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Whether you typically grill or smoke brisket, or you’re new to this cut of beef, it’s worth making this melt-in-your-mouth slow cooker brisket recipe because it’s super-easy and the meat comes out incredibly juicy and tender. Slow cooker beef brisket is flavored with onions, mustard, paprika, chili powder, and a splash of beef broth. This dish is great for busy weeknights or family get-togethers, and yet it’s impressive enough to serve guests. Let it cook low ‘n slow all day long and your reward will be the most delicious, fall-apart tender, succulent brisket you have ever had!

Close-up of sliced slow cooker brisket on a wooden cutting board, with a glass of ice water in the background.

Treat your taste buds to slow cooker beef brisket. It’s moist and juicy, and you can use it in quesadillas, tacos, mac ‘n cheese, sandwiches, and much more.

If you love tender brisket, you might also like mesquite smoked brisket, cranberry holiday brisket, or some brisket sandwiches with red onions.

A plate with Crockpot brisket, roasted potatoes, and a small portion of Caesar salad. Two wooden pepper grinders are visible in the background.

Why You’ll Love It

Really easy to make: Not everyone can grill or smoke a brisket to perfection but slow cooker brisket is ridiculously simple to make and is sure to come out super-tender!
Tastes incredible: Brisket is already a flavorful piece of meat, but adding onion, mustard, paprika, chili powder, and beef broth makes it even more delicious.
So versatile: Serve the finished brisket with any sides you want or use it to make anything from tacos and quesadillas to omelets or sliders.

A sliced, cooked piece of Crockpot beef brisket on a cutting board beside roasted potatoes and a bowl of salad, with a crockpot in the background.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Brisket: I typically use Choice brisket, as Prime is really fatty and Select is very lean. Choose brisket that’s reddish pink throughout, as a darker color can mean a tougher cut of meat. I’d recommend using the flat rather than the point, simply because it’s much easier to cut into uniform slices.
Onions: Use sweet onions or red onions, or even omit them if you don’t want onions in there.
Dry mustard powder: Mustard is a bold flavor and tastes beautiful with beef.
Ground paprika: Use smoked paprika or sweet paprika.
Chili powder: For a kick of spice.
Beef broth: To add flavor and to deglaze the skillet.

A raw beef brisket on a white plate is surrounded by small bowls of salt, pepper, spices, a glass jug with liquid, and a bottle with a cork top on a counter with a checkered cloth. Perfect for turning into an irresistible slow cooker brisket recipe.

How to Make Brisket in a Crockpot

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the brisket: Pat the brisket dry and remove any excess fat and silver skin.
Season the brisket: Combine the salt, mustard, paprika, black pepper, and chili powder, and pat into the meat.
Brown it: Brown the brisket in olive oil in a skillet and then put it in the crockpot on top of the onions (if using).
Cook until perfectly tender: Deglaze the skillet with beef broth and pour it into the crockpot. Cover and cook on low until done.

Cooked Crock Pot brisket and a pair of wooden salt and pepper shakers in the background.

Substitutions and Variations

Another cut of beef: Nothing is quite like brisket but the closest substitution is probably a chuck beef roast that’s been rolled and tied.
Different flavors: Barbecue sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, or any other flavors you like can be added to this slow cooker recipe.
Spice it up: Add extra red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce.
Make it milder: Swap the dry mustard and chili powder for onion powder and garlic powder.
Make it deluxe: Rub Dijon mustard over the meat before browning it for a tasty, tangy crust.

A plate of sliced Slow Cooker Beef Brisket served with roasted potatoes and a side of salad on a table with a checkered cloth. Additional Crockpot brisket and kitchen items are visible in the background.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Enjoy jalapeno corn dogs or smoked spiced shrimp to start your meal.
Side dishes: Crockpot beef brisket pairs with shaved Brussels sprout slaw, coleslaw, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, and onion rings.
Dessert: Finish strong with Almond Joy choc chip cookies.

A sliced beef brisket on a cutting board, with roasted potatoes, a glass of ice water, and a slow cooker brisket recipe simmering in the background.

How to Store Crockpot Brisket

Store: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Freeze: Slow cooker beef brisket will freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw: It’s best to defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Warm it back up for 5 or 6 minutes at 330°F in the air fryer or microwave it.

A slow cooker brisket with onions rests on a wooden cutting board, accompanied by a bowl of roasted potatoes and wooden salt and pepper grinders in the background.

