Slow cooker brisket and gravy is one of my favourite roasts because it's packed with flavour and takes very little effort.
The slow cooker does all of the hard work and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the delicious aromas coming from the kitchen.
For a family dinner, vegetables are added to the cooking stock so, that at the end of cooking, you have a rich gravy base to go with the beef.
There are step by step instructions to give perfect results and plenty of ways for you to tweek the recipe too.
Enjoy!
Jump to:
There's nothing better than coming home exhausted and being greeted by a delicious aroma from the kitchen. You know that dinner isn't too far away and there is the satisfaction of knowing that dinner was prepared hours ago.
Beef joints are particularly well suited to the slow cooker, especially the tougher and leaner joints such as top side and brisket.
The slow cooker gently breaks down the fibres in the meat, retaining all the flavour and leaving you will a delicious gravy from the juices and really tender meat.
Aside from the delicious taste, it is also one of the most econimical way to cook, with many slow cookers using a low wattage, even when used on the high setting.
This means that you have the benefit of keeping a cool kitchen in the summer and the longer cooking time still costs less than using the oven.
I've kept this recipe for slow cooker brisket and gravy simple to keep it family friendly, but you can easily vary the ingredients to make it a special meal too.
Why you will love this dish
- Simple recipe.
- Use budget friendly meat cuts.
- Easy to vary the ingredients.
- Economical electric cost.
- Gravy and meat cook at the same time to save effort.
- Perfect for busy days.
- Meat can be left to cook longer if you are late home.
🥘 Ingredients
- Beef - beef brisket joint.
- Stock - stock made from a cube or Bovril. This tends to be quite salty so there is no additional salt in this recipe.
- Flour - plain or all purpose flour for thickening the gravy.
- Carrots - medium sized carrots.
- Onions - brown or yellow onions.
- Worcester Sauce - this adds a bit of depth to the gravy.
- Pepper - freshly ground black pepper
- Oil - vegetable oil or plain olive oil for frying.
- Bay leaf - dried bay leaf for added flavour.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍽 Equipment
- Slow cooker of at least 2.5 litre or 4.4 pint capacity
- Frying pan or skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Sharp knife
🔪 Instructions
Preheat the slow cooker to HIGH.
💭 Top Tip
- For slow cooking always remove the visible fat from the meat before cooking as it will make the gravy greasy and is harder to remove unless the liquid is allowed to cool.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat and add the brisket.
Allow the meat to sear to get a good colour and caramelisation then turn the meat over until it is seared all round. This will take a few minutes.
Place the meat in the slow cooker.
Peel the onions and carrots and chop into small dice.
💭 Top Tip
- It's important to chop the vegetables into small pieces as they take a long time to cook in a slow cooker. These vegetables will form the basis for the gravy, so they need to be cooked until soft.
Heat the oil left over a medium heat and add the onions and carrots.
Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the stock, Worcester sauce and pepper and bring the gravy to a boil.
Transfer to the slow cooker.
⏲️ Slow Cooking Time
Cook on high for 6-8 hours.
The gravy will appear thick at first but will thin out as the brisket cooks.
Turn the meat halfway through cooking.
When the meat is cooked to your liking check the seasoning and the gravy.
If you are happy with the consistency then it's ready to serve.
Alternatively, add a teaspoon of cornflour to water and stir into the gravy and cook for 30 minutes more, or transfer the gravy to a frying pan and let it reduce over a medium heat if it's too thin.
💭 Top Tips
- Serve the gravy with the vegetables as it is or use a stick blender or potato masher to make a smoother mix. This can be an important step, if you have little people who can detect a piece of onion, and refuse their dinner!
- Avoid lifting the lid during cooking as moisture and heat escapes, interfering with cooking time.
🥗 Side Dishes
There are plenty of delicious side dishes to go with slow cooker brisket and gravy. Here are some that I think go especially well.
- Fried Cabbage with Bacon and Onions
- Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
- Pan Haggerty
- Leeks in White Sauce
- Roast Savoy Cabbage
- Cheesy Mashed Potato
- Cavolo Nero Kale
- Braised Spiced Red Cabbage
- Broccoli and Cauliflour Cheese
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Perfect Roast Potatoes
- Yorkshire Puddings
- Roasted Winter Vegetables
Substitutions
- Worcester Sauce - If you can't get hold of Worcester sauce try mushroom ketchup or balsamic vinegar.
