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Home » Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Brisket

Published: Mar 2, 2023 · Modified: Mar 18, 2025 by Lauren Woodger · Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links -This means I receive a commission for purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · Leave a Comment

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Drawing of a bottle of milk with a line through it.
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BBQ beef brisket in a burger bun on a plate with chips.
shredded bbq beef brisket in a black pot with a spoon picking up a spoonful.
BBQ beef brisket in a burger bun on a plate with chips.

This Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Brisket with homemade smoky BBQ sauce is cooked low and slow until it’s deliciously tender. Jam-packed with flavour, it’s a must-try for anyone who loves hearty and delicious comfort food. It's also gluten-free!

BBQ beef brisket in a burger bun on a plate with chips.

As a busy parent and lover of meal-planning, I know how important it is to have simple, delicious dinners that fit into a busy schedule. 

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This slow cooker pulled beef brisket with homemade BBQ sauce is exactly why I love slow cooking – minimal effort & maximum flavour! My kids love this after football training on a Friday night.

It’s perfect for batch cooking, meal prepping or feeding a large crowd. Just pop it in the middle of the table and let everyone pile their buns high!

The brisket cooks low and slow in a rich, tangy BBQ sauce until it’s fall-apart tender. Then it’s shredded and tossed back through the sauce for ultimate melt-in-your-mouth heaven.

The best part? You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen to make it. All you need is a slow cooker or crockpot and a few simple ingredients. The hardest part is waiting for it to cook!!!

If you love a slow cooker recipe as much as me, check out my Slow Cooker Roast Potatoes and Sausage & Baked Bean Casserole. 

Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients Needed & Notes
  • 🥜 How Can I Make This Allergy-Friendly?
  • 🤔 Beef Brisket: Most Asked Questions
  •  ✏️ How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef Brisket
  • 💡 Lauren's Top Tips
  • 🔨 Meal Planning Toolbox
  • 🍴 How To Serve
  • 💬 Recipe FAQs
  • Want More Comfort Food?
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredients Needed & Notes

Here is a brief overview of the main ingredients needed to make slow cooker pulled beef brisket. To find out how to make it allergy-friendly, simply keep scrolling to the section below this one.

Ingredients laid out for slow cooker bbq beef brisket.

✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋

  • Beef Brisket -Brisket comes from the chest of the cow and is packed with rich, beefy flavour. It's a tougher cut, but when cooked low and slow, it becomes melt-in-the-mouth tender. This cut is also great value for money, making it a great budget-friendly choice.
  • Dry Rub For The Beef - A simple mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Massage it into the fat before cooking for extra flavour.
  • Home-made BBQ Sauce - While shop-bought BBQ sauce works too, this homemade version is really easy, much tastier and lets you control the ingredients. You’ll need ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce (or Henderson’s Relish), apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, and Dijon mustard. It takes just 5 minutes and uses ingredients you likely already have in the cupboard.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🥜 How Can I Make This Allergy-Friendly?

  • ✔️ Make It Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce or Henderson Relish instead.
  • ✔️ Make It Celery-Free: Ensure your brand of ketchup is celery-free.
  • ✔️ Make It Mustard-Free: Use a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper instead.

🤔 Beef Brisket: Most Asked Questions

Can I cook brisket faster in the slow cooker?

You can cook it on HIGH for 4-6 hours, but for the best texture, LOW for 8-10 hours is ideal. Cooking it too fast can make the meat tough.

Can I leave brisket to cook overnight?

Yes! Set your slow cooker to LOW for 8-10 hours before bed. Just make sure it has a ‘keep warm’ setting so it doesn’t overcook. Up to 12 hours on LOW is fine if there’s enough liquid. Any longer, and it may start to lose its texture.

How do I know when the brisket is done?

It should pull apart easily with a fork. If it’s still tough, let it cook longer. 

 ✏️ How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef Brisket

⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️

Raw brisket of beef with a dry rub of paprika and onion and garlic powder on top. Sitting on a blue chopping board.

Step 1 Season The Brisket: To make the perfect brisket, you need to start with a quality piece of meat.

Look for a brisket with plenty of marbling and fat. This will help keep the meat moist and juicy while it cooks. 

Start by seasoning the brisket well with a mix of garlic powder, onion powder and a little paprika to add some depth of flavour and colour. 

homemade BBQ sauce in a white bowl with a spoon in the bowl.

Step 2 Make The BBQ Sauce: Next you will need to crush your garlic and mix together in a small bowl with all of the rest of the BBQ sauce ingredients.

beef brisket with bbq sauce in a slow cooker.

Step 3 Cook The Brisket: Add the beef to the slow cooker with the BBQ sauce and cook on a low heat for 8-10 hours, until the meat is tender and easily falls apart.

Be patient – the longer you cook it, the more tender and flavourful it will be.

💡I wouldn’t recommend cooking it on high as the meat can become tough.

Beef being shredded in a mixing bowl with two forks.

Step 4 Shred The Meat: When your brisket is done cooking, it's time to shred the meat. Remove the meat from the sauce before shredding.

You can use two forks to pull the meat apart. Make sure to remove any excess fat or gristle as you go.

Step 5 Mix With Sauce: Once your meat has been shredded, add it back to the BBQ sauce and toss until the shredded beef has been fully coated with all the sauce juices.

Shredded cooked beef brisket in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon in it.

