Slow Cooker Beef Brisket (Printer-friendly)
Tender brisket with vegetables in a rich sauce for an easy comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3 lbs beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
04 - 2 large onions, sliced into rings
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
→ Sauce
08 - 1 cup beef broth
09 - 1/2 cup ketchup
10 - 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
11 - 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
13 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
# How to Prepare:
01 - Rub kosher salt and black pepper evenly over all surfaces of the trimmed beef brisket.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear brisket for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to slow cooker.
03 - Place sliced onions, minced garlic, carrots, and celery in the bottom of the slow cooker, creating a bed for the meat.
04 - Whisk together beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and dried thyme until sugar dissolves.
05 - Pour sauce over brisket and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 hours until meat is fork-tender.
06 - Transfer brisket to cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin strips.
07 - Skim excess fat from cooking liquid. Serve brisket slices with vegetables and spoon sauce over top.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce develops this incredible depth that makes people think you spent all day babysitting it
- Leftovers somehow taste even better tucked into sandwiches with melted cheese
02 -
- Slicing against the grain is non-negotiable—it's the difference between tender meat and shoe leather
- The sauce will look thin during cooking but thickens beautifully as it rests
03 -
- A 6-quart slow cooker gives you room to arrange everything without crowding
- Let the cooked brisket rest in foil while you skim the sauce—it stays warmer