Slow-Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Barbecued brisket in the slow cooker? You bet. To minimize the moisture absorbed
by the brisket (which traditionally isn’t cooked directly in liquid), we came up with
an unorthodox solution: elevating the meat off the bottom of the slow cooker with
an inverted loaf pan. The liquid exuded from the meat during cooking was drawn under
the loaf pan by a vacuum effect, which meant that the slow cooker more closely mimicked
the dry heat of real barbecue. To bump up the flavor of this liquid, we added sautéed
onion, garlic, tomato paste, and chipotle chiles. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
SERVES 8 TO 10
Scoring the fat on the brisket at ½-inch intervals will allow the rub to penetrate the meat. Two disposable aluminum loaf pans stacked inside one another can be substituted for the metal loaf pan.
|
SPICE RUB AND BRISKET |
|
|
½ |
cup packed dark brown sugar |
|
2 |
tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce |
|
1 |
tablespoon ground cumin |
|
1 |
tablespoon paprika |
|
2 |
teaspoons pepper |
|
1 |
teaspoon salt |
|
1 |
(4- to 5-pound) brisket roast, fat trimmed to ¼ inch thick and scored lightly |
|
AROMATICS AND SAUCE |
|
|
3 |
tablespoons vegetable oil |
|
1 |
onion, chopped fine |
|
2 |
tablespoons tomato paste |
|
1 |
tablespoon chili powder |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce |
|
2 |
garlic cloves, minced |
|
½ |
cup water, plus extra as needed |
|
¼ |
cup ketchup |
|
1 |
tablespoon cider vinegar |
|
¼ |
teaspoon liquid smoke |
|
Salt and pepper |
|
1. FOR THE SPICE RUB AND BRISKET: Combine sugar, chipotle, cumin, paprika, pepper, and salt in bowl. Rub sugar mixture all over brisket. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
2. FOR THE AROMATICS AND SAUCE: Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, chipotle, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mound onion mixture in center of slow cooker, arrange inverted metal loaf pan over onion mixture, and place brisket fat side up on top of loaf pan. Add water to slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until fork inserted in brisket can be removed with no resistance, 7 to 8 hours (or cook on low for 10 to 12 hours).
3. Transfer brisket to 13 by 9-inch baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 30 minutes. Carefully remove loaf pan from slow cooker. Pour onion mixture and accumulated juices into large bowl and skim fat. (You should have about 2 cups defatted juices; if you have less, supplement with water.)
4. Transfer brisket to carving board, slice thin against grain, and return to baking dish. Pour 1 cup reserved defatted juices over sliced brisket. Whisk ketchup, vinegar, and liquid smoke into remaining juices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing sauce at table.
TO MAKE AHEAD: In step 3, wrap brisket tightly in foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Refrigerate juices separately.) To serve, transfer foil-wrapped brisket to baking dish and heat in 350-degree oven until brisket is heated through, about 1 hour. Reheat juices in microwave or saucepan set over medium heat. Continue with recipe as directed.