This slow cooker beef brisket is a wonderfully comforting meal that needs very little effort. The long, gentle cooking turns the meat beautifully tender and full of rich, savoury flavour.
I love this dish for a Sunday roast but it also works for a meal anyday.
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 dinner all ready for you.
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.
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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.
Or try slow cooker roast potatoes if you have two slow cookers, as I know many people do.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a fun day out and come back to this?
All about brisket
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 a cut from the breast of the cow and is high in connective tissue so needs to be cooked just right so it becomes tender.
In the UK a pot roast is a common way to cook brisket, i.e. by cooking it in a casserole dish with vegetables and gravy.
Slow cooking is quite similar to that method in that the slow cooker pot is also lidded and the dish cooks for a long time.
It is best not to cook brisket on high but to use low for as long as possible for really tender meat.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need for this recipe. You’ll find the exact quantities in the recipe card further down.
- beef brisket – I use a piece of brisket that is around 1 kg (2 pounds)
- red onions
- rich beef stockpot or beef stock cube
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
- dried sage
- dried rosemary
- cornflour – to thicken
Method
See how to make this slow cooker beef brisket recipe step by step with hints and tips. The full recipe with quantities is in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1. Brown the meat (on all sides) 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 ml (2 cups) beef stock (broth) using boiling water and the stock cube or stockpot and pour it over the beef. Add Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper, add dried sage and dried rosemary.
Step 4. Cook on low. For a 1 kg piece of brisket, aim for approx 6-7 hours on low. For a 2 kg piece of brisket, aim for 8-9 hours on low.
To make gravy from the juices, remove the onions, and thicken the cooking liquid 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.
Remove the meat from the slow cooker, wrap it in foil and allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Remove the string, and carve against the grain for best results.
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 if you were cooking a beef roasting joint you would be able to get away with using little or no water.
Can I cook brisket on high?
I find if you cook brisket on high this can make your meat go tough so I recommend cooking on low to ensure the meat becomes meltingly tender.
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 this recipe, 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 roast chicken, which is great for any day, make sure you check out my slow cooker whole chicken recipe.
- 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 (2.2 lb) approx beef brisket
- 2 red onions sliced
- 1 rich beef stockpot or stock cube
- 400 ml (2 cups) 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.1 kg approx beef brisket, 2 red onions
- Make 400 ml (2 cups) rich beef stock (broth) using a stockpot (or stock cube), pour into slow cooker.1 rich beef stockpot, 400 ml boiling water from the kettle
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, season the beef with salt and pepper, add 2 tsp dried sage and 1 tsp dried rosemary.2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to season, 2 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried rosemary
- Cook on low. For a 1 kg piece of brisket, aim for approx 6-7 hours on low. For a 2 kg piece of brisket, aim for 8-9 hours on low.To make gravy with the juices, thicken with a paste of cornflour/corn starch 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,cornflour
Jackie says
Can you let me know how long i could cook this in slow cooker on high please?
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Jackie, for best results I recommend cooking on low which is why I have not given timings for high. It could be quite tough if you cook it that way. If using the same weight piece of meat as given here and you have no choice but to cook on high then go for approx. 5 hours.
Lorraine says
That looks absolutely amazing, could you tell me how long would you have to cook a 1 kg piece of brisket in a slow cooker on low
bakingqueen74 says
I would follow the timings in this recipe – 8-9 hours – the recipe given is for a 1 kg piece of brisket, make sure you check the recipe card at the end of the post which states this.
Ellen Dreksler says
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.
bakingqueen74 says
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!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Yum!!! This beef brisket looks delicious… wish I was having it right now for lunch!
bakingqueen74 says
Thank you 🙂
Ali @ Home & Plate says
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.
bakingqueen74 says
It is very rich isn’t it, such a useful meat to slow cook
reneeskitchenadventures says
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!
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant, glad to have inspired. It is often quite expensive here so I always get it when on promotion!
shashi at runninsrilankan says
This is perfect for a Sunday dinner – but easy enough for anyday!
bakingqueen74 says
I hadn’t thought of that but you are right!
shockinglydelicious says
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!
bakingqueen74 says
It so is! Thanks for visiting
Fuss Free Helen says
That looks so good Lucy, especially on a cold spring day like today. I want it for lunch tomorrow.
bakingqueen74 says
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!