Slow Cooker Horseradish Brisket

By: Shannon Epstein

March 10, 2018

865 Shares

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review

Slow Cooker horseradish brisket is a bold and flavorful dish that’s perfect for Passover, special occasions, or weeknight family dinner. Using only a few simple ingredients, this brisket is melt-in-your-mouth tender with the horseradish adding the right amount of heat & tang. Instructions to make this easy brisket recipe in the Instant Pot are also included.

Table of Contents

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Horseradish Brisket

Brisket
Horseradish
Beef Broth
Oil
Seasonings: parsley, salt, pepper

How To Make Slow Cooker Horseradish Brisket

Slow Cooker

Optional step – Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the brisket generously salt & pepper. Add the brisket to the heated pan & cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove the brisket from pan and add it to the slow cooker. Do not add any other ingredients or liquid.

If you skip the browning step, season brisket generously with salt & pepper to taste and add brisket to the slow cooker, fat side up. Do not add any other ingredients or liquid.
Cook HIGH 3 to 4 hours or LOW 6 to 8.
The last 30 minutes of cooking time: add the horseradish, beef broth, parsley, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend a few seconds until the ingredients are combined. Pour the horseradish mixture on top of brisket. Cover and continue cooking.
Remove brisket from the slow cooker to let rest. Either cut against the grain or shred the meat.
Pour remaining sauce from the slow cooker over the brisket before serving.

Instant Pot

1. Season brisket generously with salt & pepper to taste.
2. Turn the pressure cooker on to saute. Once hot, add oil and the brisket and sear a few minutes on both sides until browned. Remove brisket and set aside.
3. Add the horseradish, beef broth, parsley, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend a few seconds until the ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into the pressure cooker and deglaze by scraping off any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add brisket back into the Instant Pot, fat side up.
4. Select manual setting. Adjust to high pressure & and set time for 25 minutes per pound of meat. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure naturally release for about 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
5. Remove brisket from the Instant Pot to let rest. Either cut against the grain or shred the meat.
6. Pour sauce from the Instant Pot over the brisket before serving.

close up shot of pouring horseradish sauce on top olf cooked brisket. — pour sauce on top

overhead shot of cooked horseradish brisket in a black slow cooker — with sauce added

FAQs & Tips

What is brisket?

Brisket is a popular cut of beef for braising or slow cooking for a reason. Beef brisket is a cut of meat from the breast of a cow. It’s a tough cut of meat to cook with but the great thing about the slow cooker or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) is that even the toughest cuts will be cooked to melt-in-your-mouth tender. If you have to trim the fat off your brisket, please note that this will reduce the weight. Also, depending on the size & shape of the brisket you use, you may have to cut it into pieces to get it to fit into the appliance. If you don’t want to use brisket, you can substitute a beef roast like chuck roast or rump roast.

What is horseradish?

If you have ever had horseradish, you know that it’s spicy. Horseradish is a root vegetable that usually used as a condiment or garnish. This recipe calls for prepared horseradish. Prepared horseradish is usually made from grated horseradish root, salt, and vinegar. This is not the same as horseradish sauce. Prepared horseradish can be found at local grocery stores in the condiment section. I know you’re probably thinking, that all of that horseradish will ruin the brisket. Don’t worry, a lot of the horseradish spiciness will cook away. Having said that, if you don’t like horseradish, this recipe is not for you. It’s one of the main ingredients in the sauce and omitting it or substituting another ingredients will change the intended flavor profile.

Is this a good brisket for Passover?

This horseradish brisket was specifically made with Passover in mind. I thought I was on to something pairing horseradish with brisket but if you do a simple Google search, you’ll find tons of slow cooker horseradish brisket recipes. Both horseradish & brisket are common Passover Seder foods so it makes sense that I am not the first person to pair the two together. You can read more about why horseradish is served during a Passover seder here.

Do you need to sear the brisket?

For the Instant Pot, it’s included as an instruction. For the slow cooker, searing your meat before adding it to the slow cooker is listed as optional. As you can see, I did not sear my brisket beforehand. I will always leave this as a recommended but optional step. I have made plenty of briskets and roasts in the slow cooker without searing them beforehand and they came out just fine.

Can you make this ahead of time?

Slow cooker or Instant Pot brisket can not only be made the day ahead of time and reheated, some might argue that it’s actually better that way. After it cools, I put the remove the pot from the cooker or Instant Pot and place it in the refrigerator. The next day, you will be able to easily remove the fat that has hardened. This is also a good time to slice against the grain if you’re going to do so because the meat is easier to cut cold. To reheat, add the brisket back into the slow cooker or Instant Pot and reheat on the warm setting. If you’re using a Crock-Pot brand of slow cooker, did you know that the base is oven safe? Yup, you can pop the entire base in the oven for temperatures up to 400 degrees.

How do you serve this?

Brisket is a cut of beef that is traditionally served by slicing against the grain. It can also be shredded too. If I’m eating the brisket the day I cook it, the meat is usually so tender that it falls apart I take it out the slow cooker. When that happens, I just shred it down. When I make the brisket a day ahead & cool it overnight in the frig, I usually slice the brisket against the grain. The meat is cold & firm which makes it’s easy to cut. Same taste regardless of how you serve it.

How do you store leftovers?

Store leftover slow cooker horseradish brisket in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

What size slow cooker should you use?

I used a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Brisket Recipes