Beef Brisket Slow Cooker Recipe with Sauce and Vegetables

This beef brisket slow cooker recipe is a fall-apart tender beef that simmers on low in a deep savory umami braai sauce (BBQ sauce). Slow cooker brisket that's absolutely delicious and makes the best leftovers plus easy to make-ahead!

What is Beef Brisket?

It's a tough cut of meat that comes from the breast section of the cow and is best suited to a long and slow cooking method, in liquid (also known as braising). Braising in cooking, simply means food that is covered, and slow cooked with the lid on. Slow cooking beef brisket at home can be done on the stovetop, in a slow cooker or in the oven.

Choosing Between Flat Cut Brisket and Point Cut

The brisket used in this recipe is point cut but the one most commonly used in recipes is the flat cut. These cuts both give you a tender beef when cooked on low and slow. The difference with these cuts (from my experience) is the shape and the fat to meat ratio.

When you buy brisket, it comes already cut or you can ask your butcher to suggest and cut it for you. As a home cook, I am not dividing the flat part from the point cut, the butcher kindly does that.

For more information on this, visit the Grill Master, I found the information rather helpful, and they have a great video explaining how to cut, if that's what you want. My take-way is that my 10-hour slow cook was definitely necessary to break down the muscle fibers and create very tender meat!

What to Serve with Beef Brisket

You can serve this crockpot style beef brisket with a host of different side dishes like baked sweet potato, buttery mashed potatoes, green beans, Mediterranean Salad and more.

There's a range of classics that you can choose from, like potato salad, coleslaw, Red Cabbage and Corn Salad, Smoky Baked Beans, Baked Smashed Potatoes, Homemade Salsa and so much more!

In this recipe we went with a side of roasted vegetables. Don't forget to have a bowl of the braai (BBQ) sauce at the table and a loaf of crusty bread making this a complete and comforting meal that serves the whole family.

Brisket, although cooked till fall-apart can still be sliced if you prefer.

No slow cooker? No problem, because brisket can be cooked on the stove and the oven.  All you need is a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pot that can go into the oven with a lid or a roasting pan.

No lid that fits? If you don't have a lid that fits, use aluminum foil to cover the beef. Covering the brisket while cooking it helps to retain moisture, that's what helps make it tender!  

There is always a way to enjoy a slow cooked meal, simply use a different method and cook the best beef brisket for your family. 

Instant pot brisket is as easy as cooking beef stew in the instant pot, it takes an hour and a half. Make sure to add about a cup of water to avoid the burn notice.

Beef Brisket Slow Cooking

If ever there was a time to add food to the pot and walk away, it's now! All you need to remember is that it cooks on low and slow. Even if you are cooking it on the stove or in the oven, it must be low oven, as in slow cooking.

• A great tip when using a slow cooker and the recipe calls for stock, is to warm the stock up on the stove so it doesn't delay the cooking process. Slow cookers are in fact, SLOW 🙂

• One of the things I do when using a slow cooker or instant pot, is to add a cup of water, it's safer and the fats and spices create a flavorful juice while cooking the meat. And the water helps keep the meat moist.

There are many options on how to cook beef brisket and cooking it in a sauce is only one method. You can add a spice rub as prepared in this beef brisket recipe. 

Slow-cooker recipes are meant to be convenient and simple. You can use basic seasonings like salt, black pepper, chili powder and garlic powder, they all flavor meat.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe

You don't need any fancy ingredients to make brisket that tastes like you're in the restaurant. See the recipe card below for the measurements.

Beef brisket - There's the point cut of brisket and the flat cut; both can be used. This 3 kg beef brisket is roughly 6.5lb. It's a large brisket that can easily feed 10 to 12 people.

Olive oil - we add a light drizzle.

Vegetables - Roast the vegetables in the oven and add them to the beef brisket towards the end. This added a nice crunch to the meal. 

Braai sauce - This homemade barbecue sauce is what adds a rich deep flavor layer to the meat and, with ingredients like brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste, there is loads of the moreish type of taste that we were talking about in my Beef Stew Recipe

Liquid - Water is the only cooking liquid you will be using in this recipe.

Seasoning - A basic yet generous seasoning with salt and pepper. Check your spices for the salt content so you can control the seasoning. I find this Paprika dry rub and cumin a unique and tasty blend when not using Involtini spice for a meaty flavor.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

Want to know how to brown the brisket first before slow cooking? Take a look at this Beef Brisket Recipe. Today, we are skipping on the browning, and go straight into the seasoning, sauce, lid on and slow cook!

Recipe Notes on Cooking Beef Brisket

Brisket Size: This brisket was large (3kg which is roughly 6lbs) and when fitted into the slow cooker, it did need a nudge or two to fit. However, it was not an issue since the meat shrinks as it cooks.

Vegetables: Adding the cleaned and cut vegetables to the slow cooker is an option if not roasting. To ensure that the vegetables are fork tender, add them into the cooker in the remaining 2 hours.

Thickening the Sauce (Optional): If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the cooked brisket and vegetables to a plate. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the sauce in the slow cooker and make a slurry.

Cornstarch Slurry: Mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water into a paste, pour it into the sauce, and bring it to a simmer while stirring.

Leftovers: Leftover slow cooker beef brisket can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Braai Sauce: Add all the ingredients into a saucepan on the stove, medium to high heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let it cool and store in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for

Can brisket be shredded? 

Yes, brisket is great for shredding! You can add shredded brisket to burgers, sandwiches, pasta and more. Since brisket has a lot of connective tissue and is a lean tough cut of meat, it needs to be slow cooked for long.  The thin layer of fat on the top of the brisket should not be removed especially if you want tender flavorful meat.

How Long Does Brisket Take to Cook?

8 to 10 hours in a slow cooker. This 3kg beef brisket took 10 hours to cook on the low setting in a slow cooker. This 1.5 to 2kg (3 to 4.4lb) beef brisket cooked in a spice rub took 5 hours low and slow in the oven. There are different ways and methods to cook brisket. 

Make Ahead Instructions

This beef brisket slow cooker recipe is pure magic! I sometimes cook it over 2 days depending on what time I get it into the slow cooker. 7 hours on day one and an additional 3 hours the next day. Make the times work around your schedule. To make-ahead, slow cook the brisket until step 4 but don't bake it and don't make a thickening or reduce the sauce. Transfer the brisket to a storage container and refrigerate when it has cooled down completely. The sauce can be made days in advance, transfer to storage container and refrigerate. You can store the sauce in a mason jar, plastic container or freezer bag, be sure that the container has an airtight seal.

Reheating Instructions

To reheat this beef brisket transfer it to a roasting dish (without the sauce) and bake it in a preheated oven on 180 C / 350 F for half an hour. Then increase to 200 C / 400 F and continue with step 6 which is Roasting. To reheat the sauce, add it to a saucepan and heat on the stove, you may have to reduce the sauce or use the instructions under recipe notes to make a thickener.

Storage Instructions

We love this beef brisket straight out of the oven, served warm with the sauce and roasted vegetables or over Buttery Mashed Potatoes! This brisket stays good in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for three months in an airtight container. Leftover brisket makes some of the best leftover meals!

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