Slow-Cooker Brisket and Onions
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 9, 2012
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
The leaner flat-cut brisket is the better choice for this recipe. The thicker point cut is much fattier-a good thing on the grill, where the excess fat can drip away, but a disadvantage in a slow cooker, where the fat can make the sauce greasy. If you end up with an especially thick piece of brisket, extend the cooking time to 11 hours.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until onions are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour and cook until darkened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and cook until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar and transfer mixture to bowl.
- Combine 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne in bowl. Using fork, prick brisket all over. Rub spice mixture over brisket and wrap tightly in plastic. Cover bowl with onion mixture with plastic wrap. Refrigerate brisket and bowl with onion mixture overnight.
- The next morning, add half of onion mixture to slow-cooker insert. Add thyme and bay leaves and place brisket, fat side up, on top. Spread remaining onion mixture over brisket. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until brisket is fork-tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on high for 5 to 6 hours). Turn cooker off and allow brisket to rest for 30 minutes.
- Transfer brisket to cutting board, cut across grain into 1/2-inch slices, and transfer to serving platter. Tent with foil. Pour sauce into large skillet, discard herbs, and simmer over high heat until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Skim fat, add remaining vinegar, then pour half of sauce over brisket. Serve with remaining sauce on side.
Yield
Serves 8Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Many slow-cooker brisket and onions recipes endorse the dump-and-cook approach, but we found that a little prep work ensures the best results. Rubbing the meat with spices and letting it cure overnight in the refrigerator gave our brisket full flavor, and swapping the traditional red wine for red wine vinegar added complexity and a touch of acidity to our Slow-Cooker Brisket and Onions recipe. We also learned that briskets can release varying amounts of liquid as they cook, so we finished the sauce on the stovetop to achieve a more consistent result.
Before You Begin
The leaner flat-cut brisket is the better choice for this recipe. The thicker point cut is much fattier-a good thing on the grill, where the excess fat can drip away, but a disadvantage in a slow cooker, where the fat can make the sauce greasy. If you end up with an especially thick piece of brisket, extend the cooking time to 11 hours.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until onions are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour and cook until darkened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and cook until sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar and transfer mixture to bowl.
- Combine 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne in bowl. Using fork, prick brisket all over. Rub spice mixture over brisket and wrap tightly in plastic. Cover bowl with onion mixture with plastic wrap. Refrigerate brisket and bowl with onion mixture overnight.
- The next morning, add half of onion mixture to slow-cooker insert. Add thyme and bay leaves and place brisket, fat side up, on top. Spread remaining onion mixture over brisket. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until brisket is fork-tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on high for 5 to 6 hours). Turn cooker off and allow brisket to rest for 30 minutes.
- Transfer brisket to cutting board, cut across grain into 1/2-inch slices, and transfer to serving platter. Tent with foil. Pour sauce into large skillet, discard herbs, and simmer over high heat until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Skim fat, add remaining vinegar, then pour half of sauce over brisket. Serve with remaining sauce on side.
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