Beef brisket may be cooked in a variety of ways, such as by smoking it or roasting it in the oven. However, this recipe for slow-cooked beef brisket from Ina Garten is hands down my favorite way to make tender, flavorful beef brisket that is bursting with juices and flavor.

And it couldn’t be simpler! Because it can be prepared several days in advance and then reheated in the slow cooker for stress-free entertaining, it is the perfect stress-free company supper! In fact, this is the way that I myself prefer to employ!

Ina Garten Beef Brisket Ingredients

This barbecue brisket made in a slow cooker is simply outstanding. The ingredients that are required to prepare this dish are listed below.

Beef Brisket. Before using the beef, make sure that any extra fat is removed, then rinse it and pat it dry.
Beef Bouillon. The beef cooked over the barbecue has a delightful new layer of flavor as a result.
Worcestershire Sauce. Even though you only need two teaspoons, you’ll notice a significant change in the brisket after adding it.
Soy Sauce. In order to maintain complete control over the level of saltiness in this slow cooker brisket, I strongly suggest going with a soy sauce that has a lower sodium content.
Special Spice Rub. Paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and a few more spices are mixed together in my own spice rub. It has an amazing depth of taste!
Homemade Barbecue Sauce. If you’re going to the trouble of cooking a pricey cut of meat like brisket, you may as well prepare your own barbecue sauce to go with it.

Beef Brisket Ingredients Substitutions

If necessary, there are a few other ingredient substitutions that you may use for the homemade barbecue sauce.

In the absence of blackberry preserves, they have successfully substituted strawberry preserves, raspberry preserves, fig preserves, apple jam, and apple jam.
You may use light, medium, or dark brown sugar depending on how much you have available.
If you only have honey or granulated sugar on hand, you can use those instead. However, for this particular recipe, I would lower the amount of sugar by a tablespoon or two and increase the amount of molasses instead. You might also use a combination of other kinds of sweeteners.

What Is Brisket?

When I go out to eat at a barbecue restaurant, I always go for the beef brisket because it has the most flavorful natural taste of any piece of meat and because it is tender and juicy. Because brisket comes from the front breastbone of the cow, there is a significant amount of connective tissue and muscle that supports much of the weight of the cow. Because of this, the meat must be cooked for an exceptionally long period of time in order to break down the fibers of the meat, which contributes to the flavor.

In contrast to chuck roast and short ribs, which readily fall apart after being cooked for a lengthy period of time, brisket maintains its form while being slow-cooked, allowing it to be sliced or shredded as desired. Because of this, it is vital to keep in mind that even if you cook your beef brisket for a longer period of time than necessary, it will still be able to retain its integrity to the point where it can be shredded.

After I had cooked this beef brisket, it became really soft, but despite this, I was still able to slice it and I also found that it was very simple to shred. Because of this, beef brisket is an excellent choice for slow cooking and is an excellent choice for stress-free entertaining.

How To Make Ina Garten Brisket

Preheat the oven to 425°F. To make cleanup easier, line a large baking sheet with sides or a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or foil. Place aside.
Nonstick cooking spray 6 quart (or bigger) slow cooker
Remove extra fat from the brisket and rinse and pat dry. If your brisket is very lengthy, cut it in half to fit in your slow cooker.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the spice rub ingredients. 1 tablespoon spice rub removed and placed in a medium dish for use in barbecue sauce. Rub the remaining spice rub evenly over the meat before placing it on the prepared baking sheet. (If preferred, leave at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.) To sear the beef, bake uncovered at 425°F for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together all of the barbecue sauce ingredients, including the 1 tablespoon reserved spice rub. Add 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon beef bouillon to the slow cooker. To blend, whisk everything together (the bouillon will not be completely dissolved but will dissolve during cooking).
Carefully transfer the beef to the slow cooker using tongs (to avoid burning yourself). Because it will be huge, you will have to cram it in. Not all of it will be submerged in liquid.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the brisket is extremely tender, turning halfway through. If your brisket is tough, simply cook it longer.
Transfer the brisket to a baking sheet lined with foil. Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly caramelized, brushing with barbecue sauce. Meanwhile, reheat the remaining barbecue sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Brush the brisket with barbecue sauce again, then slice it against the grain or chop it if preferred. Serve straight with the remaining barbecue sauce, or create wonderful sandwiches.

What To Serve With Beef Brisket?

This barbecue beef brisket is delicious when served with any of a variety of hearty sides. The following are some of my favorite sides to go with beef brisket.

Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese
Best Baked Beans
Corn Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Award Winning Sweet Moist Cornbread
Kicked Up Classy Creamy Potato Salad
Company Mashed Potatoes
Baked Parmesan Fingerling Potato Fries
Cheesy Pull Apart Pesto Bread

Slow Cooker Brisket Variations

Modifying the flavor of the homemade barbecue sauce is an easy way to transform the taste of this beef brisket cooked in a slow cooker.

