Simplest Slow Cooked Beef Brisket
There’s nothing quite like shredded, pull-apart meat – tender, juicy, and full of flavour. And the best part? It’s one of the easiest things you’ll ever make. Honestly, it’s almost impossible to mess up.
When life is busy, my cooking for myself and my family gets stripped right back to the bare essentials. That’s when I lean on recipes like this: simple, whole food, minimal effort, and maximum payoff. This brisket will cover a family dinner with plenty of leftovers, or provide a few ready-to-go meals for two adults. It also freezes beautifully, making it a fantastic “freezer stocker.” I recommend these silicone freezer containers – once frozen transfer to a ziplock and reuse the container.
You might notice I often cook in parts — like this recipe, which is purely protein with no veggies included. This is intentional. The way I teach whole food eating is all about mix-and-match flexibility. Once you’ve got the protein sorted, you can pair it with any sides you like. No need to overcomplicate things, just one vegetable and one carbohydrate (unless you’re eating low carb) is all you need. This is how we keep home cooked meals doable, especially for busy parents.
What is a Brisket?
Beef brisket comes from the lower chest or breast of the cow. It’s a hardworking muscle, which means it’s naturally tough with lots of connective tissue. That toughness is exactly why it’s perfect for slow cooking – over several hours, the collagen melts into rich, silky gelatin, giving you meat that’s incredibly tender, deeply flavorful, and nourishing.
Serving Ideas:
- Toss some broccoli and zucchini into the hot brisket juices. They’ll cook in just 5 minutes, and serve with rice or couscous.
Equipment Notes:
I use a Breville Fast Slow Go, which is both a pressure cooker and slow cooker in one. It’s non-toxic stainless steel, has a generous 6L capacity (ideal for family cooking), and includes a sear and reduce function. This means fewer pots to wash and richer flavour, since searing the meat before slow cooking is key to avoiding bland, watery results.
This recipe works in any slow cooker. If you’re using a standard model, you’ll need to sear the beef in a hot pan first before transferring it to the slow cooker bowl. Cooking time adjustments for different slow cookers are included below.
Simplest Slow Cooked Beef Brisket
Tender, pull-apart beef brisket slow-cooked with garlic, onion, and warm spices for a rich, comforting protein.
Serves:
6
Prep time:
15 minutes
Cook time:
8–10 hours
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil, tallow or coconut oil)
- 1 whole beef brisket (about 1.5–2 kg)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 onion, any variety, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled smashed
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD
Breville Fast Slow Go
- Season the brisket generously with salt. Set the Breville to the sear function and when hot, add the olive oil or cooking fat. Place the brisket in the pot and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until well browned. Look for a deep, rich brown colour.
- Scatter the sliced onion and smashed garlic cloves around the brisket in the pot. Sprinkle the oregano and cumin over the meat, add the bay leaf, and pour in the beef stock.
- Switch the Breville to Slow Cook on High. Set the timer for 8–10 hours, with 8 hours being the minimum. Close the lid and press start.
- When cooking is complete, to serve, shred the beef with two forks directly in the bowl, allowing the meat to absorb all the flavourful juices.
- Optional: Set the machine to Reduce for 10 minutes to concentrate the liquid, though this is rarely necessary.
- Optional: For extra browning, transfer the meat and juices to a roasting dish and place under the grill at 200°C for 10 minutes, watching carefully, before serving.
Standard Slow Cooker
- Season the brisket generously with salt. Heat the olive oil or cooking fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the brisket in the pan and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until well browned. Look for a deep, rich brown colour.
- Transfer the brisket to the slow cooker bowl. Scatter the sliced onion and smashed garlic cloves around the meat. Sprinkle the oregano and cumin over the brisket, add the bay leaf, and pour in the beef stock.
- Cover and cook on High for 9–10 hours.
- When cooking is complete, shred the beef with two forks directly in the bowl, allowing the meat to soak up all the flavourful juices.
- Optional: Before shredding, transfer the meat and juices to a roasting dish and place under the grill at 200°C for 10 minutes, watching carefully, for extra browning before serving.
Notes:
- I use a Breville Fast Slow Go pressure cooker and slow cooker in one. If you are using a standard ceramic slow cooker, it needs a touch longer - go for a minimum of 9 hours, ideally the full 10 hours.
- I've tested this recipe using the pressure cooker setting, but it didn't yield the best results—this dish truly benefits from long, slow cooking. Simply start it around 9am and forget about it until dinner time when it's perfectly done!
- This brisket is excellent the next day. Store in a glass container or freeze in portions for quick meals later!
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