At the weekend, it is great to be able to do just a little preparation in the morning then go out, in the knowledge that you can come home to a Sunday roast all ready for you. Read on for my recipe for slow cooker beef brisket, perfect for a Sunday dinner!
One of the best things about using the slow cooker is that you can just leave it to work its magic while you go for a day out or get on with things at home.
If you parboil your potatoes in the morning too, it won’t take long to make roast potatoes and vegetables to accompany the slow cooker brisket. Wouldn’t it be great to have a fun day out and come back to this?
Beef brisket is known as one of the less tender cuts of meat, this is why it works so well with a long slow cook, which allows the meat to tenderise. It is best not to cook it on high but to use low for as long as possible for really tender meat.
Step by step
Step 1. Brown the meat in a dry pan on a high heat.
Step 2. Place two sliced red onions in the base of the slow cooker. Put the beef on top of the onions.
Step 3. Make 400 m (2 cups) beef stock (broth) using boiling water and pour over the beef. Add Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper, add 2 tsp dried sage and 1 tsp dried rosemary.
Step 4. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. To make gravy from the juices, thicken them in the slow cooker with a paste made from cornflour/cornstarch and a little cold water. Or make a roux in a saucepan using plain flour and butter, then transfer the juices into the pan and heat and stir until thickened.
Do I need to add water?
With brisket which is a tougher joint with more connective tissue which needs long slow cooking to tenderise, a small amount of water (e.g 400 ml as in this recipe) is useful and helps your beef become very tender.
However with a roasting joint you can get away with using little or no water.
Can you dry cook?
Yes, it is possible to cook joints of meat (also cakes etc) in your slow cooker without adding water. Remember that meat tends to release juices as it cooks, and water does not evaporate from the slow cooker, so any moisture is retained.
Hot or cold water?
If your recipe calls for stock or water, as in the recipes, it is best to boil the kettle and use hot water when making up your stock cubes to use them in the slow cooker. In this way the water or stock is already hot and the joint will start to cook sooner.
Slow cooker Sunday roasts
This is my latest in a small series of posts with slow cooker recipes suitable for Sunday roasts. I love to make our roast dinner in the slow cooker as I put it on then just get on with my day.
- If you prefer lamb, how about leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, or shoulder of lamb with cumin, garlic and lime?
- If you like a roast gammon joint, slow cooker maple-glazed gammon would be perfect for you.
- If you prefer pork, slow cooker roast pork with sage and onion could fit the bill. For all of my slow cooker roast recipes make sure you take a look at my guide to slow cooker roasts.
Brisket recipes
More beef brisket recipe inspiration:
Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 kg approx beef brisket
- 2 red onions sliced
- 1 rich beef stockpot or stock cube
- 400 ml boiling water from the kettle
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- cornflour to thicken, if needed
Equipment
Instructions
- Brown the meat in a dry pan on a high heat, then place two sliced red onions in the base of the slow cooker. Put the beef on top of the onions.
- Make 400 ml (2 cups) rich beef stock (broth) using a stockpot (or stock cube), pour into slow cooker.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, season the beef with salt and pepper, add 2 tsp dried sage and 1 tsp dried rosemary.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours. To make gravy with the juices, thicken with a paste of cornflour and a little cold water, or make a roux in a saucepan using plain flour and butter, and add the juices to that, then heat and stir constantly until thickened,
Looks delicious. Any chance i can cook im the oven instead of crockpot? Would i need to make modifications if i cook in tbe oven? Thank you.
Yes you could certainly cook this in the oven in a Le Creuset type casserole dish instead. I think it would take 3 or 4 hours. I haven’t tried it though as usually use my slow cooker for the convenience!
Yum!!! This beef brisket looks delicious… wish I was having it right now for lunch!
Thank you 🙂
My family loves a beef brisket and I cook it very minimally because it is so flavorful. I love the addition of Worcestershire sauce and the added herbs…I will have to give your recipe a go. Thanks.
It is very rich isn’t it, such a useful meat to slow cook
Beef brisket is hard to find around these parts, so when I saw one at the store a few weeks ago I snatched it up, without really a planned recipe for it. Now I have this one and I can’t wait to defrost my brisket and give it a go! Thanks for sharing!
Brilliant, glad to have inspired. It is often quite expensive here so I always get it when on promotion!
This is perfect for a Sunday dinner – but easy enough for anyday!
I hadn’t thought of that but you are right!
The slow cooker is a miracle worker, isn’t it? It does a perfect job on meals like this, and you’re right, there’s nothing better than opening the front door and smelling dinner ready!
It so is! Thanks for visiting
That looks so good Lucy, especially on a cold spring day like today. I want it for lunch tomorrow.
Thanks Helen, I am actually planning on making it tomorrow, we haven’t had it for a while, and these cold sunny days are made for it!