Slow cooker brisket in foil is a game-changer for tender, flavorful meat. Simply slather a piece of brisket with creamed horseradish, wrap it tightly in tin foil, and let your slow cooker work its magic. The result? A melt-in-your-mouth brisket packed with rich, flavours that’s perfect for any occasion.
I used to think that cooking a joint of meat in a slow cooker meant drowning it in gravy. Discovering that simply wrapping the brisket in foil and slow cooking it with no added liquid could produce tender, juicy results was a total game-changer!
It makes sense, though - just like wrapping meat in foil in the oven, slow cooking in this way locks in the natural juices and flavours. The brisket essentially braises in its own moisture, intensifying the taste without diluting it in gravy. The result? Perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth brisket that’s rich, succulent, and packed with flavour.
I like to use a double layer of tin foil to securely wrap the brisket, ensuring no juices escape. To keep the meat elevated, I create a trivet by shaping three balls of tin foil and placing them at the bottom of the slow cooker.
I like to coat the brisket generously wit creamed horseradish before wrapping it tightly in tin foil. The tangy taste of horseradish complements the robust flavour of beef perfectly, creating the perfect balance of bold tastes. As the brisket cooks, the horseradish infuses the meat, ensuring every bite is packed with flavour.
When serving the slow cooker brisket, I usually prepare a rich onion gravy. To enhance the flavour of the gravy, I incorporate the meat juices collected inside the foil wrapping - it adds a delicious depth of flavour to the gravy and brings everything together beautifully.
Let me show you how to make this slow cooker brisker in foil!
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Ingredients
The number of people this recipe will feed depends on the size of your brisket. I used a 750-gram piece of brisket (which is just over 1.5 pounds), which will easily feed 4 to 5 people.
Brisket
- Rolled brisket - I used a piece of rolled brisket, which is a boneless cut of meat taken from the chest area of the cow. It is typically sold as a compact roll, secured with string to help it hold its shape during cooking. I normally take the string off and unroll the meat so I can cover every bit of it with tasty creamed horseradish. Then I roll it back up again (without string) and wrap it securly in foil.
- Creamed horseradish - I buy creamed horseradish in jars at the supermarket. This is used to coat the meat before wrapping it in tin foil. You can substitute this with your favourite seasoning such as paprika.
- Salt - for seasoning.
Onion gravy
- Cooking juices - this is the liquid that gathers in the tin foil as the brisket cooks. It should be topped up to 1 and a half to 2 cups with water and is used to make the onion gravy.
- Onions - white onions, peeled and finely sliced. Substitute with red onions.
- Onion gravy granules - you will need 2 to 3 tablespoons of onion gravy granules or sufficient to thicken the gravy. Substitute with one or two tablespoons of flour if you don't have gravy granules.
- Oil - I used sunflower oil but you could use any neutral-flavoured cooking oil. It is used for softening the onions.
- Salt - this is optional, and the amount you use depends on whether the gravy granules are seasoned or not. If you are using flour to thicken the gravy you might like to add half a teaspoon of salt for extra seasoning.
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements for making slow cooker brisket in foil along with the onion gravy on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
For this recipe, I used a piece of rolled brisket. If you are using a thicker piece of meat such as topside or silverside that doesn't unroll, then you can simply cover the beef with horseradish, season with salt and wrap it in foil. Otherwise, follow steps 1 and 2 below.
Step 1: Unroll the brisket and discard the string. Place the brisket on a sheet of tin foil, sprinkle it with salt to taste and rub it all over with creamed horseradish.
Step 2: Re-roll the meat to its original shape.
Step 3: Wrap the meat securely in a double layer of tin foil.
Step 4: Scrunch up three balls of tin foil and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker to form a trivet.
Step 5: Place the wrapped meat onto the balls of tin foil, cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
Step 6: Open the foil, pour the cooking juices into a jug and set aside for the gravy. Transfer the meat to a plate, cover it with the tin foil and leave it to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Onion gravy
Step 7: Slice the onion finely. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and stir them on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Step 8: Turn the heat to very low, cover the onions with a lid and leave them for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft.
Step 9: Stir in onion gravy granules and then stir in the reserved cooking juices, which you've topped up with water to make 2 cups. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the mixture thickens.
Step 10: Slice the brisket (across the grain), arrange it on a bed of rumbledethumps or mashed potato and pour over half of the onion gravy.
Serve hot with your favourite steamed green vegetables and the remaining gravy on the side.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your slow cooker brisket turns out perfectly every time:
- Rub the meat well with creamed horseradish to ensure that the flavours permeate the meat.
- Salt the meat according to your own taste.
- Wrap the meat securely in two layers of tin foil to ensure the juices stay in the packet. However, that said you will probably find that you get a small amount of condensation in the bottom of the slow cooker. This is perfectly fine and you can add this to the gravy along with the meat juices.
- I like to make a trivet with balls of scrunched-up tin foil. This elevates the meat above the base of the slow cooker and enables the hot air to circulate all around the meat.
- When opening the tin foil package (once the meat has cooked) take care as there will be a lot of HOT steam inside and you don't want to burn yourself.
- Make sure you cook the meat for long enough to ensure it is perfectly tender. I would recommend a minimum of 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low, but it doesn't really matter if you leave it for longer. It's still going to be tender, juicy and delicious!
- Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, then slice it against the grain before arranging it on your bed of potatoes.
- When making the onion gravy, turn the heat as low as possible when you are steaming the onions so they soften and caramelise, but do not burn. Stir the onions a few times during the cooking process.
