This recipe is simply a must do during the hot sticky months of July and August here in DC. I originally created this recipe when our annual July 4th party took a turn for the crowded and my roommate Sharon and I were trying to decide what could feed the multitudes and not make our kitchen (the only common room in the house) unbearably hot. Sharon thought a hunk of meat in the slow cooker would be an excellent plan and I remembered the absolutely outstanding BBQ beef brisket my sister Jenny's sister in law Robin makes in the oven. Her recipe is a savory combination of all sorts of goodness and I honestly intended to follow it to a T. Unfortunately life had other plans and the morning of the party, with the window of slow cooking time closing rapidly, I discovered we had several shortages in our ingredients. Poor planning on my part but it created this recipe and I could not be happier with its savory smoky flavor.
Recipes can sometimes be challenging to me because they don't let me flex my culinary creativity but with recipes that I love I try to follow the rules. At least with this the amount of ingredients spice-wise is roughly the same as Robin's original recipe. The original is absolutely divine but I think that this method of preparation just makes this recipe more accessible to everyone. All of my roommates and I were busy with last minute rooftop and home preparations for our party and fireworks watching so none of us had time to sit around and twiddle our thumbs. This recipe is perfect for anyone who is busy but still wants to eat a hearty delicious meal. I plan on making this one year round and I don't think I will ever be disappointed in it!
Today's Cast of Characters:
Basically just beef and a whole lot of spices today. Make sure you buy a lean cut of the beef brisket because I'm not sure the juice would taste as good with the fat grease floating around. I usually cut off all the additional fat on the cut. Beef stock joins in the party to keep things interesting. Chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper create a spicy smoky blend. They meld with salt, garlic, onion powder, pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and a bay leaf to create a perfectly seasoned, spicy, and layered BBQ beef brisket.
What to Do:
First make a dry rub by combining the chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, garlic, onion powder, pepper, sugar, mustard and bay leaf. If you remove the stem and crush the leaves bay leaves are edible. Things should be evenly mixed at the end.
Rub the mix on all sides of the brisket. There should be plenty of the spice mixture to cover the meat. If there isn't you can just mix a little cayenne and smoked paprika together to fill in the holes. I discard the spice rub that doesn't stick to the meat but I am always sure to leave just a bit of extra patted onto the top.
Add the beef stock to your slow cooker and gently place in the brisket. I find that 4 pounds of brisket isn't going to fit in my slow cooker pretty often so I end up cutting it and trying to rearrange a bit. It doesn't really matter as long as there are parts of every piece submerged in the beef stock.
At this point its a choose your own adventure! You could either cook the brisket on High for 2 hours and low for 5 and a half or just let the crock work its magic on low for 8 to 10 hours. I think it could be a great dish to come home to after a long day of work...I will have to try it this winter...
When the beef is fork tender its time to roll up your sleeves and provide a little elbow grease. In reality this brisket shreds like a dream but I like to imagine myself working harder. I shred by cutting with the grain and down and then using a fork to further break the brisket up if necessary.
When you have completed your task, switch the crock on to the warm or keep warm setting and return the beef to the stock mixture. Stir and serve it up. This was a huge hit at our party so make sure there is enough to share with everyone! We luckily had left overs so I can attest to the fact that it is delish the next day as well.
Today I served it up over some whole wheat rolls but don't limit yourself if you don't want to. This mix would taste just fabulous over rice or served as strictly beef with a side of mac and cheese. I am also planning to make nachos with some of the remnants. The point is enjoy!
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| Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket |
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
2 tbsp Salt
3 cloves Garlic, mashed into salt or 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Pepper
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tsp Dry Mustard
1 Bay Leaf – crushed, stem removed
4 lb lean Beef Brisket
1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
Directions:
1.Make dry rub by combining Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, Garlic, Onion Powder, Pepper, Sugar, Mustard, and Bay Leaf
2. Rub the mix on the brisket season meat on both sides, make sure you cover most of the beef with the mix
3. Add beef stock to slow cooker and gently place in the brisket. If there is not enough room just cut the brisket and try to rearrange.
4. Cook on High for 2 hours and low for 5 and a half hours or just keep the crock on low for 8 or 9 hours.
5. When the beef is fork tender, carefully remove from the slow cooker and shred the beef.
6. Return the shredded beef to the juices in the slow cooker and keep on warm until ready to serve.
7. Enjoy!
