Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket Sliders

Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket Sliders are so easy to make. After seasoning the brisket, the slow cooker does all the work, which results in a tender and flavorful cut of meat that everyone will love.

An Alternative to Smoking a Brisket

Many of us love a smoky, tender brisket. Whether it’s on its own or on a sandwich, a juicy, succulent brisket is so tasty.

However, many of us do not have a smoker. Or, those that do, sometimes don’t have the time to babysit the brisket while it smokes.

This brisket recipe addresses both of those problems by using a slow cooker. Slow cooking a brisket really is a set-it-and-forget-it cooking process that ends with a delicious brisket. You may not have some of the organic smokiness or thick bark that comes from smoking, but it’s a great, easy way to prepare a brisket.

Making Your Own Spice Mixture

The first thing to do is to prepare a spice mixture. You can approximate the smokiness of the wood from a smoker by using different spices.

In this case, I use a combination of smoked paprika and chili powder to bring out some smokiness and spiciness. You can also add in a pinch of cayenne pepper if you wanted to bring in extra spice.

The ground cumin, garlic powder and celery salt add depth of flavor and salt and pepper finishes off the spice mix. It takes about 2 minutes to mix up and you’re ready to go.

At this point, I pat on the spice mixture on the entire surface of the brisket. That includes the top of the brisket, bottom and sides. Your brisket is now ready to put into the slow cooker.

Slow Cooking the Brisket

Once the brisket has been coated in the spice mix, it is ready to be placed into the slow cooker fat cap side up. As the fat renders over time, it helps flavor the meat, so you definitely want the fat on top.

I put onions on top of the brisket because it adds great flavor. Finally, a couple of bay leaves and the beef stock are added in. 

This is definitely a low and slow recipe, so I put the slow cooker on low. And, for the best result, I really try not to look into the slow cooker very often. You want to keep all the heat and steam in as long as possible.

Now, cook times can vary because I’ve found there is nothing uniform between briskets! I’ve found it takes about 8-10 hours for a 3 pound brisket. For me, it’s done when it feels pull-apart tender with a fork.

When I feel it is done, I take the brisket out of the slow cooker, put it on a cutting board and cover with foil. I let it sit for at least 10 minutes to let the juices reincorporate into the brisket. You now have a tender and juicy piece of meat that’s full of amazing flavor.

Preparing the Barbecue Brisket Sliders

While you certainly can eat the brisket “as is”, I thought it would be fun to make some barbecue brisket sandwiches – in this case, slow cooker brisket sliders. I love these barbecue brisket sliders as they are great both as a meal or as a game day appetizer.

First off, you need slider buns. I really love brioche buns, so that’s what I used for slider buns. However, there are lots of varieties of sliders buns or soft rolls, so use your favorite.

I thinly slice the brisket and put a couple of slices on the slider bun. Then, it’s time for the barbecue sauce.

I use store-bought barbecue sauce (Famous Dave’s Rich & Sassy is my favorite) for ease of use. However, if you want to try your hand with making a homemade bbq sauce, here is a recipe that I like (Homemade BBQ Sauce).

On top of this, I add in some already prepared coleslaw. Put the top bun on and you now have an absolutely irresistible sandwich!

Tips and Tricks

• Make sure you put the brisket in the slow cooker with the fat cap up. As the brisket cooks the fat will melt into the meat which will help keep the meat juicy.
• The brisket can be made a day or two ahead of time. Once the brisket has finished cooking, store it in the refrigerator, along with the cooking liquid. I leave the brisket in the slow cooker and just remove the insert before putting in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve the brisket, reheat it on high heat in the slow cooker with the cooking liquid until warmed through. It should be reheated in about 30 minutes.
• In addition to a coleslaw topping, these sliders are delicious served with Slow Cooker Baked Beans, Asian Style Cucumber Salad, this fun Cauliflower Dill “No Potato” Salad and Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients Needed to Make Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket Sliders

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Beef brisket
• Smoked paprika
• Chili powder
• Ground cumin
• Garlic powder
• Celery salt
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Bay leaves
• Onion
• Beef stock
• Slider size buns
• Barbecue sauce
• Coleslaw

How to Make Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket Sliders

• Combine spices in a small bowl.
• Rub spice mixture on both sides of brisket.
• Place brisket in slow cooker, fat side up and top with sliced onions.
• Add the beef stock, cover and cook for 8-10 hours on low heat.
• Once the brisket has finished cooking, remove from slow cooker.
• Slice across the grain into thin pieces.
• To assemble sliders, put a couple of slices of brisket on the bottom of each bun and top with barbecue sauce and coleslaw.

ENJOY!