Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe (Cheap & Easy)

Name: 5 Cheap & Easy Brisket Recipes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1.4 kg beef brisket, patted dry with kitchen paper; 2 tsp fine sea salt; 30 g butter, in slices; 120 ml water or beef bone broth

Source video by Emmathecarnivore on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

This recipe extracts the slow cooker method from a video showing five ways to cook a cheap cut of brisket. The cook seasons a roughly 3 lb piece of brisket with salt, adds butter and a splash of water, then leaves it on low for 8 to 10 hours. The result is described as buttery, falling apart, and the most tender of all five methods tested. It is an ideal hands-off recipe: prep takes only a couple of minutes and the brisket is ready by morning or after a working day.

Slow cooker notes: The video covers five cooking methods (oven, smoker, slow cooker, air fryer whole, air fryer slices). This extraction focuses on the slow cooker method as described in the transcript. Quantities of butter and water were not stated precisely, so sensible slow cooker amounts have been used and flagged.

Ingredients

Main

1.4 kgbeef brisket, patted dry with kitchen paper
2 tspfine sea salt
30 gbutter, in slices
120 mlwater or beef bone broth

Method

Pat the brisket dry with kitchen paper to remove surface moisture.
~1 min
Place the brisket in the slow cooker, fattier side up.
~1 min
Season the brisket generously with salt on all sides.
~1 min
Add the water or bone broth around the brisket, then dot the butter over the top.
~1 min
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the brisket is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
~480 min
Lift the brisket out, rest briefly, then slice or shred. Spoon over a little of the buttery cooking liquid before serving.
~5 min
Optional: cut leftover cooked brisket into bite-size chunks and crisp in an air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes for crunchy brisket bites.
~7 min

Frequently asked

Do I need to brown the brisket before slow cooking?

The video does not brown it, and the result is still tender and buttery. If you want a deeper flavour and a touch of colour, sear the brisket in a hot pan for a couple of minutes per side first, since slow cookers steam rather than brown.

Can I cook it on high instead of low?

The recipe is designed for low and slow, which is what makes brisket tender. High heat can be used for around 5 to 6 hours in a pinch, but low for 8 to 10 hours gives the fall-apart texture shown in the video.

Should I add onions, garlic or herbs?

The original recipe is deliberately minimal: just brisket, salt, butter and water. You can add a halved onion, a few garlic cloves or a sprig of thyme for extra flavour without changing the method.

Can I use frozen brisket?

No. Defrost the brisket fully in the fridge before slow cooking. Starting from frozen keeps the meat in the food safety danger zone for too long.

What can I do with the cooking juices?

The juices are buttery and salty. Spoon them over the sliced brisket, or reduce them in a pan to make a quick gravy. They also freeze well for adding to soups.

Extraction notes (transparency): Transcript only specifies brisket, salt, butter and 'a little bit of water' for the slow cooker method, with a cook time of 8 to 10 hours on low. Exact quantities of butter and water were not given and have been estimated. Brisket weight for the slow cooker portion is stated as roughly 3 lb (one quarter of a 12 lb brisket). Bone broth is mentioned as an optional flavour upgrade.