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Slow Cooker Brisket and Gravy

This slow cooker brisket and gravy recipe will impress any guest. Brisket is a tough cut of meat that is cooked to perfection when you use the crockpot. Simple yet flavorful, this delicious brisket will be a hit at your next family or holiday dinner. Instructions for cooking this easy beef brisket in the Instant Pot are also included. 

overhead shot of cooked, sliced brisket in a black slow cooker

This is another trifecta recipe: one that’s low-carb, paleo, whole30 compliant. Salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder – the seasonings used in this recipe are simple. Not much is needed.

Ingredients For Crockpot Brisket and Gravy

  • Beef Brisket
  • Beef Broth
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Garlic
  • Seasonings: salt, pepper, onion powder

raw brisket on a wooden platter seasoned with salt & pepper

How To Make Brisket and Gravy In The Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker

Optional step – Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season brisket generously salt & pepper to taste. Add brisket to the heated pan & cook 2-3  minutes on each side or until browned.

  1. If you skip the browning step, season brisket generously with salt & pepper. Add brisket to the slow cooker, fat side up.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together beef broth, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Pour mixture on top of brisket.
  3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.
  4. Remove brisket from the slow cooker to let rest. Either cut against the grain or shred the meat.
  5. If you are making gravy: mix together arrowroot starch & water and pour into the slow cooker. Stir to mix well and heat an additional 5-10 minutes on HIGH or until gravy has thickened to your liking.
  6. Add brisket back into the slow cooker until ready to serve.

Instant Pot

  1. Season brisket generously with salt & pepper to taste.
  2. Turn the on the pressure cooker 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. In a medium size bowl, mix together broth, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, onion powder, and pepper. 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. Naturally for about 10 minutes, then quick release for remaining pressure.
  5. Remove brisket from the Instant Pot. Either cut against the grain or shred the meat.
  6. If you are making gravy: Turn the pressure cooker to saute and pour the slurry into the pressure cooker. Cook the approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
  7. Return the brisket to the Instant Pot until ready to serve.
raw brisket in the slow cooker

before

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 pressure cooker (Instant Pot) is that even the toughest cuts will be cooked to melt-in-your-mouth tender. I purchased my 3.8 pound brisket at Costco with the fat already trimmed. Please note that depending on the size & shape of brisket, you may have to cut it into pieces to get it to fit into the appliance.

overhead shot of cooked brisket in the black slow cooker

after (slow cooker)

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 entire slow cooker or Instant Pot base right 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.

cold, cooked brisket in the slow cooker with hardened fat around the edges

make ahead of time & reheat in the crockpot

Making Gravy

Making gravy for the slow cooker brisket recipe is optional. To be honest, most of the time I don’t do it. I prefer to pour the leftover broth/juice from the slow cooker straight on top of the brisket. Having said that, making the is simple. The gravy is nothing more than beef broth, meat fat/drippings, and a thickening agent. I did not sift my gravy (too lazy) but of course you can if you want to.

To thicken the gravy up,  you’ll need to use a thickening agent. Traditionally, most people use flour or cornstarch to thicken gravy. My go-to thickening agent is a slurry of arrowroot flour/starch & water. I use arrowroot starch/flour because it’s the trifecta: low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 compatible. It also doesn’t leave a chalky taste in the food like other alternative flours. I suggest you use your preferred thickening agent, depending on your dietary needs whether it be arrowroot starch/flour, cassava flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, etc.

shredded brisket with gravy being poured on top

How To Serve Brisket

Brisket is a cut of beef that is traditionally served by slicing against the grain. It can also be shredded too. If I plan on eating 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.

FAQs & Tips

  • That is the question. For the Instant Pot, it’s an included instruction. For the slow cooker, searing your meat before adding it to the slow cooker is listed as optional. Sometimes I do, sometimes I do not. Some people will say they can taste a difference but I am not one of those people. 
  • Store leftover brisket in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • I use a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot to make this recipe.

Brisket Recipes

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overhead shot of cooked, sliced brisket in a black slow cooker

Slow Cooker Brisket and Gravy

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

This slow cooker brisket and gravy recipe will impress any guest. Brisket is a tough cut of meat that is cooked to perfection when you use the crockpot. Simple yet flavorful, this delicious brisket will be a hit at your next family or holiday dinner. Instructions for cooking this easy beef brisket in the Instant Pot are also included.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 34 pounds brisket, fat trimmed (seasoned with salt & pepper)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth or bone broth
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (for pressure cooker)
  • Slurry thickener: 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch, 2 tablespoons water (optional)

Instructions

Slow Cooker

Optional step – Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season brisket generously salt & pepper to taste. Add brisket to the heated pan & cook 2-3  minutes on each side or until browned.

  1. If you skip the browning step, season brisket generously with salt & pepper. Add brisket to the slow cooker, fat side up.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together beef broth, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Pour mixture on top of brisket.
  3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.
  4. Remove brisket from the slow cooker to let rest. Either cut against the grain or shred the meat.
  5. If you are making gravy: mix together arrowroot starch & water and pour into the slow cooker. Stir to mix well and heat an additional 5-10 minutes on HIGH or until gravy has thickened to your liking.
  6. Add brisket back into the slow cooker until ready to serve.

Instant Pot

  1. Season brisket generously with salt & pepper to taste.
  2. Turn the on the pressure cooker 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. In a medium size bowl, mix together broth, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, onion powder, and pepper. 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. Naturally for about 10 minutes, then quick release for remaining pressure.
  5. Remove brisket from the Instant Pot. Either cut against the grain or shred the meat.
  6. If you are making gravy: Turn the pressure cooker to saute and pour the slurry into the pressure cooker. Cook the approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
  7. Return the brisket to the Instant Pot until ready to serve.
  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 335
  • Sugar: 1.9 g
  • Sodium: 736.5 mg
  • Fat: 12.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 6.4 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 50.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 125.7 mg

 

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Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Katie Maloney

Sunday 16th of July 2023

This was delicious. Excellent flavor on the brisket, highly recommend searing first. The gravy was perfect. My new go to beef & gravy.

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Saturday 11th of March 2023

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Erica Gordon

Sunday 10th of January 2021

This recipe was absolutely delicious! I made it tonight for dinner with dairy free mashed potatoes and carrots. My husband actually said “this is the best meal you’ve ever made.” If you knew my husband you’d know that’s the highest compliment I could get. This is a winner!

Dana

Thursday 6th of May 2021

Just made this in the Instant Pot, so good! Thanks for the quick and easy recipe.

Lorenzo

Friday 12th of April 2019

Mom might be a little jealous over your brisket- looks awesome!! VERY helpful tip about cutting the meat against the grain while its COLD. TY