Learn how to slow cook classic beef brisket in the oven until it’s juicy and tender enough to fall apart. There are also easy directions for how to make it in a slow cooker, so you can prep it in the morning and come home to dinner. And if you're pressed for time, there are instructions for how to make it in the Instant Pot too. Brisket makes a great Sunday supper or barbecue potluck, and is kosher for Passover!
Get out a Dutch oven or roasting pan that is both stovetop and oven-safe and is big enough to hold the brisket.
Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat the Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium-high to high heat. Once it’s scorching hot, add the oil, and then the brisket. Sear it on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once.
Remove from the heat and add the onion, garlic, and beef stock.
Cover the pan (with its oven-safe lid or with aluminum foil), and roast until the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, about 6 to 7 hours. Check the brisket periodically (every couple hours or so) and see add a splash more beef stock if necessary if the pan starts to get too dry.
If desired, serve along with the juices to drizzle on top.
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Notes
Avocado Oil: I find that duck fat and beef tallow also work well.
Storage: Store leftover brisket covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the meat along with the juices that it cooked in to help keep it juicy. Brisket reheats well on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer.
If You Want to Reduce the Fat: Cool the brisket to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight (right in the pan it was roasted in). While it’s still cold, remove the fat, which will have collected at the top. You can discard the fat or save to add to the meat to keep it moist when you reheat it.
How to Make Beef Brisket in the Slow Cooker:
Sear the meat over high heat until browned on both sides on the stovetop.
To the slow cooker, add the seared meat and enough beef stock to come about ¾ of the way up the meat.
Braise the meat by cooking it on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
How to Make Brisket in the Instant Pot:
Get everything ready. For 1 (3 pound) brisket, you will need the following: 2 tablespoons avocado oil, ¾ cup beef broth, 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 peeled and sliced onions, 4 peeled and minced cloves garlic, and optionally 5 drops liquid smoke.
Sear it. Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Add the oil; once hot, add the brisket. Sear on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
Add the other ingredients. Add the beef broth, salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, and liquid smoke (if you're using it).
Cook it. Cover the Instant Pot, making sure the lid is set to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 80 minutes.
Natural pressure release. Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. After that, carefully release the pressure and then open the pot.