Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

Slow cooker beef brisket is a delicious way to cook beef until tender and succulent. Cooked slowly in a rich beef gravy bursting full of flavour.

30 mins

Commercial Slow Cooker

LOW 7 hours / HIGH 5 hours

Ingredients

1.2kg beef brisket

- rolled, tied
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
60g butter
2 red onions

- chopped
4 cloves of garlic

- whole, sliced
4 tbsp plain flour
1 x 440ml can golden ale
1 tbsp dark pickle

- Branston
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Bouquet Garni tied together with string
Fresh thyme
2 bayleaves
Other
500ml hot beef stock
Additional seasoning

- sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Sear beef brisket:
01 Season the brisket all over with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil on sear function on your slow cooker, add butter and melt. When hot sear the meat all over until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Add other ingredients:
02 Add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt until lightly golden, cook for about 12 mins. Sprinkle over the flour, stir until well-mixed, then pour in the ale and scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up any browned bits. Add the dark pickle, balsamic vinegar, all remaining ingredients and finally the beef. Top up with stock until the brisket is just over half submerged.
Slow cook: see your machine for cooking guidance
03 Cover and cook for 7-8 hrs on low until tender or 4-5 hours on high.
Just before serving:
04 Remove the meat from the slow cooker and cover to keep warm. Use the reduce or simmer function on your slow cooker and simmer for 10-15 mins until the gravy has thickened to your liking. If your slow cooker doesn’t have a simmer function, pour the gravy into a pan and simmer on the hob until thickened. Check the seasoning.
Serve:
05 Cut the brisket into thick wedges and serve with the delicious gravy and mashed potatoes or rice.

Notes

Cooking this cut of beef in a commercial slow cooker is an excellent way of tenderising this often tough piece of beef. The flavours of this final dish are unique and delicious, definitely requiring either mashed potato or rice to mop up the rich, glossy sauce.