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 does indeed have some surprising health benefits! 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. 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.
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 plastic wrap (or 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.
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 Cook 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)
NOTES
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.
Alexandrea Leiter says
Can I add carrots and potatoes to the crock pot brisket?
Tori Avey says
Sure, just make sure they are cut into 1 inch pieces so they’ll cook evenly.
garry says
tried it once already……….yummy render should totally tell the story. thank you!
Maxine Moerman says
Is there a reason I can’t take out the brisket, use the immersion blender on the sauce and then place the brisket and the sauce back in the ceramic insert and put that in the fridge. This saves a dish and my oval ceramic insert takes up less room then my large glass brownie tray.
Tori Avey says
Sounds like it will work just fine. 🙂
Zena says
I absolutely love this recipe! I’d like to make it for Passover but I won’t have a slow cooker. How would I make it in the oven?
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Zena, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Follow the slow roasting instructions in this post: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/savory-herb-braised-brisket/
Gail says
I have made the savory slow cooker brisket 2 times and have just gotten a request to make again. 😁 It was delicious!! Next time I want to try the African style brisket!
Melody says
Hi Tori! Love all Your recipes! I can’t wait to try this one! I am a bit confused about one of the steps. Could you please explain the corn starch step in detail? Do I let the brisket sit for hours cook through then proceed with the corn starch step?
Tori Avey says
Hi Melody, thanks. You use the slurry of starch at the end of cooking; it helps to thicken the juices left behind after cooking into a nice, thick sauce.
Karen says
Due to time limits I only slow cooked it for 5.5hrs with 45 minutes high pressure after and the meat was still fairly soft and great flavours! My meat was around 3 pounds, browned it beforehand 🙂 replaced the cayenne for a bit of chilli
Cheryl Goldsmith says
This is my first time cooking a brisket … I love the idea of using a slow cooker but the brisket that I have is much larger than my slow cooker. Should I cut it in half and layer it in the slow cooker? Or just fold it into the slow cooker? Also, when putting it into the slow cooker, do you want to put it in with the fatty side up or down? Thank you for your help!
Tori Avey says
If it’s not too enormous, you can simply push it into the slow cooker – it’s ok if it goes up the sides a bit. It will shrink down a bit as it cooks. I usually put the fatty side up.
Suki says
My brisket is already sliced into pieces, Can i cook it on high for 4 hours?
Tori Avey says
Slow cooking will yield the best most tender result, but if time is a problem you can use the high setting – it just won’t cook up as tender.
Tuan says
Brisket was super tender
Alexis says
hi there! I couldn’t find a single 4-6lb cut of brisket, but was able to get slices each about 2lbs. Should I still brown it and cook it for 8 hours?
Tori Avey says
Yes, as long as they add up to roughly 6 pounds. It is not an exact science – you should check periodically and remove from heat when fork tender.
Jenna says
This was a wonderful, easy, and delicious recipe. It was my first time making brisket and I am so proud of how it turned out. Lots of praise! I will certainly use this recipe again and my mother plans on using this recipe for her next brisket!
Maggie Dorfman says
This will be my 4th year making this recipe for the holidays. I made it for the day and also ahead, had doubled it, and also had froze it to eat it later. Delicious in any way! So grateful to find this recipe!
I have compared making it in the slow cooker vs. the instant pot, and I find the slow cooker to bring the best texture.
Thanks!
Merm says
Absolutely delicious! Made this for dinner tonight paired with sautéed cabbage and mashed potatoes. I strained the sauce and thickened as instructed but also added 1/2 tsp beef bouillon and used it as gravy for the brisket and potatoes. My husband ate so much he said he would need to be rolled to bed. Wonderful flavor! Thank you for an easy and tasty recipe!
Krista says
I’m planning to make this recipe to serve on Simchat Torah this Sunday. Since I’ll be reheating it on a yom tov, I would rather do that in my oven than leave my slow cooker on all weekend. Would that work? What temperature should I reheat it on if I’m going to do that in the oven?
Tori Avey says
Sure! If it’s fully cooked I would reheat at 325 degrees F in a covered dish until heated through. Enjoy!
Tom H says
Making this now, ahead. I’m a little confused. It’s going to be in the slow cooker for 8-10 hours in only a half cup of the water with spices? Anything else I’ve made in my slow cooker is immersed in water. In only a shallow half cup puddle I’m afraid it’s going to turn into jerky.
Tori Avey says
If you chose a first cut brisket as described in the ingredients, you should not need any additional liquid. The brisket will render its own fat as it cooks. The fat cap that is present on the brisket (white part) melts during the long, slow cooking process. If your brisket is very lean or grass fed, you may need to add some additional liquid – keep an eye as it cooks, and if it looks dry add water or low sodium stock by the cupful.
Harrison Bachrach says
This was really good! Did it with a 3 pound piece of brisket; used 2.25 onions, 8 cloves of garlic, but otherwise did not change the recipe (did not make it ahead & blended the sauce). Loved it. Super flavorful, moist, and tender. Only thing: I think that 2 or 2.5 bay leaves would be preferable as that element was a bit strong.
Jen says
Came out perfectly. Thank you for the recipe! Halved the recipe, still cooked for the 8 hours. Absolutely perfect!
Rob S says
Your Brisket recipe got rave reviews last night. Thanks for making it so easy.
Thanks.
Melissa says
Can you cook this on high 4-5 hours?
Tori Avey says
It will have better texture cooked low and slow – brisket needs that low temp and time to soften up.