- I like to thicken the gravy with onion gravy granules. If you prefer not to use gravy granules stir in a tablespoon of flour before adding the cooking juices and water mixture.
Variations
You can use any joint of meat you choose for this recipe. Instead of brisket, you could try one of these cuts of meat:
- topside;
- silverside;
- chuck roast;
- short rib.
Instead of rubbing the beef with creamed horseradish, try coating the meat with one of these instead:
- herb and garlic - combine minced garlic, dried rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil;
- mustard -rub the beef with one or two spoons of your favourite mustard - my choice would be wholegrain mustard. What would you choose?
- paprika - combine smoked paprika, garlic granules and onion salt with a touch of cayenne pepper for a smoky, slightly spicy flavour.
Equipment
The main piece of equipment you will need is a slow cooker! Check out the slow cookers on Amazon - they've got prices to suit all pockets! I have one with three settings, high, low and medium. Unfortunately, mine doesn't have a timer so I have to remember to turn it off, but I'm home all day so that's not a problem. If you set your slow cooker while you are at work you may prefer to have one with a timer that can switch itself off when the food is done.
For making the onion gravy, you will need a saucepan, a sharp knife and a chopping board.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and reheated either in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
You can also freeze the meat, covered in onion gravy, in a rigid plastic container, but ensure the meat has come to room temperature before freezing it. It can be frozen for up to three months. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat as above.
FAQ
Wrapping brisket in foil before placing it in the slow cooker helps trap the meat's natural juices keeping juicy and full of flavour. It also prevents liquid from diluting the seasoning that has been rubbed on the meat. The steam that forms inside the foil packet creates an environment similar to braising which is perfect for tenderising tougher cuts of beef such as brisket.
No, you do not need any additional liquid in the slow cooker. You may find that condensation occurs in the slow cooker and liquid may gather in the base of the slow cooker as the meat cooks.
This is a matter or preference and depends on how you want to serve the brisket. I normally cover my sliced cooked brisket with onion gravy so I don't bother with searing it first; if you want more colour (ie browning) on your meat, by all means sear it in a hot pan first.
This will depend on the size of your brisket, and also the slow cooker settings. As a rule of thumb, this will provide a guide:
- Low setting - 8 to 10 hours
- High setting - 6 to 7 hours
The brisket will be cooked when you can shred it easily with a fork.
Use heavy-duty foil, and to be extra sure, wrap the brisket in a double layer of foil.
Save for later
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📋The recipe
Slow cooker brisket in foil
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Saucepan
- Heavy-duty tin foil
Ingredients
Brisket
- 1⅔ pounds / 750 grams rolled brisket
- 2 tablespoons creamed horseradish
- Salt to taste
Onion gravy
- 2 cups cooking juices top up the cooking juices with water to make 2 cups.
- 1 large onion peeled and sliced.
- 2 - 3 tablespoons onion gravy granules
- 1 - 2 tablespoon sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
Brisket
- Unroll the brisket and discard the string. Place the brisket on a sheet of tin foil, sprinkle it with salt to taste and rub it all over with creamed horseradish.1⅔ pounds / 750 grams rolled brisket, 2 tablespoons creamed horseradish, Salt
- Re-roll the meat to its original shape and wrap it securely in a double layer of tin foil.
- Scrunch up three balls of tin foil and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker to form a trivet.
- Place the wrapped meat onto the balls of tin foil, cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
- Open the foil, pour the cooking juices into a jug and set aside for the gravy. Transfer the meat to a plate, cover it with the tin foil and leave it to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Onion gravy
- Slice the onion finely. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and stir them on medium heat for 2 minutes.1 large onion, 1 - 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
- Turn the heat to very low, cover the onions with a lid and leave them for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft.
- Stir in onion gravy granules and then stir in the reserved cooking juices, which you've topped up with water to make 2 cups. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the mixture thickens.2 - 3 tablespoons onion gravy granules, 2 cups cooking juices
- Slice the brisket (across the grain), arrange it on a bed of rumbledethumps or mashed potato and pour over half of the onion gravy. Serve hot with your favourite steamed green vegetables and the remaining gravy on the side.
Notes
- Rub the meat well with creamed horseradish to ensure that the flavours permeate the meat.
- Salt the meat according to your own taste.
- Wrap the meat securely in two layers of tin foil to ensure the juices stay in the packet. However, that said you will probably find that you get a small amount of condensation in the bottom of the slow cooker. This is perfectly fine and you can add this to the gravy along with the meat juices.
- I like to make a trivet with balls of scrunched-up tin foil. This elevates the meat above the base of the slow cooker and enables the hot air to circulate all around the meat.
- When opening the tin foil package (once the meat has cooked) take care as there will be a lot of HOT steam inside and you don't want to burn yourself.
- Make sure you cook the meat for long enough to ensure it is perfectly tender. I would recommend a minimum of 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low, but it doesn't really matter if you leave it for longer. It's still going to be tender, juicy and delicious!
- Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, then slice it against the grain before arranging it on your bed of potatoes.
- When making the onion gravy, turn the heat as low as possible when you are steaming the onions so they soften and caramelise, but do not burn. Stir the onions a few times during the cooking process.
- I like to thicken the gravy with onion gravy granules. If you prefer not to use gravy granules stir in a tablespoon of flour before adding the cooking juices and water mixture.
- Leftovers can be stored for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and reheated either in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave.
- You can also freeze the meat, covered in onion gravy, in a rigid plastic container, but ensure the meat has come to room temperature before freezing it. It can be frozen for up to three months. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat as above.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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