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This slow cooker beef brisket is fall-apart tender, so juicy and flavorful and you won’t believe how simple the ingredient list is! This slow cooker brisket had everyone’s seal of approval – rave reviews every time!
Crockpot beef brisket is great as a side dish with mashed potatoes or served as beef brisket sandwiches. The slow cooked mushrooms are just as delicious as the slow cooked brisket. You will savor every bite. This one is also awesome for meal planning because leftovers refrigerate REALLY WELL!
And it’s about time we share more SLOW COOKER recipes!! We love easy, juicy, melt-in-your mouth meat and it is my favorite way to use our slow cooker.
This Beef Brisket slow cooker recipe is adapted from theKitchn. Recipe updated 10/10/17 garlic amount reduced from 8 cloves to 6 to account for varying sizes of garlic cloves. Use 6 medium garlic cloves and be sure to chop the garlic (do not press garlic for this slow cooker recipe).
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe:
3 Tbsp Olive oil to sauté, divided
4 lb beef brisket
2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 medium (1 lb) yellow onions, sliced into thick strips
1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (not pressed)*
2 cups low sodium chicken or beef broth/stock
2 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*Garlic Tip: it is easiest to mince this quantity of garlic in a food processor. Do not use a garlic press for this recipe.
How to Make Slow Cooker Brisket:
1. Generously season brisket with about 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet or cast iron pan over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and when hot, add brisket (fat side down). Sear 4-5 minutes per side or until browned on both sides. Transfer to slow cooker with the fat side facing up.
2. In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sliced onions. Sautee 5-7 minutes or until onions are caramelized. Place onions over brisket. In the same pan, add more oil as needed and saute mushrooms until softened (5 min). Place mushrooms into the slow cooker. Sprinkle chopped garlic over the mushrooms.
3. Combine 2 cups chicken broth with 2 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce and pour mixture over the meat.
4. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until cooked through and easy to pull apart with forks. Turn off slow cooker and rest for 15 minutes with the lid on. Remove and discard excess fat from the top** then pull the beef apart with forks and keep it in the slow cooker to soak up the juices which will add incredible flavor and keep the meat tender. Serve beef brisket and mushrooms, spooning the slow cooker brisket juices over the top.
**Picky Eaters Tip – I prefer my meat to be really clean and lean so I transfer the meat to a platter to make sure I have removed all of the fat, then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
This will thicken up when refrigerated but turns back into a beautiful broth when it is reheated ands YES, Leftovers keep super well in the refrigerator and can be warmed on a skillet or microwave, or the oven.
⬇ Print-Friendly Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe:
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil to sauté, divided
- 4 lb beef brisket
- 2 tsp sea salt , or to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 lb yellow onions (2 medium), sliced into thick strips
- 1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (not pressed)*
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or beef broth
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Generously season brisket with about 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat large heavy skillet or cast iron pan over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and when hot, add brisket (fat side down). Sear 4-5 min per side or until browned on both sides. Transfer to slow cooker, fat side facing up.
- In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp oil and sliced onions. Sautee 5-7 min or until onions are caramelized. Place onions over brisket. In the same pan, add more oil as needed and saute mushrooms until soft (5 min). Place mushrooms into the slow cooker and sprinkle chopped garlic over the top.
- Combine 2 cups chicken broth with 2 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce and pour mixture over meat.
- Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hrs or until cooked through and easy to pull apart with forks. Turn off slow cooker and rest 15 min with the lid on. Remove and discard excess fat from the top** then pull the beef apart with forks and keep it in the slow cooker to soak up the juices which will add amazing flavor and keep meat tender. Serve beef brisket and mushrooms, spooning slow cooker juices over the top.
Notes
**If you prefer really clean and lean meat; transfer the meat to a platter to make sure all of the fat is removed then return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
Note on Nutrition: the nutrition label will vary greatly based on how much you trim the fat from your meat. Also, keep in mind some of the salt and liquid may get discarded at the bottom of the pot.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Garnish with chopped chives or green onion to fancy it up. Garnish adds a beautiful pop of color and fresh flavor to everything. It is the easiest way to make your dish more beautiful for a dinner party.
I hope you fall in love with this brisket recipe slow cooker style! It’s so juicy and flavorful. I look at that photo and want it all over again! 😉 Enjoy this my friends!
P.S. Crazy for crockpot recipes? If you loved this crockpot brisket, don’t miss our most popular slow cooker lasagna!
I cooked the meat for 8 hrs on low and it was still not pull apart ..still felt tough .. would you know why ?
Could it be because of the beef part that you used?
i had a 4 lb piece and had to cut it in half to fit in my crock pot. The part on the bottom pulleld apart but the part on top of the other one didn’t. I am “guessing” because in the crock pot the top part was not in as much liquid. I had to cut the top part up and it is sitting in the juices now. I cooked 4 lbs for 8 hours
Made this brisket recipe and it was so delicious and flavorful. Natasha’s Kitchen recipes never disappoint!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with me, Theresa!
How can I rescue a very dry brisket? I have company coming and can’t serve this. Can you help me please?
You can try to add your favorite marinade, or even something like a barbecue sauce. To take it a step further, you could transfer some of the sauce into a saucepan and flavor it to taste then bring it to as simmer (and even reduce it down for stronger flavor), then pour that sauce over the meat. I hope that helps!
Wondering if I am having 23 people over. Wondering if I can make it the day before and then heat it up in the crockpots the next day. Do you think I should triple or quadruple the recipe? Will that change cooking times if I double it in each crockpot or should I use a roaster? Thanks
Hi Katherine! I haven’t tried doubling this but you would have to have a huge slow cooker to fit that much meat into it. It would be best to use 2 slow cookers.
This reheats great, so it can be made ahead.
Why mince the garlic rather than press, what is the difference?
Pressed garlic can have an intense garlic taste that will overpower this dish.
Instead of time is ther a temperature using the probe that would be correct cooking stop?
Hi Len, I wish I checked it that way, but following these steps the brisket should be perfectly cooked.
If I had a 1kg cut of beef brisket (2.2lbs) would I just halve the rest of the ingredients and how long would I need to cook it on low for? Thanks!
Hi Lilly! Yes, you can cut this in half. The meat needs to be subjected to low temperatures for many hours in order to achieve that prized tenderness so you can keep the cooking time the same.
Hi again! I want to make this recipe soon, but I was wondering what you typically like to serve it with? It sounds delicious, easy and great for a family gathering!
We love ALL of your recipes! I have made so many of them, and I can’t wait to keep trying more! I found your site in September, and since then your recipes have inspired me to love cooking again!
Thank you so much sharing! I absolutely can’t wait to buy bundles of copies of your cookbook this October!
Hello Brooke, great to hear from you and I’m happy that you’re enjoying my recipes! You can eat this on a sandwich, side it with mashed potatoes, veggies or rice and so much more options. My cookbook will be ready by October of this year, thank you for the support!
This was incredible! Everyone loved it and we had lots left over; it’s still in the crockpot container, so with more family coming over today, how long would you suggest reheating it and on low/high heat?
Hi Lindsay! I’m so glad it was a hit! The leftovers keep super well in the refrigerator and can be warmed on a skillet or microwave, or oven.
thank you so much for your prompt reply! would it reheat well in the crockpot as well on low heat for a little while?
Hi Lindsay! Leftovers keep super well in the refrigerator and we usually warm them in a skillet, in the microwave, or oven. It is not recommended to reheat it in a crockpot.