Sweeten It Up. Increase the amount of brown sugar.
Make It Tangier. Add extra apple cider vinegar.
Make It Smokier. You should add more liquid smoke, perhaps a half teaspoon at a time.
Make It More Peppery. To achieve heat with a smoky flavor, use more chipotle chili powder. To achieve heat with a penetrating flavor, add more cayenne pepper.

How To Store Beef Brisket?

In The Fridge. This brisket made in a slow cooker should be kept in the refrigerator in a container that is airtight. It will persist for between four and five days.
In The Freezer. After completing the preparation of the brisket as specified in the recipe, allow it to come to room temperature. Place the meat in a big freezer bag OR separate it into smaller size sandwich bags. Next, press the bag(s) flat and squeeze out extra air to prevent freezer burn. Finally, seal, label, and freeze the beef brisket for up to three months. To defrost, store the frozen food in the refrigerator the night before.
To Make Ahead. After cooking my brisket until it is tender, I take out the ceramic insert that is detachable, and then I place the brisket in the refrigerator while it is still in the juices. The following day, I remove all of the solidified fat, then reheat it in the slow cooker on LOW for one to two hours, until it is completely hot, and then I continue with the recipe.
To Reheat. You can reheat this beef brisket that was cooked in a slow cooker either in the oven or in a pan set over medium heat. Steer clear of the microwave if you want to preserve the quality of such a beautiful piece of steak.

My Personal Recipe Tips

For this dish, homemade barbecue sauce is truly the finest option, but if you are short on time or energy, store-bought barbecue sauce will do the trick.
This brisket in the slow cooker has to be cooked on low for a very extended period of time. If you try to cook the barbecue brisket at a high temperature, it won’t become soft enough to cut with a fork.
If your brisket isn’t tender, you only need to cook it for a little bit longer; even an additional half an hour may make a difference.
This barbecue beef brisket is great whether it’s sliced or shredded, so feel free to do either!

Try More Recipes:

Ina Garten Brisket

Erin Table for Seven

Beef brisket may be cooked in a variety of ways, such as by smoking it or roasting it in the oven, however, this recipe for slow-cooked beef brisket from Ina Garten is hands down my favorite way to make tender, flavorful beef brisket that is bursting with juices and flavor. And it couldn’t be simpler!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 9

Total Time 9 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings people

Calories 426 kcal

Ingredients

Slow cooker

4 pounds of beef brisket trimmed of excess fat
1 cup water
1 tablespoon beef bouillon
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ cup homemade barbecue sauce directions to follow

Spice Rub

2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for more heat

Barbecue Sauce

1 ½ cups ketchup
⅓ cup molasses
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup seedless blackberry preserves
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon reserved Spice Rub from above
1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke optional but recommended*

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C). To make cleanup easier, line a large baking sheet with sides or a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or foil. Place aside.
Remove extra fat from the brisket and rinse and pat dry. If your brisket is very lengthy, cut it in half to fit in your slow cooker.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the spice rub ingredients. 1 tablespoon spice rub removed and placed in a medium dish for use in barbecue sauce Rub the remaining spice rub evenly over the meat before placing it on the prepared baking sheet. (If preferred, leave at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.) To sear the beef, bake uncovered at 425°F for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together all of the barbecue sauce ingredients including the 1 tablespoon reserved spice rub. Add 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon beef bouillon to the slow cooker. To blend, whisk everything together (the bouillon will not be completely dissolved but will dissolve during cooking).
Carefully transfer the beef to the slow cooker using tongs (to avoid burning yourself). Because it will be huge, you will have to cram it in. Not all of it will be submerged in liquid.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the brisket is extremely tender, turning halfway through. If your brisket is tough, simply cook it longer.
Transfer the brisket to a baking sheet lined with foil. Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly caramelized, brushing with barbecue sauce. Meanwhile, reheat the remaining barbecue sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Brush the brisket with barbecue sauce again, then slice it against the grain or chop it if preferred. Serve straight with the remaining barbecue sauce, or create wonderful sandwiches.

Notes

For this dish, homemade barbecue sauce is truly the finest option, but if you are short on time or energy, store-bought barbecue sauce will do the trick.
This brisket in the slow cooker has to be cooked on low for a very extended period of time. If you try to cook the barbecue brisket at a high temperature, it won’t become soft enough to cut with a fork.
If your brisket isn’t tender, you only need to cook it for a little bit longer; even an additional half an hour may make a difference.
This barbecue beef brisket is great whether it’s sliced or shredded, so feel free to do either!

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 39gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 747mgPotassium: 1005mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 1148IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 5mg

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