This Slow Cooked Beef Brisket is melt-in-your-mouth tender, featuring a homemade spice rub and a tangy, sweet BBQ sauce. By starting in the slow cooker and finishing in the oven, you achieve a succulent interior with those irresistible caramelized, sticky edges.
With deep savory flavors and a rich, glossy glaze, this brisket makes for an incredible main course or the ultimate pulled beef sandwiches.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A robust mix of sweet and smoky from the paprika and brown sugar rub, balanced by a tangy, garlic-infused BBQ sauce.
- Texture: The slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissue for fall-apart tenderness, while the oven finish provides a slightly crisp, caramelized exterior.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 8-10 hours slow cooking, 25-30 minutes finishing.
- Difficulty: Easy. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting; the oven step is simple but transforms the texture.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a slow cooker (crockpot) for the long braise, a saucepan to reduce the sauce, and a baking tray for the final roasting step. The ingredients include a beef brisket cut, a variety of pantry spices for the dry rub, and staples like ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar for the homemade sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef Brisket – You will need a 3–4 lb piece. Brisket is a tougher cut that benefits greatly from low, slow cooking to break down the collagen into gelatin, keeping it moist.
- Brown Sugar – Used in both the rub and the sauce, this helps create the caramelized crust (bark) and balances the acidity of the vinegar.
- Paprika – Adds a mild, sweet pepper flavor and beautiful red color to the meat.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Provides the necessary tang to the BBQ sauce that cuts through the richness of the beef.
- Ketchup – The base of the BBQ sauce, providing body and sweetness.
- Cayenne Pepper – Adds a background heat. You can adjust this amount depending on your spice preference.
- Mustard Powder – Adds a sharp, savory depth to both the rub and the sauce.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Oil – Olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil all work well for rubbing the brisket.
- Spice Heat – If you prefer a milder brisket, reduce the cayenne pepper. For more heat, add red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Vinegar – If you do not have apple cider vinegar, white vinegar can work, though it will be sharper and less fruity.
How to Make Slow Cooked Beef Brisket
- Prepare the Rub: Mix the Dry Rub ingredients (brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper) in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the brisket. If time permits, you can leave it for 30 minutes to 24 hours in the fridge to marinate, but you can also cook it immediately.
- Make the Sauce: Combine the BBQ Sauce ingredients (minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, packed brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) directly in the slow cooker. Mix well.
- Slow Cook: Add the brisket to the slow cooker with the sauce. Squish it in if needed to fit. Slow cook for 8 hours (for a 1.5 kg / 3 lb piece) to 10 hours (for a 2 kg / 4 lb piece).
- Reduce the Sauce: Carefully remove the brisket from the slow cooker onto a baking tray. Pour the liquid remaining in the slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency. (Note: It will thicken more as it cools).
- Roast and Glaze: Meanwhile, drizzle the brisket on the tray with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast in a 200C/390F oven for 15 minutes until brown spots appear.
- Baste: Remove the brisket from the oven and baste generously with the reduced sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Final Caramelization: Remove and baste again, then return to the oven for another 5 – 10 minutes until it caramelizes and looks sticky and browned.
- Serve: Slice the brisket thinly across the grain and serve with the remaining BBQ Sauce.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip the sauce reduction step! The liquid in the slow cooker will be watery after cooking the beef. Boiling it down concentrates the flavors and turns it into a thick, sticky glaze that clings to the meat.
Recipe Tips
- Slice Across the Grain: Brisket has long muscle fibers. Slicing against (perpendicular to) these grains shortens the fibers, making each bite tender. If you slice with the grain, the meat will be chewy.
- Fat Cap: If your brisket has a thick layer of fat, you can trim some of it down, but leaving a thin layer helps baste the meat as it cooks.
- Oven Watch: During the final caramelization stage, keep an eye on the sugar in the sauce so it bubbles and browns but does not burn.
FAQs
- Can I cook this on high? For brisket, low and slow is universally recommended to ensure the connective tissue breaks down properly without drying out the meat.
- Why is my brisket tough? Brisket is tough if it hasn’t cooked long enough. If it isn’t falling apart, it likely needs more time in the slow cooker.
- Can I make this ahead? Yes, brisket reheats wonderfully. You can slow cook it the day before, then do the oven finishing steps right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Sliders: Pile high onto soft rolls with creamy coleslaw for delicious sliders.
- Classic BBQ Plate: Serve sliced with corn on the cob and mac and cheese.
- Potatoes: Mashed potatoes or roasted potato wedges make excellent sides to soak up the extra sauce.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Storage: Store cooked brisket and sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: The cooked beef freezes well in the sauce. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven.
Slow Cooked Beef Brisket
- Total Time: 10 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Description
This Slow Cooked Beef Brisket is melt-in-your-mouth tender, featuring a homemade spice rub and a tangy, sweet BBQ sauce. By starting in the slow cooker and finishing in the oven, you achieve a succulent interior with those irresistible caramelized, sticky edges. With deep savory flavors and a rich, glossy glaze, this brisket makes for an incredible main course or the ultimate pulled beef sandwiches.
Ingredients
Beef Brisket
- 3–4 lb beef brisket
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable/canola oil)
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
BBQ Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Prepare the Rub
In a small bowl, mix the dry rub ingredients: brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper. Rub this mixture thoroughly all over the brisket. (Optional: You can let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 24 hours, or cook immediately).
Make the Sauce
In the slow cooker insert, combine the BBQ sauce ingredients: minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, packed brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
Slow Cook
Place the seasoned brisket into the slow cooker with the sauce. Squish it in if necessary to make it fit. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours (for a 3 lb piece) to 10 hours (for a 4 lb piece).
Reduce the Sauce
Carefully remove the tender brisket from the slow cooker and place it onto a baking tray. Pour the liquid remaining in the slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency. Note: It will thicken more as it cools.
Roast
Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C). Drizzle the brisket on the tray with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes until brown spots appear.
Baste and Glaze
Remove the brisket from the oven and baste generously with the thickened BBQ sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and baste again, then return to the oven for a final 5–10 minutes until the meat is caramelized, sticky, and browned.
Serve
Transfer to a cutting board. Slice the brisket thinly across the grain (perpendicular to the muscle fibers) and serve with the remaining BBQ sauce.
Notes
Slice Against the Grain: This is the most important step for tender brisket. Look for the direction the muscle fibers run and slice perpendicular to them. If you slice with the grain, the meat will be chewy.
The Sauce Reduction: Do not skip transferring the sauce to a saucepan. The liquid in the slow cooker will be watery; boiling it down concentrates the flavor and creates that sticky, professional glaze.
Fat Cap: If your brisket has a thick layer of fat, trim some of it down, but leave a thin layer to help baste the meat naturally as it cooks.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker & Oven
- Cuisine: American BBQ
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (approx. 6 oz meat + sauce)
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: slow cooker beef brisket, bbq brisket recipe, oven baked brisket, pulled beef sandwich, homemade bbq sauce, tender roast beef, crockpot brisket
