Savory Slow Cooker Brisket – The Best Brisket Recipe with Onion, Garlic and Spices Made in the Crock Pot. Includes Recipe with Step-by-Step Video. Kosher for Passover.
Want to know one of my biggest prep secrets for making the best brisket during the holidays? Two words – SLOW COOKER, or CROCK POT, if you’re so inclined! With my stove and oven in overdrive, there is nothing better than having a brisket slowly cooking in the background while I deal with everything else. It frees up oven space, and the results are every bit as tender and delicious as brisket in the oven.
We usually cook brisket for Passover. For larger Seder meals we have hosted in the past, I have been known to plug in four slow cookers at the same time, borrowed from family and friends! Over time I learned to make a couple of briskets ahead– the flavor improves when the meat sits in the refrigerator for a day or two before serving. It’s also easier to slice the meat cold, and reheating is a breeze.
Is brisket healthy?
While not exactly “healthy,” brisket isn’t all bad! You might be surprised to learn that researchers at Texas A&M have found that brisket does have some unexpected health benefits. According to Dr. Stephen Smith, Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist, brisket has high levels of oleic acid, which produces high levels of HDLs, aka “good” cholesterol. Oleic acid produces HDLs which may lower your risk of heart disease, while lowering LDLs, aka “bad” cholesterol. And of course, brisket is a fantastic source of protein!
I recommend buying organic grass fed brisket when you can find it, and choosing a cut that is not too lean. Grass fed cuts tend to be lean, so choose a fattier cut if you can find it – and skip the trimming. Grass fed brisket can also take longer to become tender, so allow extra cook time just in case.
Should you wrap a brisket?
When storing brisket, it’s a good idea to wrap it to seal in the juices. After it has a chance to cool, brisket should be wrapped in an eco-friendly wrapping option of your choice. Never use aluminum foil, which can react to acid in your sauce. If reheating in the oven, foil is safe to use. I prefer to use parchment topped with foil on the roasting pan, so that the foil doesn’t come into contact with the meat.
Can you make this brisket ahead?
I’ve offered make-ahead directions for cooking the brisket below, as well as instructions for serving straight from the slow cooker. Either way, you will love this brisket… it is fork tender and flavorful, with delicious pan juices… everything the best holiday brisket should be!
Check out my separate tutorial for all things brisket here. For more Passover recipe ideas, hop on over to my Passover Recipe Index, where you’ll find delicious inspiration for a variety of dietary restrictions, including Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Gluten Free, Vegetarian and Vegan diets.
What should I serve with brisket?
Looking for some side dishes to pair with your brisket? Here are a few delicious ideas!
Oven Roasted Roasted Root Vegetables
Butternut Squash and Crispy Kale Bake
More Brisket Recipes
Here are some other tested, tasty brisket recipes for you to try.
Recommended Products:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Video by Entice Films
Savory Slow Cooker Brisket
Ingredients
- 4-6 pound brisket , first cut recommended
- 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 whole onions sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne ; if you are very spice sensitive, just use a pinch
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch, optional (use potato starch for Passover)
You will also need
- Slow cooker, large skillet, immersion blender (optional)
Instructions
- Place half of the chopped onions, 5 of the garlic cloves and the bay leaves in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Rinse the brisket and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides of the meat lightly with black pepper and salt. If you're using a kosher salted brisket, or if you are salt sensitive, skip the salting here -- there will be plenty in the sauce after cooking.
- Note about this next step-- if you're in a hurry you don't need to brown the brisket before placing it in the slow cooker, just mix the spices with the water and pour over the brisket in the slow cooker. However, if you do have time to brown it first the flavor will be much better! Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and heat a large skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke.Brown the brisket on both sides—it will take a few minutes per side. A large brisket may overlap the edges of the skillet; you can brown it in stages, letting half the brisket overlap the edge, then adjusting it to brown the other half. Make sure you get some nice dark brown bits on there, it really adds to the flavor.
- Once the brisket is browned, place it in the slow cooker on top of the onions and garlic.
