Crock-Pot Beef Brisket Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is brisket better in the crockpot or oven? ›

Honestly, we don't consider that the best way to cook brisket. Some ovens can be unreliable at the low temperatures required for such a long cooking time. If you want to cook a brisket overnight, do so in a slow cooker. Those instructions are below.

Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours (depending on your crockpot and size of your brisket). Start checking at the 8 hour mark and every 30 minutes thereafter... mine took exactly 8 hours. It's done when it's fork tender and an instant meat thermometer registers 195°F-205°F.

Don't Drown Your Brisket

To braise properly, you don't want the meat to be all the way covered with stock and wine—liquid should come up about halfway on the brisket.

Add Moisture

After two or four hours of cooking, you can lightly spray your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. You can do this every 30 minutes or every hour, based on preference.

Step 1: Sear the beef: The first step to making a brisket in the Crockpot is to start outside the slow cooker. Though it takes a little more work, searing the beef until it's a deep golden brown adds a ton of flavor.

If you overcook meat, it becomes dry and tough. Often people using a slow cooker and don't check when the food is actually done. If a recipe says cook for 8 hours on low, people may not check the food for 8 hours. A slow cooker will not do what you want.

Place the seasoned beef brisket into the slow cooker, making sure it is submerged in the liquid mixture. Add a little extra salt to taste, if desired. Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low heat setting for approximately 8-10 hours, or until the beef brisket is tender and easily pulls apart.

Using tongs (so you don't burn yourself) carefully transfer brisket to slow cooker. It will be large so you will have to squish it in. Not all of it will be under the liquid. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours until brisket is very tender, flipping over half way through cooking.

How much liquid do I add? Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.

All brisket, no matter which cut you choose, is a tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked low and slow: think oven, slow cooker or indirect heat on a grill.

Do you cook brisket fat side up or down? ›

To set things straight, we're here to put an end to the confusion, so you can get back to the grill with confidence. For brisket cooked to flavorful perfection, fat-side-down is the way to go. This is the only way to achieve a brisket that is perfectly moist with a perfect bark on both sides.

The brisket already loses enough moisture from water loss through steam and fat lost on the cutting block.

Texas Crutch Method: The Texas crutch method involves wrapping the brisket tightly in foil or butcher paper during the cooking process. This helps retain moisture and speeds up the cooking time, resulting in a tender and flavorful brisket.

Slow cooking is a convenient method for cooking brisket. Season your brisket and place it in the slow cooker with some vegetables and broth. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 90-95°C.

The goal of low and slow cooking is to use low temperatures for longer periods of time to evenly cook the meat inside without drying it out. However, brisket cuts tend to have little fat marbling within and even the low and slow method of cooking can leave you with a dry brisket if you aren't careful.