- Brisket - topside or top round is another alternative.
📖 Variations
- Bourguignon - make is beef bourguignon style by leaving the carrots in chunks and frying smoked bacon lardons with the carrots. Replace half of the stock with a red wine you would drink with the meal. Add some fresh thyme and quartered mushrooms halfway through cooking.
- Vegetables - Add finely chopped celery for extra flavour.
Storage
- Refrigerator - cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer - slice the meat and freeze in container, with or without gravy for up to 3 months.
- To reheat - defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or covered with foil in the oven at 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4. Alternatively, use meat without gravy in stir fries and curries for an easy dinner.
FAQs
The slow cooker cannot brown the meat, so it can look gray and unappetising after cooking, if you place raw meat in the cooker. If you are in a rush you can do this if you prefer.
More importantly, searing the meat starts to bring it to temperature so that the cooking process starts straightaway.
Searing the meat also has another purpose. When you fry or sear the outside of meat at a high temperature browning occurs, which is the amino acid and a reducing sugar combining to produce different flavours.
This is known as the maillard reaction and it's what makes the meat taste so good! The sugars also start to caramelise, which is another part of the flavour process.
With all this going on, it's definitely worth an extra few minutes for the flavour!
Vegetables should always be covered with liquid and placed on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Meat should ideally have liquid that comes at least halfway up the sides to ensure even cooking. Depending on the size of your slow cooker you may need to add extra stock and reduce it afterwards, if you are cooking a small piece in a large cooker, for example.
However, the liquid should not be more than a few centimetres from the top in case of spillage.
More beef recipes
If you love beef, see all the beef recipes to try!
- Savoury Mince
- Roast Rib of Beef
- Beef Olives
- Steak and Kidney Pie
- Picanha Beef
- Chateaubriand
- Beef and Black Pudding Burgers
📋 Recipe
Slow Cooker Brisket and Gravy
Equipment
- Slow cooker of at least 2.5 litre or 4.4 pint capacity
- Frying pan or skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg brisket
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 500 ml beef stock
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the slow cooker to HIGH.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat and add the brisket.
- Allow the meat to sear to get a good colour and caramelisation then turn the meat over until it is seared all round. This will take a few minutes.
- Place the meat in the slow cooker.
- Peel the onions and carrots and chop into small dice.
- Heat the oil left over a medium heat and add the onions and carrots.
- Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the stock, Worcester sauce and pepper and bring the gravy to a boil. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6-8 hours, turning the meat over halfway.
- Check the seasoning and the gravy before serving.
Notes
- For slow cooking always remove the visible fat from the meat before cooking as it will make the gravy greasy and is harder to remove unless the liquid is allowed to cool.
- It's important to chop the vegetables into small pieces as they take a long time to cook in a slow cooker. These vegetables will form the basis for the gravy, so they need to be cooked until soft.
- Add a teaspoon of cornflour to water and stir into the gravy and cook for 30 minutes more, or transfer the gravy to a frying pan and let it reduce over a medium heat if it's too thin.
- Serve the gravy with the vegetables as it is or use a stick blender or potato masher to make a smoother mix.
- Avoid lifting the lid during cooking as moisture and heat escapes, interfering with cooking time.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using gas.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I love to read them and answer your questions. However, due to spam comments, I do have to moderate each one, so don't worry if you cannot see your comment immediately. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can.
Lyn
Thanks for this amazing slow cooker recipe! This definitely looks like a meal my whole family will love.
Tavo
that gravy! Wao! It was superb; thanks for the recipe!
Liza
What a great recipe, perfect for making a nutritious, flavorful, comforting meal on a cozy weekend. (I'm in Colorado in the U.S. and we are having a major snowstorm!) This tasty brisket will be on permanent meal rotation in our household!
Suja md
This looks and sounds fabulous! Love this recipe. It's a perfect dish for my family.
Tara
This brisket was so filling and satisfying. The gravy perfectly blended with the brisket! So good.
Natalie
Great dinner idea for all moms, simple to prepare, and the gravy is delightful, thanks!
Katherine
This brisket is the best comfort food!
Kechi
This looks so gorgeous and dreamy; I like the color of the gravy. So cool that you made it in the slow cooker!
Mahy
The gravy fits the brisket so well. Love the flavor combination here and the detailed instructions.
Beth
I love simple recipes like this that are delicious and so easy to make. That's perfect for my life and my family.