💡 Lauren's Top Tips

  • 🌟 Remove The Beef From Fridge: 30 minutes before cooking, remove the beef from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before adding to the slow cooker. This helps with even cooking.
  • 🌟 Don’t Open The Slow Cooker! No matter how much you are tempted, try not to open the slow cooker until you think the meat is done. Every time you open the lid it releases a significant amount of heat and it takes a while to heat back up again, so it will take longer to cook your food.
  • 🌟 Cook Low & Slow for the Best Texture: For the most tender, juicy brisket, I recommend cooking on LOW for 8-10 hours. This gives the meat plenty of time to break down and become tender. Cooking on high can speed things up, but it’s more likely to result in a tougher texture.

🔨 Meal Planning Toolbox

🗒️ Make Ahead

Prepare the BBQ sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also rub the brisket with seasoning the night before & chill it in the fridge for a deeper flavour.

🗒️ Freezing

Shred the cooked brisket and store it in an airtight container with some BBQ sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the hob with some extra BBQ sauce or a little beef stock to keep it moist.

🗒️ Storage & Reheating

Leftovers will keep for 3 days in an airtight container. Warm in the microwave or on the hob until piping hot, stirring halfway through. Add extra BBQ sauce or beef stock if needed.

🍴 How To Serve

My favourite way to serve this bbq beef brisket is piled high in a brioche bun, with a big dollop of crunchy vegan coleslaw & spicy cajun fries.

Another popular option is piled high on top of mac’n’cheese for a meatier alternative and a nice crisp, green salad.

It’s also great with a dollop of sweet potato mash and some vegetables like roasted carrots & green beans.

💬 Recipe FAQs

What meat is closest to brisket?

If you're looking for a meat that's similar to beef brisket in terms of texture and flavour, there are a couple of options you might want to consider.
One is beef chuck roast or braising steak. Like brisket, it's a tough cut of meat that benefits from slow cooking. When cooked properly, beef chuck roast can be just as tender and flavourful as brisket.

Another option is pork shoulder, also known as pork butt. This cut of meat comes from the upper part of the shoulder and is often used to make pulled pork. It has a similar texture to brisket and works really well in the slow-cooker.

Want More Comfort Food?

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

  • White plate filled with penne pasta in a tomato sauce, garnished with basil and cheese. A fork is picking up a piece of pasta.
    Spicy Nduja & Tomato Pasta
  • close up shot of someone holding a burger with a bite out of it with chips in the background.
    Five Guys Copycat Burger Recipe 
  • Lamb kofta kebab on a blue plate with a wedge of lemon and toppings in bowls in the background.
    Lamb Kofta Wraps
  • Vegan mixed bean chilli
    Smoky Mixed Bean Chilli Non Carne

If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊

📖 Recipe

shredded bbq beef brisket in a black pot with a spoon picking up a spoonful.

Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Brisket

This Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Brisket with homemade smoky BBQ sauce is cooked low and slow until it’s deliciously tender. Jam-packed with flavour, it’s a must-try for anyone who loves hearty and delicious comfort food. It's also gluten-free!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours hours
Total Time: 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 516kcal
Author: Lauren Woodger

Equipment

  • Slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2.2lb) beef brisket

Dry Rub

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Homemade BBQ Sauce

  • 4 tablespoon tomato ketchup
  • 3 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce or Henderson's relish
  • 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoon honey
  • 1½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
Metric - Us Customary

Instructions

  • Begin by preparing your brisket. Trim off any excess fat, mix the rub ingredients together and rub all over the outside of the brisket.
  • In a bowl, mix together the BBQ sauce ingredients & stir until well combined.
  • Pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the brisket in the slow cooker. Make sure the brisket is coated evenly on all sides.
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on a low heat for 8-10 hours. The brisket should be tender and easily pull apart with a fork.
  • Once the brisket is fully cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and transfer it to a chopping board or bowl. Use two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces.
  • Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and mix it with the remaining sauce.
  • Serve the BBQ pulled beef brisket hot on buns or rolls, topped with additional BBQ sauce and your favourite toppings like coleslaw or sliced onions.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing
  • Make Ahead: Prepare the BBQ sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also rub the brisket with seasoning the night before & chill it in the fridge for a deeper flavour.
  • Freezing: Shred the cooked brisket and store it in an airtight container with some BBQ sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the hob with some extra BBQ sauce or a little beef stock to keep it moist.
Storage & Reheating
  • Fridge: Leftovers will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Reheat: Warm in the microwave or on the hob until piping hot, stirring halfway through. Add extra BBQ sauce or beef stock if needed.
How Can I Make This Allergy-Friendly?
Make It Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce or Henderson Relish instead.
Make It Celery-Free: Ensure your brand of ketchup is celery-free.
Make It Mustard-Free: Use a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 965mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 5mg

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About Lauren Woodger

I’m Lauren, the creator of The Scatty Mum. As a mum to two kids with a history of food allergies and intolerances, I know how tough it can be to cook meals that are both safe and delicious.

That’s why I share easy, allergy-friendly recipes to help families enjoy stress-free mealtimes.

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Hey, I'm Lauren!

I’m Lauren, the creator of The Scatty Mum.

As a mum to two kids with a history of food allergies, I know how challenging mealtimes can be when you’re trying to please everyone.

That’s why I share easy, family-friendly recipes and meal planning tips to help busy families enjoy tasty, stress-free dinners that work for all dietary needs.

MORE ABOUT ME

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