Slow cooker recipe
Total Time: 12 Hours
INGREDIENTS
1 brisket, 5 lbs.
Salt and pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (use 1/2 tsp for more heat)
1 1/2 cups honey barbecue sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
YOU WILL ALSO NEED
Large slow cooker, 6-7 quart capacity
Sprinkle brisket with salt and pepper. Mix the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl. Dry rub both sides of the brisket with the seasoning mixture. Stir together the honey barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the seasoned brisket, fatty side up, into the slow cooker. Don't worry if it's a little big for the cooker, the brisket will shrink as it cooks. Cover the top o the brisket with the remaining sauce. Cover the slow cooker and set heat to low for 9 hours, or until fork tender. When the brisket is cooked, remove it carefully from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a large bowl and let it cool. Slice off the fat cap from the top of the brisket and discard. Flip the brisket over so the leaner side faces upward. You'll be able to see the direction of the meat grain better on this side. Slice the brisket against the grain, at a slight diagonal, creating thin slices of meat. Skim the fat that has risen to the top of the sauce in the large bowl. It will appear lighter in color than the sauce, like droplets of oil on the surface. Skim as much fat as you can. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 1 tbsp of water till completely smooth. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the bowl of sauce and stir to combine. Pour half of the sauce back into the slow cooker. Layer the slices of brisket meat on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the brisket. Turn slow cooker to high for about 1 hour, till the meat and sauce are heated through and the sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Keep on warm setting till ready to serve. Note: the longer you cook this brisket, the more it will take on the texture of shredded or "chipped" beef. If you'd like for the meat to retain its sliced shape, no need to return the meat to the slow cooker. You can reduce the sauce quickly in a saucepan on the stovetop, then pour it over the slices in a casserole dish before serving. The leftovers make great BBQ beef sandwiches.
