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Crockpot Beef Brisket in Balsamic Blackberry Sauce

July 8, 2013 by Tanya Schroeder · 40 Comments · Last updated: December 15, 2021

Beef

Keep yourself and your kitchen cool while you cook dinner in your crockpot!
Hearty beef brisket is covered in a simple spice rub and then smothered in a flavorful balsamic sauce infused with fresh blackberries!
Beef brisket with Balsamic Blackberry Sauce
You’re going to love this crock pot brisket and blackberry sauce. The plump blackberries and their tangy balsamic vinegar glaze make for one incredible topping over the brisket. The entire dish takes only a few minutes of prep and what awaits you a few hours later is a meal that almost tastes gourmet.

What is Brisket?

Brisket is a cut of cow meat that is incredibly tough. It comes from the breast of the cow and while it starts out as one of the least tender parts when properly cooked it becomes incredibly tender and flavorful. To cook your brisket you want to do it nice and slow, which is why our crockpot brisket recipe here is such a great idea. After spending all day in a slow cooker we get a very flavorful cut of meat that practically falls apart. Perfect for any occasion and perfect for a great meal with little prep work.
Beef Brisket with Balsamic Blackberry Sauce

Ingredients

  • Beef brisket
  • Paprika
  • Red pepper
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Cumin
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Ketchup
  • Brown sugar
  • Minced garlic
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Honey
  • Blackberries
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
KA Slow Cooker

How to Make Crockpot Beef Brisket in Balsamic Blackberry Sauce

  1. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, red pepper, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper until blended.
  2. Rub your dry spices all over the brisket.
  3. Place your brisket into the crockpot.
  4. In another bowl combine the sauce ingredients.
  5. Pour the blackberry sauce over the brisket.
  6. Cook on high for 1 hour and then reduce the temp to low and cook for another 6-7 hours or until the brisket is fork tender.
Beef Brisket with Blackberry Balsamic Sauce

Recipe Tips

  • Fork tender means to cook until the food item is soft enough that you can easily pierce it with a fork. For example, a baked potato is ready when you can easily insert the fork prongs without resistance. that’s what you’re looking for to determine if your brisket is ready. If you can easily price it with your fork or cut the meat using the side of the fork, it’s soft enough to serve.
  • If you love this sauce enough that you’d like to try it with different cuts of meat some popular ideas include chicken, pork, and lamb. This sauce would go nicely with different cuts of chicken, pork chops, pork tenderloin, or even lamb chops.
  • The brisket will get softer as you cook it. It’s one of those meats that starts tough but eventually cooks to the point where you can shred it with two forks. If after a few hours your brisket is still tough, there’s a good chance that it is because you haven’t finished cooking it. Let it cook longer or increase the temperature for the final few hours.

FAQs

Can you overcook brisket in slow cooker?

Yes, like any meat you can overcook it if the mat is left unattended or cooking for too long. while you can cook brisket to the point of being able to shred it with forks, you may not wish to cook it that long. Once the meat is soft enough to shred it doesn’t take long for it to cook beyond that point and become an unappetizing-looking pile of mush.

Should brisket be submerged in slow cooker?

You do not need to have the meat fully submerged and covered in sauce but there should be a good amount of sauce to meat ratio. In this recipe, we use a 3-3.5 pound brisket which works perfectly for the amount of sauce we have. If you use a larger cut of brisket, please increase the sauce ratio accordingly.

Do you cook brisket fat side up or down in a slow cooker?

Brisket should be placed into the crockpot with the fat side up. this way as the meat cooks, the fat will melt and drip down over the meat to help tenderize it and add juicy goodness so it doesn’t feel dried out.

Looking for more brisket recipes? Check out my Chipotle Brisket Chili, Brisket Poutine Recipe, or even my Sweet and Savory Braised Brisket for some delicious ideas.

Crockpot Beef Brisket in Balsamic Blackberry Sauce

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Filed Under: Beef, Savory Tagged With: balsamic, beef, blackberry, brisket, crock pot

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Tanya Schroeder

About Tanya Schroeder

Tanya is a full time wife and mom, a part time chef/baker, and a wanna be photographer! Tanya believes every once in a while, dessert should be eaten first! Hope you like what you see!

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    July 8, 2013 at 6:51 am

    I love this recipe – berries are so perfect right nOw, and this is such an original way to use them!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 8, 2013 at 8:48 pm

      I agree, the berries I have been bringing home have been so sweet, which is why I had to use them in this dish!