- Drain the fat from the skillet, leaving behind any brown bits in the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove. In a small bowl, mix together the water, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Pour the water and spice mixture into the skillet and heat over medium until hot and bubbly, using the liquid to deglaze the pan and loosening brown bits gently from the bottom of the skillet with a spatula.
- Pour the contents of the skillet over the brisket.
- Top brisket with the remaining sliced onions and garlic cloves. Cover and cook on low for 8- 10 hours, or until fork tender. Tenderness will increase as it cooks, so take it out when it's tender to your liking. Most people like it very tender but not so soft that it is falling apart. You want it firm enough to slice but tender enough that the edges shred with a fork.I recommend making this brisket ahead; allowing it to sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 nights will improve the flavor. If you would like to do this, check the notes section for the “Make Ahead Directions.” If you are not making ahead, continue reading.
- Remove brisket from the pan and let it rest on the cutting board fat-side up for 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, skim fat from the surface of the cooking sauce.You may strain the sauce to separate the solids out and discard— if you do this, return the sauce to the slow cooker, mix together 1 tbsp potato starch or cornstarch (use potato starch for Passover) with 1 tbsp of cold water, and stir it into the strained liquid in the slow cooker. Alternatively, you may thicken the cooking sauce by first removing the bay leaves, then using an immersion blender to blend the sauce with the garlic and onions directly in the slow cooker (careful, the liquid is hot-- protect yourself with a towel and take care with more delicate ceramic slow cooker inserts).
- Once your sauce is ready, cut fat cap off the brisket.
- Then cut the brisket in thin slices against the grain.
- Return slices to the slow cooker and cover with sauce. Heat the meat slices on high setting in the sauce for 30-60 minutes more until sauce is hot, bubbly and thickened around the meat. Serve sliced brisket hot with sauce.
NOTES
Nutrition
Hi Tori, am about to cook the brisket and planning to freeze and take camping next week. Question? Do I pour sauce over and then freeze? Or freeze the sauce separately?
Many thanks!!
Cheers Mei
Hi Mei! So sorry I didn’t get to this comment sooner, you have probably already went camping and returned by now. I was backed up with holiday comments. In future, if I were to freeze this I would do it with the sauce rather than separately. Hope it all turned out ok!
I made this exactly as you said last night and I just checked it and I think the brand of cayenne I used is super spicy. The Morton brand for some reason has soo much heat vs for example the whole foods brand. I’m about to transfer it to the ceramic pot – and suggestions for how to make it less hot? Guests are coming over tonight :/
Hi Desireh! I’m surprised this turned out so spicy for you, the cayenne flavor should be pretty subtle. You really must have gotten hold of a fiery cayenne. Unfortunately I was behind in answering comments and therefore your guests have already come and gone, but for any other readers who might be facing this issue, you could add some tomato puree to the sauce to dilute it a bit and counteract the spiciness. The sweetness of the tomatoes would mellow out the spice, and it would blend well with the other flavors here. Hope you found a fix!
Delicious first time making with a 4 lb. brisket. Would you double all ingredients for 10 pound brisket?
I would use 1 1/2 the other ingredients, although I think it will be difficult to find a slow cooker that will fit a 10 pound brisket! If you are using two slow cookers and cutting the brisket in half, then I would recommend doubling the recipe and putting one in each cooker. 🙂
A crowd hit. Made this for my Hanukkah party this weekend and everyone loved it.
Hi,
I’m going to try this dish for Christmas day. In the make ahead directions, the reheat step: should the slow cooker be on high, low or just warm for the 45-75 minute reheat?
Thank you.
High will reheat it fastest. Enjoy!
I think I was a little aggressive when planning this and bought a a 7 pound brisket. Got through the first steps nicely but the brisket just wouldn’t fit in the slow cooker. I cut about a 1/4 off, where the large part then fit nicely and then I stacked the smaller quarter on top. Just started cooking everything, but curious if this will throw off anything, essentially having two pieces of meat stacked on top of each other?
Please let me know!
