This easy slow cooker brisket comes out super tender and full of flavor. It’s made with garlic, onions, and warm spices, all cooked low and slow until juicy and delicious. Perfect for holidays or weekend dinners—just set it and forget it!

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Ingredients Needed:

4–6 pound brisket, first cut recommended
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
3 whole onions, sliced
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (use just a pinch if you don’t like too much spice)
1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch, optional (use potato starch for Passover)

How To Make Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe?

Add the base layer: Place half the onions, 5 garlic cloves, and bay leaves in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Season the brisket: Rinse the brisket, pat it dry, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper (skip the salt if using kosher-salted brisket).
Brown the meat: Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat, then brown the brisket on both sides until it gets a nice dark crust.
Transfer to the slow cooker: Place the browned brisket on top of the onions and garlic in the slow cooker.
Deglaze the pan: Pour out the fat from the skillet, then add water, salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir and heat to lift the brown bits.
Add flavor to the cooker: Pour the spiced liquid over the brisket in the slow cooker.
Top with more onions and garlic: Add the rest of the sliced onions and garlic cloves on top of the meat.
Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours until the brisket is tender but still firm enough to slice.
Rest and slice: Let the brisket rest on a cutting board for 20–30 minutes, fat-side up. Cut off the fat cap, then slice thinly against the grain.
Prepare the sauce: Skim fat from the sauce. Blend it with an immersion blender or strain and thicken with cornstarch and water.
Reheat and serve: Return the brisket slices to the slow cooker with sauce and heat on high for 30–60 minutes until hot and bubbling. Serve warm.

Recipe Tips:

Brown the brisket first for best flavor: Don’t skip this step—it adds a rich, deep taste that makes a big difference in the final dish.
Use a fatty cut of brisket: Lean cuts can turn out dry. A bit of fat helps the meat stay juicy and tender after slow cooking.
Layer the onions and garlic under and over the brisket: This keeps the meat moist and builds flavor all around it as it cooks.
Cook it low and slow for at least 8 hours: Don’t rush it. The long cooking time is what makes the brisket soft enough to slice and still juicy.
Slice against the grain for tender pieces: Look at the direction of the meat fibers and cut across them. This makes each bite much softer and easier to chew.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover brisket cool to room temperature. Then place the slices in an airtight container with some of the sauce to keep it moist. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Let the brisket cool fully, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag with the sauce. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Reheat: Add brisket slices and sauce to a pan. Cover and warm on low heat for 10–15 minutes until hot.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 402 kcal
Total Fat: 32.8g
Saturated Fat: 12.1g
Cholesterol: 78mg
Sodium: 496mg
Potassium: 279mg
Total Carbohydrate: 6.5g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2g
Sugars: 1.8g
Protein: 19.6g

Try More Delia Smith Recipes:

Delia Smith Sausage Rolls Recipe
Delia Smith Leeks In Cheese Sauce Recipe

Delia Smith Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe

Course: Delia Smith

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

4–6 pound brisket, first cut recommended
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
3 whole onions, sliced
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (use just a pinch if you don’t like too much spice)
1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch, optional (use potato starch for Passover)

Directions

Add the base layer: Place half the onions, 5 garlic cloves, and bay leaves in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Season the brisket: Rinse the brisket, pat it dry, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper (skip the salt if using kosher-salted brisket).
Brown the meat: Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat, then brown the brisket on both sides until it gets a nice dark crust.
Transfer to the slow cooker: Place the browned brisket on top of the onions and garlic in the slow cooker.
Deglaze the pan: Pour out the fat from the skillet, then add water, salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir and heat to lift the brown bits.
Add flavor to the cooker: Pour the spiced liquid over the brisket in the slow cooker.
Top with more onions and garlic: Add the rest of the sliced onions and garlic cloves on top of the meat.
Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours until the brisket is tender but still firm enough to slice.
Rest and slice: Let the brisket rest on a cutting board for 20–30 minutes, fat-side up. Cut off the fat cap, then slice thinly against the grain.
Prepare the sauce: Skim fat from the sauce. Blend it with an immersion blender or strain and thicken with cornstarch and water.
Reheat and serve: Return the brisket slices to the slow cooker with sauce and heat on high for 30–60 minutes until hot and bubbling. Serve warm.

Notes

Brown the brisket first for best flavor: Don’t skip this step—it adds a rich, deep taste that makes a big difference in the final dish.
Use a fatty cut of brisket: Lean cuts can turn out dry. A bit of fat helps the meat stay juicy and tender after slow cooking.
Layer the onions and garlic under and over the brisket: This keeps the meat moist and builds flavor all around it as it cooks.
Cook it low and slow for at least 8 hours: Don’t rush it. The long cooking time is what makes the brisket soft enough to slice and still juicy.
Slice against the grain for tender pieces: Look at the direction of the meat fibers and cut across them. This makes each bite much softer and easier to chew.