I have never had much luck with briskets. I have cooked them on the grill, I have smoked them, I have slow cooked them in the oven and the best I ever produced was just edible. My briskets have often turned out dry and tough. I see those barbeque shows on TV, salivate over the delicious-looking briskets, but for me, no luck – until this weekend when I decided to put the brisket in my slow cooker. And it turned out well.
Briskets, of course, are a cut from the breast or lower chest of a cow. The flavor can be spectacular, but because of the superficial and deep pectoral muscles, they are tough.
I have found that if you put a bowling ball in a slow cooker and cook it 8 hours on low heat, it will be tender. Not really, but slow cookers can and do break down tough tissue. My brisket turned out to be tender and it wasn’t dried out. Here’s how I did mine.
Begin with about a 3-pound brisket, one that fits in a slow cooker. Leave the fat on, if there’s any, which adds flavor. First thing – make a rub. It’s easy to make your own. I used a tablespoon of kosher salt, a tablespoon of coarse black pepper, a teaspoon of onion powder, a teaspoon of garlic powder and a splash of Sauer’s Steak Rub. Spread the rub on both sides of the brisket and allow it to rest on the counter for an hour or so.
Put a liner in your slow cooker to make the cleanup a snap, and place the brisket, fat side up, in the crock pot. Mince 2 cloves of garlic, slice up a medium onion and spread both ingredients on the top of the brisket. Next, pour two cups (or enough to cover the brisket) of beef broth in the cooker. Turn it on low, take it out 8 or 9 hours later and it’s perfect. For a sauce, pour all the juices from the crockpot in a pan and bring to a boil for about 20 minutes to reduce, then serve with the brisket. By the way, any leftover meat makes about the best sandwiches you’ve ever put in your mouth for the next day’s lunch.
Next time try your slow cooker for a No Fail Brisket.
No Fail Brisket
1 3-pound beef brisket
1 T kosher salt
1 T coarse black pepper
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
½ t steak rub
2 cloves minced garlic
1 onion sliced
2 C beef broth