Slow Cooker Brisket

Slow Cooker Brisket is coated in a spice mix and slow cooked with beer. It’s so tender and juicy. Cut it into slices and serve it with an easy 2-ingredient sauce. There’s no easier way to make a brisket.

For a cut of meat, briskets are a little on the pricey side, but the layer of fat they have gives them so much incredible flavor. They are great for feeding a crowd, especially if you serve them with lots of sides.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Hands-off slow cooker recipe
Tender juicy brisket every time
Great for feeding a crowd
Incredible leftovers
Makes amazing sandwiches, tacos and nachos
Easy homemade bbq sauce using the cooking liquid
Perfect for holidays, cookouts, or Sunday Supper

Sandie Said:

My family went crazy over this recipe. Tender, juicy,and full of flavor, no left overs! Thank-you for this recipe, it’s a keeper.

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Sliced Slow Cooker Brisket on a serving platter.

My all-time favorite brisket recipe is this Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket, but the slow cooker does a great job of producing tender, juicy meats. To add more flavor to the brisket, I think it’s important to sear it first. It only takes a few minutes and gives the meat a nice caramelized crust that you just wouldn’t get in the crock pot otherwise.

The key to making flavorful meats in the crock pot is to make sure you don’t skimp on seasonings, especially the salt and pepper.

Make Ahead Instructions

Brisket is often even better the next day. Cook it completely, cool it in the cooking juices to keep it moist, and refrigerate overnight. Slice it cold and gently reheat brfore serving.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket in a 6-quart crock pot

The spice rub for this Slow Cooker Brisket consists of ancho chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. I really recommend the ancho chili powder over regular chili powder. It has so much more flavor and a wonderful deep smokiness. A combination of beer and chili sauce (the kind stocked next to the ketchup that you make cocktail sauce with) forms the liquid that the brisket cooks in.

Type Of Beer To Use

I use Guinness for the beer but you can use whatever you like. Just stay away from beers that are too hoppy or bitter. Most Amber Ales or Brown Ales will work well for this beer-braised brisket.

Easy Sauce

To make an easy sauce for the brisket, I mix equal parts of the cooking liquid with jarred bbq sauce.

Up close image of sliced Slow Cooker Brisket.

Recipe Tips

Cook brisket fat side up.
Slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Storage

Store sliced brisket with some of the cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keeping it in the juices helps prevent it from drying out.

Freezing- Freeze sliced brisket with some of the cooking liquid for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, in a 350 degree oven or in the microwave.

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How To Serve

This brisket makes great sandwiches or you can serve it sliced with a few of these awesome southern sides:

Slow Cooker Brisket

Course Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine Southern

Keyword beef, brisket, crock pot

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings

Calories 452kcal

Equipment

6-quart slow cooker

Ingredients

1 medium onion coarsely chopped
1 (4-pound) beef brisket
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup beer I use Guinness
1/2 cup chili sauce I use Heinz
1/2 cup bbq sauce

Instructions

Lightly grease a 6-quart slow cooker and place onion in the bottom.
Trim excess fat from brisket. You want to leave about 1/2-inch thick layer on top.
Rub brisket with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add brisket fat side up and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side to brown. Transfer brisket to slow cooker.
Sprinkle both sides of the brisket with chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Pour beer and chili sauce around the brisket.
Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Remove brisket from slow cooker and place on a cutting board or serving platter.
Mix 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid with the bbq sauce and serve with the brisket. You can drizzle extra cooking liquid over the brisket once you slice it to keep it moist.