
2 cups
low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup
ketchup (see Recipe Notes)
1/2 cup
packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon
tomato paste
1 pound
red potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound
carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons
Large frying pan
Knife and cutting board
6-quart or larger slow cooker

Instructions

Prepare the brisket, set it in the slow cooker. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. If your brisket has a particularly thick fat cap, you can remove it now — I almost never bother, though, as the fat makes for an even more luxurious brisket. Sprinkle the brisket on all sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Place it in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
Brown the onions and garlic over medium-high heat. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until softened and beginning to brown and char in some spots, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
Add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the smoked paprika, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
Move the onions and garlic to the slow cooker, covering the brisket. Carefully transfer the onions over the brisket.
Deglaze the pan with the beef broth, then add the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the broth, and use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape all the lovely browned bits up off the bottom of the pan. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, and tomato paste, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then pour over the onions and brisket.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots to the slow cooker, tucking them around the brisket. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours. The brisket is done when it easily shreds when pulled, but it shouldn’t be falling apart.
Serving and storing the brisket. Transfer the brisket to a clean cutting board. If desired, use a spoon to scrape the fat cap off. Now you can slice and serve the brisket immediately, or slice the brisket and return it to the slow cooker to cool and then refrigerate — this is ideal for serving the dish to guests or if you’d like to remove more fat from the dish since it will harden. Serve the brisket with the potatoes, carrots, and a generous spoonful of the cooked onion and sauce.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The brisket can be cooked up to 3 days in advance. Store the brisket and vegetables covered with the gravy. Reheat in the slow cooker or in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil in a low oven.

Storage: Leftovers keep well for up to 5 days. Store the beef covered in extra gravy to keep the meat moist.

Does the brisket in a slow cooker need to be in liquid?

The brisket requires some liquid for braising in the slow cooker, but that could easily be just broth or wine and you'd still have delicious brisket.

What is the best method for cooking a brisket?

All brisket, no matter which cut you choose, is a tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked low and slow: think oven, slow cooker or indirect heat on a grill.

How do you keep a brisket moist in a crock pot?

How to Keep a Brisket Moist While Slow Cooking.

Set up the cooking environment for moist heat. ... .

Position the brisket with the fat side up, so as fat melts in the cooking process, it bastes the meat..

Wrap the brisket in bacon adding more fat to the meat to melt and baste the brisket during cooking..

How much water do you put in a slow cooker for brisket?

Pour 1 cup water in the bottom of a large 7 quart slow cooker. Place spice covered brisket in the water. Pour the liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce over top of brisket. Cover with lid and cook on Low heat for 8 to 10 hours.