Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
This slow cooker beef brisket is so delicious and fall-apart tender and juicy. The dry rub is amazing, and the easy apricot barbecue sauce adds a nice sweet and fruity touch.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 630kcal
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.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Serving: 3slices | Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 2203mg | Potassium: 1220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 599IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 7mg