Top Tips

Don’t skip the sear: Searing the brisket before slow cooking ensures it has a tasty crust and it also stops the meat from drying out during the cooking time.
Use a large enough slow cooker: You’ll need a large crockpot (I use this one!) for this recipe.
Perfect cooking time: Using a smaller brisket? A 3-pound brisket might be tender in 6 hours.
Don’t flip the meat: There’s no need to flip the brisket in the slow cooker.

A plate with slices of slow cooker brisket, roasted potatoes, and a side of greens. A checkered cloth is partially visible in the foreground.

Slow Cooker Brisket FAQs

What are some tasty ways to serve this crockpot brisket recipe?

You can serve it in slices with coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob, or your preferred sides. Other ways to enjoy it include in quesadillas, tacos, wraps, or enchiladas, added to mac and cheese or mashed potatoes, paired with a salad, or added to an omelet or scrambled eggs.

Does the brisket need to be submerged in the crockpot?

No, a little cooking liquid in there (the beef broth mixture) is sufficient to keep it moist.

Can you make the juices into a gravy?

Yes, you could mix cornstarch with water to make a cornstarch slurry. Stir this into the liquid in the crockpot and it thickens it up to make a tasty gravy. Alternatively, mix bottled or homemade BBQ sauce with the cooked meat.

A plate with Crockpot beef brisket, roasted potatoes, and a small salad with greens and cheese, placed on a white and black checkered napkin with a fork beside it.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe

Sliced, slow cooker beef brisket on a wooden cutting board with visible grill marks and a slightly crispy outer layer.
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5 from 2 votes

Slow Cooker Brisket

By: Bella Bucchiotti
Treat your taste buds to slow cooker brisket. It’s moist and juicy, and you can use it in quesadillas, tacos, mac ‘n cheese, sandwiches, and much more.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8

Equipment

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Unpack the brisket and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut and discard excess fat and silver skin.
  • Add the sliced onions to a slow cooker. Spread evenly.
  • In a small bowl, combine salt, dry mustard, paprika, black pepper, and chili powder. Sprinkle this seasoning on all sides of the brisket and lightly pat down.
  • Preheat a large skillet and add olive oil. Brown the brisket for 3 minutes on each side.
  • Add the brisket to the slow cooker.
  • Pour the beef broth into the hot skillet to deglaze the pan and then pour the beef broth into the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours.

Notes

Don’t skip the sear: Searing the brisket before slow cooking ensures it has a tasty crust and it also stops the meat from drying out during the cooking time.
Use a large enough slow cooker: You’ll need a large crockpot for this recipe.
Perfect cooking time: Using a smaller brisket? A 3-pound brisket might be tender in 6 hours.
Don’t flip the meat: There’s no need to flip the brisket in the slow cooker.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 919mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 5mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
A raw beef brisket on a white plate is surrounded by small bowls of salt, pepper, spices, a glass jug with liquid, and a bottle with a cork top on a counter with a checkered cloth. Perfect for turning into an irresistible slow cooker brisket.
A raw piece of meat covered in seasoning on a white plate, surrounded by a bowl of white substance, a jar of spices, a pitcher of liquid, and a bottle of oil on a white surface awaits its transformation into slow cooker brisket.
A seasoned brisket is cooking in a large black skillet. A white and black checkered towel is partially visible in the background. A cup of broth, reminiscent of slow cooker brisket recipes, is placed next to the skillet.
A large slow cooker brisket sits in a white slow cooker next to a black and white checkered cloth.
A slow cooker filled with tender brisket and rich brown broth, with pieces of onion visible, next to a striped white and black kitchen towel.
A cooked piece of slow cooker brisket with onions on a wooden cutting board, placed in front of the slow cooker and two wooden salt and pepper mills.

This gorgeous slow cooker brisket recipe is easy to make and offers so much hearty, meaty flavor. When you cook brisket in a crockpot, it comes out juicy and tender. Whether you don’t want to use the smoker or grill or the weather simply isn’t on your side, a slow cooked beef brisket is always a succulent and flavorful treat the whole family is sure to enjoy.

Other Recipes to Try

Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.

 

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5 from 2 votes

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2 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    We love brisket and usually make it on the smoker. It came out ultra tender in the slow cooker, so we will be making this recipe again. We make sandwiches with it the next day, too.

    Reply