Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

Brisket_Final.jpg

Beef brisket slow cooked until tender, then finished in the oven to get that gorgeous caramelisation, basted with a homemade BBQ Sauce that the brisket is cooked in. Slice it and serve as part of a hearty Southern style supper or pile it up high on sliders!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 hrs

Total Time 10 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 8 - 10 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 – 2 kg beef brisket

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (or a neutral oil like vegetable, canola)

Rub:

  • 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

BBQ Sauce:

  • 2 garlic cloves , minced

  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml apple cider vinegar

  • 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml tomato sauce

  • 1/2 cup / 110g brown sugar , packed

  • 2 tsp EACH black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder

  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste re: spiciness)

  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Mix Rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket. If time permits, leave for 30 minutes – 24 hours in the fridge, but I rarely do this.

  • Combine BBQ Sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Mix then add the brisket – squish it in if needed.

  • Slow cook in slow cooker for 8 hours (1.5 kg) to 10 hours (2 kg).

  • Remove brisket onto a tray.

  • Pour liquid in slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency (it thickens more as it cools).

  • Meanwhile, drizzle brisket with oil then roast in a 200C oven for 15 minutes until brown spots appear. Remove then baste generously with Sauce, then return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove and baste again, then return to oven for 5 – 10 minutes until it caramelises and looks like the photos. (See note for BBQ option)

  • TO SERVE: Slice brisket thinly across the grain and serve with remaining BBQ Sauce. This is terrific served as a meal with sides or piled high onto rolls with Coleslaw as sliders. See Note 3 for more ideas.

SLOW COOKER on HIGH: Same recipe, 4.5 hours for 1.5 kg or 5 hours for 2 kg. Follow same directions.

PRESSURE COOKER: Same recipe, 1 hr 15 minutes for 1.5 kg or 1 hr 30 minutes for 2 kg. Follow same directions. If you've got an Instant Pot, add 1 cup water (otherwise you get the burn notice) and might need to reduce sauce slightly at end. Natural release, or wait 15 minutes then quick release

Johanna Bostock