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.
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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
Your photos show the brisket as rectangular.. do I have to cut the pointed end off, or can I just place it in the slow cooker as is, and when I’m ready to slice, will slice as you demonstrated, and pointed piece will be sliced also. I have a larger all clad slow cooker, and it fits with little bit of the end curled up on the side.
Also wondering if you do fat side down?
Excited to see how this turns out. Will brown the piece, and will follow make ahead directions. Thanks.
No need to cut the pointed end off. I usually cook it fat side up. Enjoy!
I have made this brisket for our big family’s Christmukkah party every year since 2012. It is alway a big hit. (Even the year I forgot about it and it cooked 11 hours!) I make everyone take to-go plates when they leave because there is always too much food. But there is never any brisket left! Thank you for this delicious and EASY make ahead recipe.
Hi! Making this for Christmas and can’t wait! When making it ahead of time, would you suggest low or high when reheating the slices in the crockpot?
Thanks so much!
High is fine!
Heeeelllpppp!!!! Purchased brisket to cook tomorrow in preparation for this Sunday. Butcher removed fat layer (probably thinking he was doing me a favour) I know the fat is important for tenderness of brisket. Can I use more olive oil? Please advise.
Eek! Is there any fat left? You may need more liquid to cook it, the fat renders and creates lots of liquid. Other than that, just cook it low and slow, maybe even a little longer than stated here, making sure there is plenty of liquid to keep the meat moist. It should turn out ok, just might take longer to cook.
Can I use the same recipe and cook it in the oven? My brisket was too big for the crockpot, so I doubled the sauce cut the brisket in half and am cooking half in the oven in a Staub 4qt pot and the other half in the crock pot. In the oven recipe I just added a little more liquid. Let me know if you think I should do anything else. Thanks, Linda
Hi- What is sprinkled on top at the end? Parsley?
Thank you!
Yes parsley. 🙂
I made this with a small brisket, just under 3 lb. I did not brown the beef. I also used a large Vidalia onion, added 2 small stalks of celery (in pieces) and some cut up tomatoes. Also left out the turmeric, substituted unsalted chicken stock for the water and added just a pinch of cayenne. I used an immersion blender after removing the beef. It tasted great, but next time I will also thicken the sauce a bit. A very good winter meal!
There is only 1/2 cup of liquid added to the slow cooker? This does not seem like enough… since the meat is on top of the onions the liquid does not come in contact with the meat??
If you use first cut as noted, the fat on the brisket will render while it cooks, creating plenty of liquid. You can read through the comments to see how other users have done with the recipe.
what size slow cooker is necessary for this recipe? I want to try it but I only have a 4Q capacity slow cooker. thanks!
It depends on the size of brisket you’re cooking. If you choose a brisket that can fit in the cooker (if it travels up the edges a bit that is fine), then you should be good.
Best brisket I have made and it was so easy. Loved that it used ingredients that I had on hand. As my husband said this is a keeper.
I’ve used this recipe twice as is with no adjustments. Both times the brisket came out perfect. It is definitely worth the time to brown the brisket before putting it in the slow cooker. Thanks for a great and easy recipe!
Making it right now. So excited. I did need to cut my 9lb brisket in half though. any suggestions on how to make the other half in the oven. Can I just use this exact recipe as I have all the ingredients???
I did however run ou of onions. Maybe meant to be as one of my cousins is allergic.
Thanks Tori & a very happy new year to you and your family
Yes you can use this recipe, just follow the oven cooking instructions here: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-herb-braised-brisket/
Hi, just reading recipes for brisket! Looks delicious, but have never used a crock pot, and not sure what size mine is… my meat is 6.5 lbs, if it folds over in crock pot, does that work ok??? I’m old school oven , but ready to graduate to crock pot!! Thanks, Mary .
Hi Mary, you want to make sure liquid is touching every part of the brisket. It’s ok if the meat goes up the sides a bit, but I wouldn’t fold it over or double it in the crock pot… better to stick to the oven if it’s too small. Let me know if you need suggestions for oven recipes!
Making it right now…Do you know if it freezes well?
Yes it should.
Hi Tori,
I would like to use the slow cooker recipe for Rosh Hashana, but would like the more traditional flavor of the Holiday brisket. Should I just add the carrots and chili sauce to the slow cooker recipe? What would you suggest?
Hi! That’s easy, just make the holiday brisket as written, but instead of pouring everything into a roasting pan, pour it into a slow cooker, covering the brisket with the veggies. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours, or until fork tender. The holiday brisket calls for a larger cut of brisket, but you can use a smaller brisket as noted in this recipe (4-6 pounds) and cook for 8-10 hours – the cook time is really just a question of how heavy your brisket is and how hot your slow cooker runs. Keep an eye on it throughout cooking to make sure it doesn’t look dry or overcooked – when it’s fork tender, it’s good to go!
Hi Tori,
I am planning on making one of your brisket recipes for Rosh Hashanah, either the herb braised or the slow cooker and since both recipes have excellent reviews (your recipes never disappoint), I am torn. I can appreciate the advantages of a slow cooker, and this may be the excuse I finally needed to purchase one, but I want the recipe that will get rave reviews. In addition I have to be sensitive to those who cannot tolerate anything too spicy. Is there one recipe for brisket that you are particularly partial to?
Also, which slow cooker do you use? I understand that you can’t make a recommendation, but if I am going to purchase one, I do not want to waste by money. Thanks in advance for your reply and for all your amazing recipes and the hard work you put into making them available to us (especially with an infant at home).
Hi there! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes. The brisket recipes are both great, and somewhat similar in terms of the flavor… they’re both savory. I’d say there is no need to purchase a slow cooker, if you weren’t planning on getting one already – the Herb Braised is fantastic and very easy to make in the oven. I use an All Clad 7 Quart cooker, which is pricey but I’ve really used the heck out of it, so worth it in my opinion. You may not need one this big or fancy – but you asked what I use and I want to be honest. 🙂 Here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-SD700450-Programmable-Oval-Shaped-6-5-Quart/dp/B07PJH6LPX?tag=theshiintheki-20
Hi, can I cook in high for 4 hours instead of low for 8 hours?
Hi Karla, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. We’ve found that low and slow is always the best method for brisket, so I would not advise using a shorter cook time.
I found your recipe yesterday and made it today! OMG! It is the best recipe for brisket I have ever tried. (I am not a fan of BBQ sauce so this recipe sounded good from the start for me!) My boyfriend absolutely loved it! Thanks so much! I will definitely use this recipe again and again.
This was my first time cooking a Brisket. I wanted a Slow Cooker Recipe and came across yours. I saw that it had good reviews and was simple to make so I gave it a shot. FANTASTIC!!! My whole family raved about it and could not get enough. This will be my go to for cooking brisket from now on.
Hi Tori. Can it be adapted to the Instant Pot? If yes, how?
Hi Elina, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Unfortunately we have not experimented with making any of Tori’s recipes using an Instant Pot so I’m unable to advise.
Not sure if all IPs have a slow. cooker setting – by mine does. They also have a optional slow cooker lid (glass with a small vent hole). I use it a lot in this mode.
However the IP is round and brisket is rectangular. As such you would only be able to cook a very small brisket, or you would have to cut it into smaller pieces which may be a bit of a pain.