Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce is a tender, flavorful dish perfect for gatherings or a comforting family meal. The beef is rubbed with a harmonious blend of spices, slow-cooked to tenderness, and then caramelized in the oven with a homemade tangy, slightly sweet BBQ sauce. Serve it sliced thin for a classic meal or piled onto rolls for delicious sliders.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Brisket and 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 for spiciness)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Rub: In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, paprika powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic cloves to create the rub. Rub this mixture all over the beef brisket thoroughly. If time allows, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours to enhance flavor penetration, though this step is optional.
- Make the BBQ Sauce and Add Brisket: Combine the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce in the slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Place the brisket into the sauce, pressing down gently if necessary to submerge it.
- Slow Cook the Brisket: Cook the brisket on low in the slow cooker for 8 hours if using a 1.5 kg (3 lb) brisket, or up to 10 hours for a 2 kg (4 lb) brisket, until the meat is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove Brisket: Once cooked, carefully transfer the brisket from the slow cooker onto a tray, keeping the juices in the slow cooker.
- Reduce the Sauce: Pour the liquid left in the slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the sauce thickens into a syrupy consistency. Keep in mind it will thicken further as it cools.
- Roast and Caramelize the Brisket: Drizzle the brisket with olive oil and roast it in a preheated 200°C (390°F) oven for 15 minutes to develop brown spots. Remove from the oven, baste generously with the reduced BBQ sauce, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Repeat the basting and roasting process once more for 5-10 minutes until the brisket caramelizes beautifully and develops a glossy finish.
- Serve: Slice the brisket thinly across the grain and serve with the remaining BBQ sauce. This dish pairs well with sides or served on rolls with coleslaw as delicious sliders.
Notes
- If time permits, marinating the brisket with the rub for up to 24 hours enhances flavor but is not necessary.
- Cooking times vary depending on brisket size; adjust slow cooker time accordingly.
- For a BBQ option, after slow cooking, you can also finish the brisket on a grill instead of the oven to impart a smoky char.
- Leftover brisket is excellent for sandwiches, tacos, or added to hearty salads.
- Ensure to slice brisket thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.
