Slow Cooker Beef Brisket With Beer

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/26/22
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket With Beer Recipe

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This slow cooker beef brisket is cooked with a variety of vegetables and seasonings, including potatoes, carrots, and onions. Slow-cooked in beer, the brisket comes out so tender and juicy, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite. 

Brisket is known to be one of the least tender cuts of beef. Long, and slow braising is an excellent way to cook a beef cut like brisket, as you will soon discover in this pot roast type of dish. 

Serve this brisket with some homemade dinner rolls and a warm apple pie to round out the meal. 

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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef brisket, lean, well-trimmed

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks

  • 5 small red potatoes, halved

  • 1 large onion, cut into wedges

  • 2 tablespoons tapioca, quick-cooking

  • 3/4 cup beer

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/4 cup water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the brisket on all sides.

  3. Place the carrots, onion, and potatoes in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the tapioca over the vegetables. Add the browned brisket (If the brisket is very large, cut it in half).

  4. Combine the beer with the remaining ingredients—mustard, thyme, rosemary, salt, minced garlic, bay leaf, and water. Pour the mixture over the brisket.

  5. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.

  6. The tapioca will thicken the liquid to make its own gravy. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Tips

  • If the liquids are watery, pour them into a saucepan and boil for a few minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate the flavors.
  • Add a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water if more thickening is desired.
  • Leftover brisket makes delicious sandwiches.

Recipe Variations

  • You can use a dry red wine in place of the beer.
  • Add some other veggies into the mix if you'd like—celery would be a good addition.
  • Yukon Gold potatoes can be substituted for the red potatoes.

How to Store

  • Any leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
  • The brisket dish can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for two months.

Helpful Links

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1240 Calories
67g Fat
48g Carbs
103g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 67g 85%
Saturated Fat 25g 127%
Cholesterol 361mg 120%
Sodium 580mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 103g
Vitamin C 26mg 130%
Calcium 105mg 8%
Iron 10mg 56%
Potassium 1920mg 41%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)