Slow Cooker Beer Glazed Brisket
Although most days, if given the option, I’d choose a glass of red wine, there’s something about the warmer weather that does make me crave the occasional frosty cold beer. And what goes better with beer than pretty much every type of BBQ? BBQ made with said beer! But instead of hauling out the grill and risking a fire (;)) why not just use your slow cooker?! That way, when you finally get home after a long day at work, you can put your feet up on the patio and enjoy one of those cold beers instead of having to hassle with getting dinner started!
It all starts out with a simple spice rub. I’m a big fan of having a basic stocked spice cabinet (or drawer in my case) so that you can easily make a meal out of whatever meat or veggies you happen to have on hand without a plan.
In this case we are using a nice cut of brisket, which is not inexpensive, but sure does make a nice treat! It will feed a lot of people for way less than going to a restaurant or really even ordering a bunch of mediocre pizza, so it’s perfect for feeding a small crowd.
Since we are investing in a nicer piece of meat here, I do insist we take a few extra minutes to brown it up first. Searing it will seal in those spices and give it a nice caramelized crust. Then we will deglaze the pan or multi-cooker with your favorite beer.
And speaking of the beer, make sure you buy something nice and tasty here. A good craft beer that you enjoy will be best, because of course you will probably purchase a 6-pack but you only need to use one in the recipe!
Slow Cooker Beer Glazed Brisket
Ingredients
- 3 pounds flat beef brisket
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 12 ounces oatmeal stout (or favorite craft beer)
- 2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch (for later)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all spices/seasonings and then press into both sides of brisket
- Heat skillet (or multi-cooker) over medium-high heat (around 400 degrees)
- Add canola oil and add brisket
- Sear for several minutes on each side until lightly golden brown (about 5-7 minutes)
- Carefully deglaze pan with beer, adding slowly (be very careful with alcohol if cooking on open flame)
- Transfer to slow cooker and cover and cook on low for about 8 hours
- Remove from slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes before slices
- Transfer cooking liquid to saucepan
- Make a slurry by adding 2 tablespoons of water to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour and whisking until smooth
- Add to cooking juices and bring to boil over medium-high heat and let simmer until thickened, about 3-5 minutes
- Serve sauce over sliced brisket
Notes
Nutrition
What kind of beer will you use in the recipe? Leave a comment and let me know!!!
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Craving more recipes with beer?
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I used Troegenator Double Bock from Troeg’s. Made the entire kitchen smell like a confectionary for a week. The meet was moist and tender, and the seared sides tasted a bit of chocolate as a result of the flavors of that beer. I added cumin and cayenne to the recipe and it added a small kick that worked out great. This pairs really well with carmellized onions.
I have cooked meat with wine before, but never beer. However, I would definitely be interested in trying out this slow cooker recipe, because I am always trying to come up with some excuse to use my crock pot. When I first saw this recipe, though, I was a little worried that the alcohol might not cook out entirely, but since you cook it for over 8 hours I think that I shouldn’t have to worry about that. Just in case, though, at what point in this process do you think that the alcohol will be completely cooked out? I plan on feeding this to my family and would rather just have the flavor of the beer remain.
Hi Faylinn! While I generally only recommend any recipes with adult beverages be served to adults only 🙂 I will say that in order to help reduce the alcohol content in this recipe you could allow it to simmer for several minutes on a lower heat uncovered after deglazing the pan. This should help, although how you can be sure you have removed all alcohol? I’m not sure there’s an easy way to know. Let me know how it goes!!