      Reply
  2. marcie@flavorthemoments says

    July 8, 2013 at 11:18 am

    I love my balsamic, especially paired with berries. This crock pot dish sounds like a winner!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 8, 2013 at 8:46 pm

      Thanks Marcie!

      Reply
  3. Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says

    July 8, 2013 at 2:38 pm

    Oh my Gosh this looks amazing! My hubby loves brisket! I am going to have to try this out!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 8, 2013 at 8:44 pm

      We LOVED this, Chandra!

      Reply
  4. julieseatsandtreats says

    July 8, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    I adore my crock pot too! Saves me from having to pull out my hair after work trying to get supper on the table while juggling a 1 year old or just bribing her with food 🙂

    Reply
  5. Meghan @ The Tasty Fork says

    July 9, 2013 at 8:55 pm

    Wow lady! You sound so busy! This brisket looks amazing!! Makes running around a lot more enjoyable!

    Reply
  6. Meg Robins (@SweetTwist_Meg) says

    July 9, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    I hate being late also and my hubby always seems to make us late.

    This looks amazing, love the sauce.

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:31 am

      Sure, blame it on the husband Meg. Just kidding!!

      Reply
  7. Deb@CookingOnTheFrontBurner says

    July 9, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    Hi, I love crockpot meals and the flavors of this look wonderful. My hubby is a brisket fan and I love blackberries. Pinned!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:31 am

      Thanks Deb! I really love brisket too!

      Reply
  8. Tonia@thegunnysack says

    July 10, 2013 at 10:40 am

    That sounds amazing! I love my Crockpot but need to use it more!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:31 am

      Thanks Tonia!

      Reply
  9. Gloria Phillips (@simplygloria1) says

    July 10, 2013 at 11:11 am

    Love crock pot recipes especially in the summer time! Your recipe rocks! My husband would love coming home from work and having this for dinner!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:30 am

      I need to have more crock pot recipes! This was such a hit. My husband LOVED it!

      Reply
  10. Cathy says

    July 10, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    Love the sauce!! Sauce is the only thing that makes food worth eating, right…..!? 🙂

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:29 am

      Yes, yes it is!!!

      Reply
  11. Julie @ This Gal Cooks says

    July 10, 2013 at 7:04 pm

    That looks delicious, Tanya! I love cooking roasts in the slow cooker. They always come out phenomenal! Pinning this!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:29 am

      I agree Julie! In fact, I don’t think ever even use my oven to roast meat.

      Reply
  12. Lisa@ Cooking with Curls says

    July 11, 2013 at 12:57 am

    That looks amazing Tanya!!! OMG…you guys are going to make me learn how to use that crock pot aren’t you? 🙂

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:27 am

      Yes Lisa, the crockpot is your friend!

      Reply
  13. Jen Nikolaus says

    July 11, 2013 at 1:14 am

    Oh man, this sounds perfect. My family would devour it. Definitely trying it soon, thanks so much for sharing Tanya!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 12, 2013 at 8:26 am

      It was a winner Jen! Thank you.

      Reply
  14. Heather @ Sugar Dish Me says

    July 12, 2013 at 6:03 pm

    Ooooh Brisket in the crock pot! That is one of those cuts that seems fancy like I need to be at a BBQ place or something. Love that you threw it in the crock pot! Also– the blackberries? Um, yes.
    I flipping HATE being late. It stresses me out soooo badly and Chad is late All. The. Time. But we do not have 3 kids. Only 2. And they don’t go with him to work so I think you get a free pass (but I will continue stress when HE leaves here late every day).

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 15, 2013 at 9:33 am

      I always thought brisket was a fancy piece of meat too! But it is so easy and the crockpot worked beautifully! Thanks Heather! And yeah, being late totally stresses me out, but I can’t seem to change it!

      Reply
  15. BruCrew Life says

    July 13, 2013 at 1:31 am

    I hate to tell you this, but I am always late. Always! My mom was the complete opposite of yours and we were always late growing up. Sadly now I am the late mom…or the fashionably late mom as I call it. It’s not a good habit to have and I try. But then I’m late anyway! Haha! Anyway, I am loving this sauce…I was actually just thinking about adding blackberries to my crockpot but I wasn’t quite sure what or how to do it. You solved all that for me 🙂 It looks amazing!!!

    Reply
    • Lemonsforlulu says

      July 15, 2013 at 9:17 am

      Thats funny Jocelyn! I think I have to accept that I am now a person this always late! Thanks Jocelyn!

      Reply
  16. Ed M says

    February 3, 2015 at 8:57 am

    I do own a smoker and am SO going to try this.

    Reply

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