Name: Slow-Cooker Brisket and Onions
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
Ingredients: 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 1 first cut of beef brisket (4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat; Coarse salt and ground pepper; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

6 hrs

Total Time:

6 hrs 10 mins

Servings:

6

Our recipe for slow-cooker brisket and onions leans on the convenient, hands-off cooking method to produce moist, impossibly tender results with only 10 minutes of prep time. The best part? There’s no searing required, saving you from the often-messy splattering that browning the meat on the stovetop can create. The brisket gets a savory boost from sliced onions, garlic, and chicken broth, which meld during the gentle cooking process to create a flavorful sauce for serving with the sliced meat. And while this recipe needs nothing more than a sprinkling of fresh parsley, we highly recommend serving it alongside a pot of mashed potatoes or rice to soak up all those delicious juices.

Key Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Brisket

The meat: A whole brisket is made up of a first cut and a second cut. For this recipe, look for the leaner first cut, or "flat cut" as opposed to the second or "point cut." Ask your butcher to trim the layer of fat on the brisket down to one-quarter inch, which is enough to keep the meat moist and tender as it cooks.

The alliums: A combination of yellow onion and garlic lends tons of flavor to this simple recipe. To slice the onion, cut it in half from pole to pole, then place each half flat side down on your cutting board and slice crosswise into thin pieces (about one-eighth to one-quarter inch). Don't worry about slicing or mincing the garlic—it only needs a quick smash with the side of your knife.

The broth: If you have homemade chicken broth or stock on hand, this is an excellent way place to use it. Otherwise, choose a good quality, low-sodium option at the store to keep the sauce from becoming overly salty.

How to Make This Recipe Ahead

Cooking brisket ahead of time cuts down on day-of work while also giving the meat a chance to firm up, which makes slicing far easier. You can make this recipe up to two days before you plan to serve it. Store it in the cooking liquid, covered tightly. Slice against the grain before reheating, covered, in a 300-degrees Fahrenheit oven.

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Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 first cut of beef brisket (4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker:

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine onion and garlic. Season brisket with salt and pepper and place, fat side up, in slow cooker. Add broth.
Cover and cook:

Cover and cook on high until brisket is fork-tender, about 6 hours.
Slice, then serve with onion, cooking liquid, and parsley:

Remove brisket and thinly slice against the grain. Serve with onion and some cooking liquid; sprinkle with parsley.

Ways to Use Up Leftover Brisket

Serve leftover brisket on crusty rolls with either gravy, horseradish sauce, or barbecue sauce. You can also pair it with Worcestershire-spiked beef broth for a play on a French dip
Use it as a filling for tacos or quesadillas
Stir it into beef stew or chili
Shred and simmer it homemade or store-bought spaghetti sauce for a short-cut ragu