This sweet and savory slow cooker brisket is a hands off meal that’s incredibly tender and loaded with flavor. The perfect no-fuss main dish for a busy weeknight, meal prepping or to feed a hungry crowd.
This brisket, prepared with a homemade spice mix and basic barbeque sauce, comes together easily for a meal that’s so simple yet so good. If you are looking for another no fuss brisket recipe try this Slow Cooked Oven Roasted Beef Brisket.
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I absolutely love using the slow cooker. Not only does it give me lots of hands-off time to do other things but it is especially great to cook brisket rendering it tender and moist. Brisket is a cut of beef that can sometimes turn out tough but when it is cooked for 6-8 hours in the slow cooker it turns into a melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful dish that everyone will be sure to love.
The other thing I love about the slow cooker is that you only need one pot to make your meal. How great is that? And of course, the stove and oven stay nice and clean.
We like to eat this Slow Cooker Brisket with these Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes and these Lemon Caper Roasted Asparagus and Radishes for a weeknight meal.
If you are hankering for a hearty meal but not in the mood for brisket, try this Classic Pot Roast. It goes well with Garlic Fried Rice With Swiss Chard and these Garlic Butter Mushrooms.
Beef brisket keeps really well in the fridge or freezer, making this slow cooker meal a simple make-ahead recipe you can tackle once a week. It’s perfect for your meal prep session, the holidays, or when everyone’s in the mood for a hearty meat dish.
Leftover brisket is great for lunchtime sandwiches the next day. Try a few slices of brisket on this sandwich bread, with a bowl of Instant Pot Tomato Soup and a Healthy Banana Oat Muffin and you’ll be well-fueled for the rest of the day.
Ingredients To Make This Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe
- Beef brisket – I used a 3 pound beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat.
- BBQ sauce – In this brisket recipe I used a jar of store bought BBQ sauce to keep it simple but you can also use homemade sauce.
- Brown sugar – A touch of brown sugar sweetens up the brisket. You can also use coconut sugar in place of brown sugar on a 1-1 basis.
- Spices – I used a combination of garlic powder, chili, paprika, smoked maple rub, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to add flavor to the brisket.
How To Make Beef Brisket Slow Cooker
Just a few simple steps are required to make this crock pot brisket.
Step 1: Mix the dry seasoning in a small bowl or combine it in a jar. Using your hands, rub the seasoning mix on both sides of the brisket. Allow the brisket to marinate in the seasoning for a half hour while the brisket comes to room temperature.
Step 2: Pour a jar of your favorite BBQ sauce in the slow cooker. I like to add a little bit of water to the jar and shake it to get every bit of barbeque sauce left.
Step 3: Place the brisket fat side up in the slow cooker (I trimmed some of the fat). Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 8-10 hours. If you can, flip the brisket about an hour before it’s done cooking.
Step 4: Transfer cooked brisket to a sheet pan or cutting board to slice it or shred it. Garnish with fresh green herbs like cilantro or parsley. Pour some of the leftover barbeque sauce on top and serve.
Tips and Variations
- Change up the spice – use Cajun, creole, or Italian seasoning instead of the spice mix.
- Play around with different kinds of barbeque sauces; smoky, spicy, sweet, or whatever your local grocery store carries.
- Stir in some liquid smoke to up the smoky flavor.
- Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray so you have an easier clean up.
- Use an electric knife to cut the brisket.
Yes, the brisket does need some liquid to cook.
If you find your brisket is tough it could be because you didn’t cook it long enough.
Yes, if you’d prefer to cook the brisket in the oven, try this Slow Cooked Oven Roasted Beef Brisket.
Make ahead and storage
To make ahead: You can easily make this slow cooker brisket a few days before you want to serve it.
To store: Brisket will keep well in the fridge for up 3-4 days in an airtight container. Freeze leftover brisket for up to 3 months.
Looking for more slow cooker recipes:
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Venison Turkey
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Recipe
Slow Cooker Brisket
Equipment
- Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef brisket trimmed
- 18 oz jar BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 tbsp each, garlic powder, chili, paprika, smoked maple rub
- 1 tsp each, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper
Instructions
- Mix dry seasoning in a small bowl or a jar. Rub on both sides of brisket. Allow the brisket to marinate in seasoning for a half hour, while it reaches room temperature.
- Pour jar of your favorite BBQ sauce in slow cooker. I like to add a little bit of water to the jar and shake to get every bit of bbq sauce left.
- Place brisket fat side up in slow cooker (I trimmed some of the fat). Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 8-10 hours. If you can flip the brisket about an hour before done cooking.
- Transfer cooked brisket to a sheet pan or cutting board to slice it or shred the brisket. Garnish with fresh green herbs like cilantro or parsley. Pour some of the sauce on top and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
