This Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce is a tender, juicy dish full of rich flavours, perfect for family gatherings or special occasions. The slow-cooked brisket soaks up the smoky, tangy homemade BBQ sauce, creating a melt-in-your-mouth experience that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Health benefits
Whilst many bbq beef brisket recipes are loaded with sugar and processed sauces, this recipe is a much healthier take on the classic. Beef brisket is a good source of protein and essential nutrients like iron and zinc, which support muscle health and immune function. The addition of apple cider vinegar in the BBQ sauce provides a dose of gut-friendly probiotics, while the spices offer anti-inflammatory benefits.
Ingredients
For this BBQ beef brisket recipe, you’ll need a 1.5 kg beef brisket with the fat well trimmed, olive oil, and a delicious, anti-inflammatory rub made with spices like cumin, garlic powder, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. The barbecue sauce includes tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, rapadura sugar, and optional cayenne pepper for a little kick.
How to make this beef brisket with BBQ sauce
To make this BBQ brisket, preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). In a small bowl, combine the spices for the rub. In a jug, mix the BBQ sauce ingredients. Rub olive oil and the spice mixture over the brisket, then pour the BBQ sauce into a Dutch oven. Place the brisket in the dish, cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil, and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours, basting the beef at the 2-hour mark. To caramelise the sauce, you may need to remove the lid and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve this delicious brisket with your favourite sides, such as mashed potatoes, a simple salad, green beans, coleslaw, potato salad or grilled vegetables. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for future meals. We love leftovers to make brisket sandwiches or burgers.
Vary this beef brisket with BBQ sauce to suit your dietary needs
For a gluten-free version, ensure the Worcestershire sauce you use is gluten-free. If you’re avoiding garlic, simply omit the garlic cloves and powder.
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Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg beef brisket
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Rub
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or rapadura
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder – or granules
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt – or to taste
- ground black pepper – to taste
BBQ Sauce
- 3 clove/s garlic – minced
- 180 g tomato paste (⅔ cup)
- 125 ml apple cider vinegar (½ cup)
- 750 ml water (3 cups)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 110 g coconut sugar or rapadura (½ cup)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper – optional
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F (fan-forced).
- Combine all the rub spices in a small bowl and mix well.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large jug and mix well.
- Make sure that there are no thick layers of fat on the brisket, if so trim off (it's ok if there is a little fat).
- Rub the olive oil over the brisket then add the spices and rub all over.
- Pour the BBQ Sauce into the base of a Dutch oven or oven proof dish with a tight, heavy lid (or add a layer of foil under the lid).
- Place the beef into the dish and fit the lid (or foil and lid)
- Cook for 3.5 to 4 hours. Check at 2 hours and add more water if needed and also baste the beef.
- The beef is cooked when it is fork tender but not falling apart.
- To caramelise and reduce the sauce if necessary bake for another 15-30 minutes with the lid removed.
Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
- Combine all the rub spices in a small bowl and mix well.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large jug and mix well.
- Rub the olive oil over the brisket then add the spices and rub all over.
- Pour the BBQ Sauce into the base of a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
- Place the beef into the dish and fit the lid.
- For the Slow Cooker, cook on Low for 8-10 hours, or High for 6-7 hours.For the Pressure Cooker, cook for 1 hour.
- The beef is cooked when it is fork tender but not falling apart.
- To caramelise and reduce the sauce, remove the lid of the Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker. Put on High or Saute setting for another 15-30 minutes until the sauce is thick.
Serve
- Baste the brisket with more sauce and place any reserves in a jug or bowl to serve.
- Serve with salad or vegetables of your choice.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead
- Reheat, covered, in a low oven until hot.
