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Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe

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This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket recipe delivers tender, flavorful meat with a rich smoky rub and a tangy homemade BBQ sauce. Perfect for an easy, hands-off cooking experience, this brisket is slow-cooked to perfection, then finished in the oven for a beautifully caramelized crust. Serve it on Texas toast or sandwich rolls with classic BBQ sides for a comforting meal.

Ingredients

Rub Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup pink salt
  • 2 tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp organic ground cayenne pepper

Brisket and Preparation

  • 3 to 4 lb beef brisket (point cut with a good fat cap)
  • 2 to 3 tbsp Mesquite liquid smoke

BBQ Sauce

  • 1 cup ketchup (for low carb, use sugar-free ketchup)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (or brown sugar replacement for low carb)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp unsulphered molasses (optional for low carb)
  • 1 tbsp Gluten-Free Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 tsp organic onion powder
  • 2 tsp organic garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp organic ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp pink salt

Instructions

  1. Make the Rub: Combine all of the rub ingredients—brown sugar, granulated sugar, pink salt, cracked black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper—in a small bowl or mason jar and mix well until evenly blended.
  2. Prep the Brisket: Trim the brisket of any large amounts of fat, leaving at least a 1/4 inch fat cap to retain moisture and flavor during cooking.
  3. Apply Rub and Smoke: Place the brisket on a large sheet of tin foil and cover both sides thoroughly with the rub. Sprinkle the Mesquite liquid smoke evenly over the meat and then wrap it tightly with the foil. Refrigerate the wrapped brisket for 8 to 24 hours to allow flavors to penetrate.
  4. Prepare for Slow Cooking: Remove the brisket from the refrigerator, keeping it tightly wrapped in foil to retain the seasoning and moisture.
  5. Slow Cook the Brisket: Place the wrapped brisket into a 6-quart slow cooker. Close the lid and cook on low for 10 hours, ideally overnight, until the meat is tender and juicy.
  6. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for the finishing step.
  7. Remove and Basque: Carefully take the brisket out of the slow cooker, leaving the cooking juices behind. Place the brisket on a baking sheet and baste generously with the reserved slow cooker juices.
  8. Oven Finish: Bake the brisket in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove it, turn it over, baste again with the juices, and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes to create a caramelized crust.
  9. Rest the Brisket: Remove the brisket from the oven and let it rest, allowing the juices to redistribute.
  10. Make the BBQ Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine all BBQ sauce ingredients—ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, and pink salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened and flavorful.
  11. Slice and Assemble: Slice the brisket against the grain for tenderness. Place slices on Texas toast or toasted sandwich rolls, drizzle with the prepared BBQ sauce, and top with another piece of bread to make sandwiches.
  12. Serve: Pair the brisket sandwiches with your favorite BBQ sides such as coleslaw or potato salad for a complete meal.
  13. Store Leftovers: Keep any leftover BBQ sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

  • Ensure to leave a good fat cap on the brisket for optimal moisture retention during slow cooking.
  • Refrigerating the brisket with the rub and liquid smoke enhances the depth of flavor.
  • Wrapping the brisket tightly during slow cooking helps retain juices and tenderness.
  • The oven finishing step caramelizes the exterior for added texture and flavor.
  • Slice the brisket against the grain to maximize tenderness.
  • Use sugar-free ketchup and a low-carb brown sugar substitute to make this recipe low carb.
  • Store leftover BBQ sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for convenience.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/slow-cooker-beef-brisket-with-homemade-bbq-sauce-recipe/