This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket is a great way to enjoy tender and delicious fall-apart brisket if you don’t have a smoker or when it’s freezing cold outside.
Brushed with an apricot BBQ glaze and finished under the broiler for beautiful caramelized edges, this delicious brisket is perfect with classic side dishes or piled onto a bun for a brisket sandwich!
Nothing beats a good smoked brisket cooked low and slow for hours, but when you don’t have a smoker or it’s just too cold outside (winters in Michigan can be brutal!), the slow cooker can be a great alternative.
This slow cooker beef brisket is cooked on a bed of onions, along with garlic, aromatics, and a quick and easy apricot barbecue glaze! The glaze is added during the entire cooking time for wonderful flavor, and then brushed on at the end for that beautiful caramelization.
Slow cooking traps in moisture, keeping leaner cuts of meat juicy and tender. Just like my Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs, this method ensures flavorful results with minimal effort.
Looking for more tender beef recipes? Try my Dutch Oven Pot Roast, Dutch Oven Beef Stew, and Red Wine Braised Beef.
Why I love making this slow cooker beef brisket:
- Amazing flavor. The sweet and smoky dry rub flavors the meat, and the sweet and tangy apricot BBQ glaze adds exceptional flavor.
- Easy to make and so tender. The slow cooker does most of the work! This slow cooker beef brisket is fall-apart tender and juicy.
- Feeds a crowd. Serve for game day parties, potlucks, or just because! It yields enough for 8 to 10 servings.
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Which Cut of Brisket to Use
Brisket consists of two parts: the flat and the point.
It may depend store by store but whenever I buy brisket, it is sold whole, both the flat and point. For this recipe, I prefer to use the flat cut. Because it is leaner, it makes it perfect for slow cooking, during which the tough connective tissues are broken down into tender meat. Plus, it’s easier to get even slices.
I usually buy a whole brisket weighing about 10-12 pounds. After trimming the excess fat around the edges and the fat cap, then separating the point, it ended up being a 5-6 pound brisket flat, which fit nicely in my large 8-quart slow cooker.
If you’re not sure, definitely ask your butcher for help. It’s a big piece of meat after all!
Ingredient Notes
Below, I included a few notes from recipe testing. Quantities are listed in the recipe card down below, as always.
- Beef brisket, “flat” cut: You’ll need about 5 to 6 pounds of the flat cut. Trim excess fat and leave about a 1/3 inch of the fat cap.
- For the dry rub: Feel free to mix and match your favorite spices here! I use brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, Italian herb seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Salt and pepper too.
- Yellow onions, garlic cloves, and bay leaves: These aromatics go into the bottom of the slow cooker along with a flavorful broth and some of the apricot BBQ sauce. The onions create a bed that elevates the brisket as it cooks, then cook down, adding amazing flavor throughout.
- Beef broth: Just a little to give the meat a head start with moisture as it cooks.
- Dijon mustard: I use whole grain Dijon mustard to add a tangy zip to the broth.
- Apricot preserves or jam and BBQ sauce: For the glaze. The apricot jam adds a fruity and sweet touch to the glaze, which caramelizes beautifully. Use your favorite brand of BBQ sauce or try my homemade sweet BBQ sauce.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Prepping for this slow cooker beef brisket is quick and easy. It’s as simple as seasoning the meat and throwing everything into the slow cooker, which takes care of the rest.
Step 1 | Prep the brisket
Trim off excess fat around the edges and the cap of the brisket, keeping about ⅓ inch of fat on the top layer.
Rub both sides of the brisket with the prepared dry rub seasoning (spices listed in the recipe card down below). Let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour on the counter. This allows flavors to permeate through, and for the meat to come to room temperature.
Step 2 | Make the apricot BBQ glaze
In a bowl, mix the apricot preserves, your favorite BBQ sauce, and Dijon mustard. Do a little taste test and see if you want to add more Dijon for more tang. Adjust to taste and set aside.
Step 3 | Add into slow cooker and cook
Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the bottom of a large 8-quart slow cooker. Then, add beef broth, whole grain dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and about 3/4 cup of the prepared apricot BBQ sauce. Mix to combine.
Place the seasoned brisket on top, fat cap side up, so the juices from the fat can drip down and flavor the beef as it cooks. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 6 hours until tender. It takes time because it’s a big cut of lean meat.
