Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce recipe offers a tender, flavorful brisket slow-cooked to perfection and finished in the oven for a beautiful caramelized crust. The brisket is rubbed with a homemade spice mix and cooked in a rich, tangy BBQ sauce made from ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and spices. Perfect served as a hearty Southern-style meal with sides or stacked high on sliders with coleslaw.
Ingredients
Scale
Brisket Rub
- 1.5 – 2 kg / 3 – 4 lb beef brisket
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or a neutral oil like vegetable, canola)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml ketchup
- 1/2 cup / 110 g brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare and Rub Brisket: Mix all the rub ingredients thoroughly to combine the brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Rub this mixture all over the brisket ensuring it’s well coated. If you have time, refrigerate the rubbed brisket for between 30 minutes up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate, but this step is optional.
- Combine BBQ Sauce and Cook Brisket: In the slow cooker, combine the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to mix. Place the rubbed brisket into the slow cooker with the sauce, pressing it in so it is well submerged as much as possible.
- Slow Cook the Brisket: Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours depending on the brisket size: 8 hours for a 1.5 kg (3 lb) brisket and up to 10 hours for 2 kg (4 lb). The slow cooking process tenderizes the meat and allows it to soak up the BBQ flavors.
- Transfer and Reduce Sauce: Carefully remove the brisket from the slow cooker and place it on a tray. Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, which will intensify the sauce’s flavor and help it caramelize on the brisket during roasting.
- Roast the Brisket: Drizzle the brisket with olive or a neutral oil and place it in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F). Roast for about 15 minutes until brown spots appear. Remove the brisket and generously baste it with the reduced BBQ sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, then baste again and roast for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce is caramelized and glossy.
- Serve the Brisket: Slice the brisket thinly across the grain for maximum tenderness. Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce. This dish is excellent served as a full meal with sides, or piled onto rolls with coleslaw for delicious sliders.
Notes
- The slow-cooked beef brisket is tender and flavorful thanks to the long cooking time and the homemade BBQ sauce.
- If preferred, you can adapt the recipe for pressure cooker or oven – see original recipe notes for alternatives.
- Serve the brisket as part of a hearty Southern-style supper or piled on rolls with coleslaw for sliders.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 269 g
- Calories: 476 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 756 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 66 g
- Cholesterol: 198 mg
