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Lo has always loved BBQ food, but when we lived in Texas, he became obsessed.
Not only did he learn how to smoke meat, but he also realized that his favorite kind of meat is brisket. It’s tender, it’s flavorful, and it’s one of our favorite dishes to make for family dinners, holidays, and special occasions.
It may seem difficult or a little more fancy, but we promise you this crock pot brisket recipe will become a new favorite!
Season the meat, then let the crock pot do all of the work! You really only need about 5 minutes to prep it. Plus, it’s perfect for making ahead of time and leaves the oven free for all of the sides (or desserts).
Try crock pot pork for another slow cooker favorite!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Set it and forget it. Throw all of the ingredients in your slow cooker and cook it for 8-10 hours. This is an especially perfect Sunday dinner idea!
- Fork tender. Low and slow in the crock pot makes shredding this tender cut super easy, making it a favorite beef dinner idea.
- Pair with your favorite BBQ side dishes. Serve your crock pot brisket on the side of Macaroni Salad, Cornbread, or your favorite Roasted Veggies.
Crock Pot Brisket Ingredients And Substitutions
- 1 (3 pound) beef brisket – Brisket is typically sold in two different cuts: flat and point. We prefer the flat cut, when possible, as the thick fat cap will aid in giving more flavor to the brisket.
- 1 (2-ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder – or 3-4 cloves of minced garlic. You can also season with salt and black pepper.
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar
- 2 (12-ounce) bottles Heinz chili sauce– We prefer Heinz brand chili sauce, but other brands works too.
How to Make Crock Pot Brisket
- SEASON. Place brisket in the crock pot. Sprinkle the onion soup mix, garlic powder, and brown sugar over the top of the brisket. Massage gently into the meat.
- Pour chili sauce over the top, covering the meat completely.
- COOK. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker and slice against the grain. Pour the sauce over the brisket slices to serve.
- SEASON. Place brisket in the crock pot. Sprinkle the onion soup mix, garlic powder, and brown sugar over the top of the brisket. Massage gently into the meat.
- Pour chili sauce over the top, covering the meat completely.
- COOK. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker and let rest for 10-20 minutes, then slice against the grain. Pour sauce over brisket slices to serve. Serve with some Mashed Potatoes or a side dish of your choice.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We like using flat-cut brisket, but point-cut also works. Don’t trim the fat, it will help give flavor and keep moisture.
- We recommend ½ pound per person. Add 1-2 pounds to that total to account for those who wish to take a little more.
- Note that leftovers store well and make amazing sandwiches!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Place the brisket in the Instant Pot, fat side up. Sprinkle with onion soup mix, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Massage into the meat then add the chili sauce over the top.
- Cook on high pressure for 80-90 minutes, then let naturally release for 15 minutes before manually releasing the rest of the pressure.
Crock Pot Brisket
Try this effortless crock pot brisket recipe for delectably juicy and tender meat that will melt in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) beef brisket
- 1 (1-ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 (12-ounce) bottles Heinz chili sauce
Instructions
- Place brisket in the slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix, brown sugar, and garlic powder over the top of the brisket and massage gently into the meat. Pour chili sauce over the top, covering the meat completely.
- Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker and let rest for 10-20 minutes, then slice against the grain. Pour sauce over brisket slices to serve. Serve with some Best Mashed Potatoes or a side dish of your choice.
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips.
- We like using flat-cut brisket, but point-cut also works. Don’t trim the fat, it will help give flavor and keep moisture.
- We recommend ½ pound per person. Add 1-2 pounds to that total to account for those who wish to take a little more.
- You can brown the brisket before adding it to the crock pot, but it is not necessary.
- Leftovers make amazing sandwiches!
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 105mg, Sodium: 1283mg, Potassium: 885mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 578IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
How to store?
Place cooled leftovers and liquid into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze this beef brisket recipe for up to 2 months.
Complete The Meal
Side Dishes
Best Homemade Mac and Cheese
40 mins
Easy Coleslaw
10 mins
Homemade Potato Salad
55 mins
Baked Beans Recipe
4 hrs 5 mins
Desserts
Chocolate Delight Recipe
54 mins
Jello Poke Cake
3 hrs 50 mins
Easy Peach Cobbler
45 mins
Cream Puff Cake
1 hr 50 mins
Crockpot Dinner Ideas
Crock Pot Pot Roast
7 hrs 5 mins
Crock Pot Ribs
4 hrs 5 mins
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
4 hrs 15 mins
Slow Cooker Barbacoa
7 hrs 5 mins
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This recipe was originally published May 2020.
I did not care for the flavor of this brisket at all. I had made something years ago in the oven with onions, brisket, chili sauce and I think some honey and it tasted way better than this. Sorry, this didn’t do it for me.
That’s ok! Thanks for your feedback and giving the recipe a try. Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe.
This was SUPER easy and exquisitely delicious. Thank you for another outstanding recipe!!
Making a much bigger brisket.. probably 2 pieces about 6lbs each. How do I adjust the cooking time and other ingredients?
What else can I use beside the chilli sauce???
Not a fan of spicy or the chilli flavor.
I don’t find the chili sauce spicy. I’m not a fan of spicy, either, and it makes my husband’s head sweat. Use the chili sauce!! It is perfect
Can this be done if it’s frozen
I would recommend thawing the brisket before putting it in the crockpot.
What do think about swapping out onion soup for dry ranch? I forgot to get soup mix
You could give it a try. I haven’t made it with that so I’m not totally sure how it would turn out. But if you do, you’ll have to let us know how it tastes!
Another way I’ve done is wrap in foil than put in crock pot on low ,very tender. Easy one for Camping because you put on low and cook while you were on beach all day.
That’s a great idea!!
Does the chili sauce make it spicy? Looking to try but we don’t like spicy. If not, I will make exactly as is. Or please let me know if I should substitute the chili sauce for something else if it is spicy.
You can use your favorite Bar-B-Q sauce instead.
Does the brisket taste spicy because of the chill sauce?
You can use your favorite Bar-B-Q sauce.