Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef Brisket

This slow cooker barbecued beef brisket is so pull-apart tender and totally flavorful. It's a fabulous recipe for recreating the slow roasted and smoked flavor without a smoker. 

The slow cooker is the perfect vehicle for preparing brisket. This cut of beef was made for "low and slow." The results are super tender and "melt-in-your-mouth" delicious. 

This may look like an "ugly buggly" pile of beef, but it's sooooo tasty. There are 16 ingredients in this brisket, but don't let that stop you from making it. It is completely loaded with flavor. 

Ingredients in this barbecue beef brisket:

One of my favorite secret ingredients in this dish is canned chipotles in adobo. Whenever I open a can of this magical stuff, I blend it with a stick blender, and keep the mixture in the fridge. It's so good in scrambled eggs, quesadillas, guacamole, and even Bloody Marys.

For the rub you will need dark brown sugar, the chipotles, ground cumin, sweet paprika, and salt and pepper. 

For the slow cooker mixture, you will need onions, tomato paste, garlic, vegetable oil, chili powder, water, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke. 

Liquid smoke? It's actually a natural ingredient (depending on the brand, so check the label) produced by capturing the smoke and steam from burning wood, purifying it, and concentrating it into a liquid. You can find it in the barbecue sauce section of your grocery store. 

It has a pretty long shelf life and a little bit goes a long way. 

While I've made this brisket before in a 7 quart slow cooker (which, sadly, went kaput), I used my recently purchased 6 quart slow cooker this time and it came out perfect.

You could also use the slow cooker function if you have a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, or convert the recipe to pressure cook if you like. 

How to Make Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef Brisket:

First, coat the meat with a spice rub and then refrigerate it for several hours, preferably overnight. 

Next, stir together some onions, tomato paste, garlic, vegetable oil, chili powder, and chipotles, and microwave everything until the onions are tender. 

After that, add this mixture, the beef, and some water to the slow cooker and cook the beef for 9 to 10 hours. 

When the beef is done, transfer it to a cutting board and then stir the ketchup, apple cider, vinegar, and liquid smoke into the sauce. 

Finally, slice the beef and spoon the sauce over the top. 

Recipe Variations:

If you don't have time, you can skip the overnight rest with the rub. It won't be quite the same, but the dish is still delicious. 

You can also cook the brisket on high for about six hours to save time. 

If you are planning to make this brisket for a large group, I recommend making it in advance and reheating it for your guests. It's even better the next day, and they will never suspect that they are having "leftovers." 

You can reheat it in the sauce in the microwave or in a pot on the stove, and then use the "keep warm" function of your slow cooker. 

I served this brisket with garlic mashed potatoes and a kale, broccoli, and cabbage salad with a poppy seed dressing. 

This beef would also be amazing over noodles or rice along with a creamed spinach gratin or a balsamic and ginger carrots side dish. 

There's also a delicious asparagus, pea, and leek stir-fry that would be perfect with the rice and the beef. 

This is a revised post, originally published in February, 2015 and completely updated in June of 2022. 

If you try this recipe, please let me know! 

Originally posted February, 2015. Post updated June, 2022. 

Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef Brisket

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 15 HourCook time: 9 HourInactive time: 8 HourTotal time: 32 Hour

This slow cooker barbecued beef brisket is so pull-apart tender and totally flavorful. It's a fabulous recipe for recreating the slow roasted and smoked flavor without a smoker.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo, divided
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• Salt and pepper
• 1 five pound beef brisket, trimmed
• 2 onions, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

Instructions

1. Combine the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of the chipotles, the cumin, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper.
2. Prick the brisket all over with a fork.
3. Rub the brisket with the sugar mixture, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the meat for 8 to 24 hours.
4. Unwrap the meat and place it in a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the onions, tomato paste, garlic, oil, chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the chipotles.
6. Place the bowl in a microwave, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
7. Add the water to the slow cooker. Cover, and cook for 9 to 10 hours on low.
8. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
9. Skim the fat off the top of the braising liquid, add the ketchup, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Whisk and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Slice the brisket and place it on a serving platter.
11. Spoon the sauce over the meat, and serve.
12. This meat makes great leftovers too.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

455.07

Fat (grams)

18.9

Sat. Fat (grams)

6.2

Carbs (grams)

21.63

Fiber (grams)

1.98

Net carbs

19.65

Sugar (grams)

17.18

Protein (grams)

48.03

Sodium (milligrams)

398.85

Cholesterol (grams)

140.59

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2015/02/slow-cooker-barbecued-beef-brisket.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

brisket, slow cooker, BBQ

main course

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Slightly adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution.