Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe

By Becky Hardin

Updated Mar 23, 2026

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Slow Cooker Brisket is my ultimate comfort food classic, and I always look forward to making it. Tender fall-apart brisket, slow-cooked with chicken broth and seasonings—it doesn’t get better than this! This crockpot brisket recipe requires just a few simple ingredients but never fails to impress.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Brisket Recipe

Brisket is a naturally tough cut of beef with a lot of connective tissue, which is exactly why it shines when cooked low and slow. As it simmers in the slow cooker, the tough fibers break down and turn into tender, juicy, meat rich in flavor in every bite.

This crockpot brisket recipe keeps things simple with just a handful of ingredients, but the long cooking time does all the heavy lifting. The end result tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. I love serving it for holidays, family gatherings, and dinner parties because it’s dependable, feeds a crowd beautifully, and always feels a little special. Best of all, it’s mostly a dump-and-go recipe, so once everything is in the slow cooker, you can let it do its thing while your house is filled with the most incredible aroma.

Tips for Beginners

• Flat cut or first cut brisket. For best results, get a flat cut or first cut. It’s lean and slices well.
• The brisket is close to being ready when the internal temp reaches 165°F. At this point, there should be no pink color left on the cut, and the meat fibers should be tender enough.
• A 6 lb. brisket will take 9 to 11 hours to cook in the crockpot. It is possible to overcook, so check it several times during the last part of cooking. The beef should be fork-tender, but not falling apart. We want to slice it, not shred it.

Recipe Card

Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe

4.72 from 21 votes

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 9 hours hrs

Total: 9 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Author: Becky Hardin

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This crockpot brisket recipe is packed with flavor yet uses just a handful of simple ingredients, resulting in tender meat you’ll want to make again and again.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 6 lb. flat-cut brisket chuck, beef ribs, or pork ribs are other options you can cook in a slow cooker
• ▢ 2 tsp garlic salt
• ▢ 2 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 2 tsp seasoned salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp liquid smoke
• ▢ 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce regular works too
• ▢ 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth if using regular, adjust the salt

Video

Instructions 

• Pierce both sides of the brisket, about 3-4 inches apart, with a fork.
  1 6 lb. flat-cut brisket
• Generously sprinkle the entire brisket with garlic salt, onion powder, seasoned salt, paprika and black pepper.
  2 tsp garlic salt, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp seasoned salt, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Cut the brisket in-half, crosswise, so it fits in the slow-cooker.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and chicken stock.
  1 tsp liquid smoke, 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Spray a 6-quart (or larger) slow-cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place half the brisket in the slow-cooker, fat-side up, and pour half the liquid mixture over the brisket half.

  Add the other half of the brisket to the slow-cooker, fat side up, and pour the remaining half of the liquid mixture over the top portion of the brisket.
• Cover and set the slow-cooker to LOW. Cook 6 hours and swap the positions of the brisket pieces (put the bottom portion on top and the top portion on the bottom).
• Cover and cook an additional 3-5 hours or until brisket is fork-tender. It should be tender enough to cut with a fork.
• Transfer the brisket from the slow-cooker to a large pan and cover it with foil. Let it cool to touch and refrigerate overnight. Spoon the sauce/cooking juices into a separate dish, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, take the solidified fat off the pan juices and discard. Save the remaining pan juices for spooning over the brisket, if desired.
• Slice the brisket to desired thickness, place in a serving dish, cover with and heat. Serve warm.

Calories: 543.83kcalCarbohydrates: 2.29gProtein: 71.88gFat: 25.43gSaturated Fat: 8.92gCholesterol: 210.92mgSodium: 490.57mgPotassium: 1231.58mgFiber: 0.03gSugar: 0.78gVitamin C: 0.83mgCalcium: 26.19mgIron: 7.07mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Cook Brisket in a Slow Cooker

Prepare the brisket: Place the 6 lb. flat-cut brisket on the cutting board and pierce both sides with a fork.

Rub with seasoning: Generously sprinkle the entire brisket with 2 tsp garlic salt, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp seasoned salt, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, and 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Slice the brisket: Cut the brisket in half, crosswise, so that the two pieces can fit into the slow cooker. This is an optional step if the slow cooker is small and the brisket doesn’t fit.

Combine liquid ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine 1 tsp liquid smoke, 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, and 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth.

Prepare the slow cooker, add brisket and sauce: Spray the 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place half the brisket fat side up inside the crockpot, and then pour half the liquid mixture over it.

Add and cook the brisket: Add the other half of the brisket to the slow-cooker, fat-side up and pour the remaining half of the liquid mixture over the top portion of brisket.

Cover the crockpot and set it to LOW. Cook for 6 hours, and then flip the position of the brisket pieces by putting the bottom portion on top and the top portion on the bottom. The brisket should be fragrant at this point.

Cover and continue cooking for 3-5 more hours or until brisket is fork-tender. It should be tender enough that you can cut it with a fork.

Transfer to a pan: Remove the brisket from the slow-cooker and place it on a large pan, and cover it with foil. Let it cool to the touch and refrigerate it overnight. Spoon the sauce/cooking juices into a separate dish or container, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight as well.

Remove the fat and slice: The following day, remove the solidified fat from the pan juices and discard. Save the remaining pan juices for spooning over the brisket, if desired. Slice the brisket to the desired thickness, place it in a serving dish, cover, and heat. Serve warm.

Variations

• BBQ Brisket: Use homemade BBQ sauce along with chicken broth while cooking. This BBQ sauce is specially made for brisket.
• Add veggies: I prefer to cook brisket with the seasoning rub, but feel free to add onions, potatoes, leeks, carrots, or any vegetable that you like. Add them at the beginning or after a few hours, depending on the texture. An example is how I made it with cabbage in crockpot corned beef and cabbage.

How to Store

To store leftovers, gently wrap the cooked brisket in aluminum foil. It prevents the meat from drying out. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Add some reserved broth along with the brisket in slow cooker or saucepan (low heat) to reheat.

Once the meat is wrapped in foil, keep in freezer-friendly bags and store for up to 3-4 months. Make sure you are storing the broth as well.

To reheat, use the oven at a low temperature around 275°F to gently reheat the brisket. Add the reserved broth so that it does not dry while cooking.

Serving Suggestions

This slow cooker beef recipe makes the perfect centerpiece for any holiday menu or celebration. I love serving it with traditional holiday sides like savory mashed sweet potatoes, and for something green crockpot bean green casserole fits the bill. To soak up all the gravy, I like to have a few of these Thanksgiving rolls on hand as well.

More Crockpot Recipes To Try

• This Crockpot Whole Chicken is cooked to perfection with fresh herbs, veggies, and more!
• Crockpot Beef Tenderloin is the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth meal and takes minimal effort to make.
• Crockpot Pork Chops are cooked in a rich, creamy, and savory gravy that’s so good I could eat it with a spoon.

More Brisket Recipes

Instant Pot Brisket – Thai Style Beef Brisket Recipe (Pressure Cooker Brisket)

Beef Brisket Recipe (Oven Baked)

Smoked Brisket

BBQ Brisket Sauce