Slow Cooked Beef Brisket in Onion Gravy
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Fork-tender slow cooker beef brisket smothered in a rich onion gravy thickened with butter and flour. Feeds a crowd of 16 with melt-in-your-mouth, deeply savory results.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
8 minREADY
10 hrsFive pounds of brisket. Five big onions. One slow cooker. That’s the formula for a gravy so rich you’ll want to drink it straight.
The brisket gets a hard sear in a Dutch oven first, building a crust that locks in flavor. Then it braises for hours in beef broth with garlic, thyme, and tomato paste until it practically falls apart at a glance.
The real star is the onion gravy, reduced and thickened with a classic butter-flour paste (beurre manié) until it coats a spoon like velvet.
Serves sixteen, so this is your holiday dinner, your Sunday supper, your “I need to impress people” move.
Pro Tips
- Pat the brisket bone-dry before searing. Moisture is the enemy of a good crust.
- Low setting (8 to 10 hours) yields a more tender, pull-apart result than high. If you have the time, take it slow.
- Whisk the butter-flour mixture in gradually. Add half first, let it thicken, and only add the rest if needed. Over-thickening is hard to undo.
- Leftovers shred beautifully for sloppy joes, tacos, or loaded sandwiches the next day.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut brisket into two or three pieces small enough to fit into a Dutch oven, pat dry.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and brown the brisket one piece at a time, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding an extra tablespoon of oil if needed to prevent sticking.
Transfer the brisket to a 5-quart (or larger) slow cooker.
Add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the pan.
Stir in onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir in garlic, thyme and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste.
Stir in beef broth and salt, bring to a boil.
Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook until the brisket reaches desired tenderness, 4 to 5 hours on High or 8 to 10 hours on Low.
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and slice or shred.
Arrange in a serving dish, cover to keep warm.
Transfer the gravy to a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil rapidly for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
Meanwhile, combine butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
Once the gravy has reduced, lower the heat to maintain a simmer.
Add Worcestershire sauce.
Whisk half the butter mixture into the gravy and bring back to a gently simmer.
Cook, stirring, until it thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
If the gravy does not thicken enough (it should have the consistency of a cream soup), stir in the rest of the butter mixture and repeat. Do not overcook.
Serve the brisket with the gravy.
The leftover can be used for making Sloppy Joe’s.
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