Step 4 | Brush with glaze and broil
Once the brisket is finished cooking and meltingly fall-apart tender, transfer it to a large sheet pat, fat side up. Brush with some of the apricot barbecue glaze and broil for 4-5 minutes until slightly charred.
Then, flip the meat over and brush it with more glaze. Broil for another 4-5 minutes until caramelized.
Let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife to slice against the grain. Serve with more of the apricot glaze and spoon some of the slow cooker brisket juices and cooked onions!
Tips for Success
- Preferably, cook on LOW for 10 hours to ensure fall-apart tender results. If you don’t have as much time, you can also cook for 5-6 hours on HIGH.
- Use your favorite spices! If you have a favorite store-bought smokey rub blend, this is a great recipe for that.
- You need a large 8-quart slow cooker.
- Cook the brisket with a layer of fat on top so it renders better. As it renders, the fat will drip down and infuse the cooking liquid with flavor.
- Let the meat rest for 15 minutes! This is one of the best ways to keep the juices from escaping. Let them settle and redistribute throughout.
- Slice against the grain, starting from the shorter end. Use a serrated knife.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
You can serve this slow cooker beef brisket with all kinds of yummy side dishes!
When serving a crowd, I like to have the classic BBQ side dishes like my Red Potato Dill Salad, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and this amazing Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread!
My family LOVES brisket with these Loaded Potato Skins too!
For a smaller meal, I’ll whip up quick Honey Butter Corn and Orange Honey Glazed Carrots, plus a generous serving of Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
I also love making brisket sandwiches with creamy coleslaw and briny pickles on brioche buns. This is a great idea for leftovers!
Recipe FAQs
For a larger cut (5-6 pounds), cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, perhaps closer to 10 hours since it’s a large lean cut. If your brisket is smaller, 8 hours should be enough.
Use what’s called the “flat.” As its name says, it’s a relatively thick and flat cut shaped almost like a rectangle. A whole brisket usually comes with the “point” cut attached, so separate it and save it for something else. If you’re unsure, ask your butcher for help.
The flat cut should be about 5 to 6 pounds after the excess fat is trimmed off. For reference, I bought a whole brisket that was about 10-12 pounds, and after separating the point and trimming the excess fat, I ended up with a 5-6 pound brisket flat.
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Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 pounds beef brisket, “flat” cut - excess fat trimmed, see notes
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 bay leaves
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Dry rub:
- 3 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the apricot BBQ glaze:
- 2 cups BBQ sauce - your favorite brand
- ½ cup apricot preserves or jam
- 1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
Instructions
- Dry rub: In a bowl, mix all the dry rub ingredients. Rub the brisket all over with it, on both sides. Let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour on the counter. This will help with flavor.
- Apricot BBQ sauce: In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce with the apricot preserves and dijon mustard. Set aside.
- To a large 8-quart slow cooker, add the sliced onions, crushed garlic, and bay leaves. Then, add beef broth, 2 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
- Stir in about ¾ cup of the prepared apricot barbecue glaze into the slow cooker. Give everything a mix until evenly combined.
- Place the brisket on top, fat layer side up. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours, or HIGH for 6 hours until fall-apart tender. During this time, the meat will release plenty of juices.
- Once ready, lift and transfer the brisket onto a large sheet pan, fat side up. Brush generously with some of the apricot BBQ glaze. Broil on high for 4-5 minutes until charred and the fat is rendered.
- Turn it over and brush with more of the glaze. Broil for another 4-5 minutes until charred and caramelized. You can broil the onions at this point too.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes, then slice against the grain (starting from the shorter end) using a serrated knife. Serve with more of the prepared sauce and spoon over the slow cooker brisket juices. Enjoy!
Notes
- Brisket size: Use the flat cut only. The flat cut should weigh around 5 to 6 pounds after trimming excess fat. For reference, I started with a 10-pound brisket and ended up with a 5-6 pound flat after trimming and separating the point.
- Slow cooker size: You need a large 8-quart slow cooker.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 days. Save the flavorful juices and onions in a separate container.
- Freezing: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container (including the delicious juices) for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave oven.
- Apricot preserves: peach preserves or fig jam.
- Feel free to use your favorite spices for the dry rub.
Patty says
This recipe is really easy to make. Turned out amazing! Although I did have to cut my brisket smaller to fit in my slow cooker.