Make these incredible Slow Cooker Brisket Sandwiches with hands-free cooking time and a few simple steps. You can make them in advance for a crowd and they taste as good as they look! Load them with all your favorite toppings for a dang delicious meal!
Grilling makes life delicious! I've got loads of mouth-watering BBQ recipes that you won't want to miss like my North Carolina Pulled Pork Recipe and Texas Beef Brisket with Spicy Sauce (both can be pulled or sliced and turned into amazing barbecue sandwiches).
These recipes are a labor of love because they take time and attention to grill the meat to perfection as they use a low and slow cooking method.
When it’s too hot in the summer to be standing over a stove, baking in the oven, or hovering over a hot grill, your slow cooker comes to the rescue!
That's right -- no smoker or grill needed for these brisket sandwiches.
Jump to:
What is brisket?
Brisket a cut of beef breast meat that is naturally pretty tough. It needs to be cooked low and slow in order to transform it into tender flavorful meat that pulls apart easily.
A whole brisket (the size you might get at a big box store!) can be cut down into two parts. The point cut and the flat cut.
For this recipe I suggest a flat cut brisket. It usually yields anywhere from 6 to 8 pounds so the flat cut is often cut into two or three pieces. One of those pieces can be the 2.5 pounds you need for this recipe!
The flat cut of the brisket is more lean and once cooked slices well. The point cut is more fatty and is often used for the "burnt ends" of a smoked brisket.
There may or may not be much fat on your flat cut. If there is, place the brisket fat-side up to cook so the fat can heat and melt into the meat.
Why you'll love this recipe
This beef brisket sandwich recipe is one of those simple, yet BANGIN', numbers that is easy to prep and cooks to perfection in the slow cooker.
If you need, and I mean NEED, a juicy BBQ brisket sandwich, but don't want to tend the smoker or grill for hours, you're in luck.
You get your BBQ sandwich and your house stays cool -- score!
Here are the other reasons you'll love this:
- Flavorful: I flavored the brisket simply with BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, and onion. Easy yet tasty!
- Make-ahead recipe: It takes almost no time to prep the brisket. Simply follow a few steps and let the slow cooker work it's magic for the next 5 hours.
- Customizable: You've got a lot of flexibility with this recipe. You can use any BBQ sauce you like for the meat and can make the sandwich on your choice of bun with your favorite fixin's.
- Feeds a crowd: When you need to feed a lot of people, this is a fantastic way to get the job done. One recipe of this slow-cooked brisket will make plenty for a family.
This is the best slow cooker BBQ I've ever had! (And I've been to a lot of potlucks! 😉) So easy to throw together, but it tastes like I've been working on the flavor for days.
- Britney
What's in the BBQ Brisket Sandwiches?
Learn about the ingredients you'll need to get started. See recipe card for quantities.
- Flat-cut brisket: Purchase a flat-cut piece of brisket as opposed to the point cut. It is more lean and easier to slice for sandwiches.
- Salt: I use kosher salt to season the brisket.
- Small onion: sliced root to tip.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds flavor and helps tenderize the brisket. It creates a sauce similar toa BBQ Mop Sauce Recipe.
- BBQ sauce: I'm a fan of store bought or homemade barbecue sauce. Try a Memphis BBQ Sauce! If you are short on time, use your favorite store bought sauce and check out my tutorial for how to Make Store Bought BBQ Sauce Better.
- Buns: Pile the brisket on a soft roll. I like brioche rolls, but soft Hawaiian or crusty French rolls also work well.
- Coleslaw: Homemade or store bought is just fine.
- Dill pickles: sliced
How to make BBQ brisket sandwiches
Slow Cooker Brisket Sandwiches basically make themselves while you enjoy your summer day! Check out these simple step-by-step instructions. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Slice onion root to tip so you don't get long stringy cooked onions.
- Step 2: Whisk together your BBQ sauce and the apple cider vinegar.
- Step 3: Season brisket with salt and add to the slow cooker with the onions.
- Step 4: Pour sauce over brisket and onions.
- Step 5: Cook until brisket is very tender.
- Step 6: Let brisket rest for a few minutes. Reserve cooking sauce for drizzling on sandwiches.
- Step 7: Slice or chop brisket.
- Step 8: Assemble sandwiches with extra sauce, pickles, and coleslaw as desired.
Tara's top tips
How to toast the bun: Lightly butter the cut sides of your buns and toast them, cut-side down in a hot skillet until golden and crisp. Or place them cut side up on a baking sheet and place them under a hot broiler for a few seconds.
How to know when brisket is done: Slow cooked brisket is done when it is fork tender, meaning it can easily shred or pull apart without much effort. The internal temperature should be at least 195ºF to 205ºF as that's when the connective tissue fully breaks down.
