Ultra tender, flavor packed beef brisket. Melt in your mouth brisket slathered with a sticky, sweet apricot bourbon glaze. Set it and forget it in the crock pot, then be prepared to fall head over heels in love with this brisket! It's easy to prepare, bursting with flavor and perfect for entertaining or summer BBQ's!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Make the Rub: Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar with remaining rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Prepare Brisket: Score the fat on top of the brisket with a paring knife. Massage the rub thoroughly onto ALL sides of the brisket, being sure to rub into the slits on the fat side. OPTIONAL: If time permits, transfer the brisket into a large baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes-24 hours.
To braise brisket in the slow cooker: Combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar, garlic, stout, bourbon, Worcestershire, soy sauce, onion powder, celery salt and thyme in a slow cooker. Whisk to combine. Add the rubbed brisket to the slow cooker, fatty side facing up, squishing the brisket in if needed.
Cover and slow cook on LOW until the brisket is very tender to touch but still holds its shape, about 7 ½ -8 ½ hours. I do not recommend cooking the brisket on HIGH.(Note: If you use a 4 pound brisket, you will need to increase the cook time to 9 ½ - 10 ½ hours on LOW).
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small sauce pot, whisk together the preserves, bourbon and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes or until reduced to a glaze-like consistency (glaze will continue to thicken as it stands). Remove from heat and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the glaze for serving. Set both aside.
Glaze Brisket: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, When brisket is done braising, remove it from slow cooker and transfer it to a large baking dish. Brush the top of the brisket with the glaze. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove brisket from the oven, brush it again with glaze, and return it to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until caramelized on top.
To serve: Remove brisket from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing the brisket thinly against the grain. Serve with the reserved glaze on the side. Enjoy!
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Notes
Read the Recipe all the way through first. Optional, but recommended, let the brisket marinate in the rub for at least 30 minutes.
For a crispier finish: You can finish the brisket in the oven (broil) or on the grill!
Slicing: Make sure you slice your brisket AGAINST the grain to ensure tender texture! To do this, look for the direction of the grain (which way the muscle fibers are running), and then slice across (or against) them, rather than parallel to them
Feeding a crowd? You will need 1/2 pound of TRIMMED brisket per person, or 3/4 pound of UNTRIMMED brisket per person.
To Make the Brisket in Advance: 1. Follow instructions on recipe through cooking in slow cooker. Strain and transfer the cooking liquid to a container and store in the refrigerator. 2. Refrigerate the cooked brisket overnight, covered in the refrigerator. 3. When ready to cook, remove the brisket from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 4. Pour half of the cooking liquid onto brisket. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook until brisket is warmed throughout, about 30 minutes. 5. Continue with recipe as directed, making the glaze, coating the brisket and finishing it in the oven.
Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 8 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.