Should be fine Ben! I wasn’t able to get to your comment in time, but I hope it turned out great for you. 🙂
Can I put veggies in to cook with it, carrots, peas, or beans?
Hi Judy, carrots and beans will work great. Peas might become mushy over the prolonged cook time, so depending on what kind of texture you like you might want to add them closer to the end of cooking. Enjoy!
I just made the brisket today for the first night of Hanukkah, and it was a hit! The flavors were delicious and the meat was tender. Everyone complimented me on it. I thought I might miss a small hint of sweetness, but I didn’t. Thank you!
Awesome Lauren! Happy you enjoyed it.
Hi! I just bought my brisket today and have a question:
I have two pieces of brisket that equal about 7.5 lbs (I’m increasing amounts for a party.) Can they both go in the crockpot or can I put one in a Dutch oven in the oven on low and one in a crockpot?
They can both go in the crock pot if they fit in there comfortably.
This recipe is really fantastic, especially the sauce/gravy! Tonight will be my fourth time making it. I generally use small briskest (1.5 to 2#) for my small family of four. I just reduce the garlic, bay leaves and seasoning. It’s now in the rotation of favorite dinners in my home. This is THE WAY to do brisket as I’m not a fan of the BBQ sauced variety.
So glad you like it!
Do I need to adjust this recipe if my brisket is around 3.3 pounds? What about the cooking time?
I made this recipe last year and didn’t save it! I just spent 30 minutes online to find it again and am so glad I did! I just wanted to let you know that it was absolutely delicious and cant wait to make it again. Thank you!!!!!
Glad you found it Kelsey! Bookmark it 🙂
I wonder why mine came out so dry. Could be that my crock pot temperature may have been too high. 10hours on low. The sauce was amazingly good so id like to make this again.
great! grandiose! quel repas de chabbate, de strasbourg france…
Do I keep the onions with the brisket while I put it in the refrigerator? Does the sauce stay in the slow cooker during the time the brisket is in the fridge? Do you add the potato starch right before you put the brisket back in the slow cooker or do you put it in there while it waits for the brisket? Hope to hear from you soon!
The sauce goes into the refrigerator with the brisket. Please read the make ahead directions carefully in the recipe above, as your questions are answered there in detail.
How much water do you put as part of the recipe?
1/2 cup water, as stated in the ingredients.
Looking forward to making this tomorrow. Looks delicious but not going to use that much garlic.
I am planning on making this brisket for Rosh Hashanah. I’ve never made a veal brisket. I just bought it and it doesn’t have as much fat as yours does in the picture. Should I add more liquid? I hope you answer me soon, as I would like to cook it in the next day or so. Can’t wait to try this! Shanna Tova!!
Hi Shelley– I have never cooked veal brisket, unfortunately, so I don’t have any advice for you on this. I usually use first cut traditional brisket.
Hi Tori,
I have made this before and really liked it. This year I am thinking about making it ahead and in the directions you mention to transfer it to a ceramic dish to store in the refrigerator for 1-2 nights, however, isn’t the base of the slow cooker ceramic? Wondering if I can keep it in the slow cooker base in the refrigerator? Thank you!
Hi Laura, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. You can use the slow cooker base as a container for the refrigerator if you’d like. It just takes up a lot more space than a ceramic dish.
Hello!
I bought about 6 lbs of #3 (in Israel it’s brisket) but it doesn’t look anything like yours. It’s about 7″ thick, and in two pieces. How will this affect the cooking time? Also, would I need to add any more liquid to this? It’s not nice and flat like yours… (This is the first time in my life I’ve made a brisket, and I don’t want to mess it up!)
I do hope you answer soon.
Thank you.
Chana-Rochel
Hi Chana-Rochel, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. I’m not sure I’ve seen a brisket that has been cut that way. It sounds more like what we would call a roast here. I think it would be fine to follow Tori’s instructions, just be sure that you cook the brisket until it reaches an internal temp of at least 175 degrees F and is fork tender. You may want to check the level of liquid a few times during the cooking process to make sure the brisket isn’t burning. If the liquid runs out you can replace it with water or beef broth. Hope this helps!