If it still feels tough, it likely needs more cooking time. It will get more soft and tender the longer it slow cooks.
Add other flavors! You can add a teaspoon or so of dried herbs like thyme or rosemary to the slow cooker. Or make the BBQ sauce with an Asian flare by adding fresh ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce. Try balsamic vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar for a rich, sweet flavor.
Go-To Brisket Sandwich Toppings
You really don’t need to pile the sandwich with loads of toppings. Honestly, the sliced brisket sandwich is perfect as is if you really want to enjoy the brisket and BBQ flavor.
However, to make a restaurant-style sandwich, try topping it with some prepared coleslaw (store bought or homemade) and sliced dill pickles; it's oh so good!
What to serve with slow cooker brisket sandwiches
I often serve mine with crunchy potato chips and a side of fresh fruit and veggies. If you have extra time on your hands and want to prepare a summertime feast, try making some of these sides:
Equipment
My go-to slow cooker doesn't tout too many bells and whistles. It's simple and perfect for a meal like this.
Storage Tips:
Make-ahead: The brisket can be cooked, cooled and stored in the fridge with it's cooking sauce for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in a covered pan on the stove, slow cooker, or microwave when ready to use.
Refrigerate: Leftover brisket and cooking sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: You can freeze brisket! Once the slow cooker BBQ brisket is finished cooking, let it cool completely before sealing in a freezer bag. Be sure to freeze the meat alongside its juices to keep it nice and moist. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the slow cooker or on the stove.
FAQ
The fat side should be up (or on top) when cooking brisket. As it heats, renders and melts it will add to the flavor of the brisket.
Yes! Follow the preparation steps for the slow cooker but use an Instant Pot. Instead of cooking for 5 hours, cover and set the Instant Pot on the meat setting for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Let it auto release for just 15 minutes, then release all the steam and continue with the recipes. You'll find the brisket should be tender and cooked!
The brisket does not need to be covered by liquid in the slow cooker. This is a braising method of cooking so any steam coming off the brisket will condense and drip down onto the top, keeping the meat moist. If your slow cooker runs hot, and the BBQ sauce is burning on the edges, you can add ½ cup to ¾ cup water to the cooking liquid as it cooks.
The brisket is so tender it works as a chopped brisket sandwich or sliced. Even the slices may fall apart into small bits so you may get a mix of pieces!
Depending on your slow cooker, it will take 5 hours or more on High heat for the brisket to become tender. If the brisket isn't very tender after 5 hours, let it cook another half hour to hour.
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Brisket Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds flat-cut brisket
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 small onion (sliced root to tip)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 4 to 6, brioche buns (or hamburger buns)
- 1 cup coleslaw (homemade or store bought)
- Dill pickles (sliced)
- Potato chips
Instructions
- Season the brisket with salt on both sides. Place brisket, in a 4-to-6-quart slow cooker, fat side up, with sliced onions underneath and on top. Whisk together the apple cider vinegar and BBQ sauce and pour over brisket. Cover and cook on High until brisket is tender, 5 hours.
- Remove the meat from the slow cooker and let it rest 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and reserve the sauce in the slow cooker. Toast the rolls and add sliced brisket to the bottom of each roll. Drizzle with extra sauce, add a spoonful of coleslaw and dill pickles if desired.
- Serve sandwiches with more reserved sauce and potato chips.
Notes
Let it auto release for just 15 minutes, then release all the steam and continue with the recipes.
- The nutritional analysis is for calculated based on 6 servings.
Nutrition
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Mary Bench says
These sandwiches are soooo delicious! I know! I've made them!
Tara says
I'm so glad you love them. Me too!
Tessa says
Wait. That's it?? They are so easy! I can't wait to impress my family with this recipe! 😀
Britney Fronk says
This is the best slow cooker BBQ I've ever had! (And I've been to a lot of potlucks! 😉) So easy to throw together, but it tastes like I've been working on the flavor for days.
Chris says
I have never thought to cook a brisket in a slow cooker? We’ve only smoked them before. Is it best to cook it in a slow cooker on high temp? What if I need to cook it all day? How would the recipe work cooking the brisket on low for 8-9 hours? I can’t wait to try your recipe! Please help.
Tara Teaspoon says
Thanks for asking Chris. Brisket in the slow cooker is great, it's like any tougher cut of meat that benefits from long, slow cooking like on the grill, in the oven, or the slow cooker. Just like pot roast! I have not tried cooking it for 8-9 hours on low in a slow cooker, but that should absolutely work. Slow cooker technology tells the slow cooker to heat up to temperature at a slower rate when on low. So that would allow for more time in the slow cooker without being cooked at high temperature. Just like you are suggesting. Good luck, I think it will taste great. Thanks Tara