mohamed shili This Slow-cooker beef is a tender and fall-apart recipe, which is made with beef brisket and a rich paprika-tomato sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food, a straightforward set-it-and-forget-it meal that’s perfect for a Sunday dinner.
Slow-cooker beef Ingredients
A simple, wholesome list for a deeply flavorful, hands-off roast.
- 1.5kg higher-welfare rolled brisket
- 2 red onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 1 bunch of mixed woody herbs (like thyme, rosemary, bay) (30g)
- 1 x 690g jar of passata
- 500ml organic beef stock
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Slow-cooker beef
A step-by-step guide to this meltingly tender, shredded beef.
- Prep the Aromatics: Peel the onions, and wash and roughly chop the carrots and celery. Halve the garlic bulb across the middle. Pile all these vegetables, the garlic, and the whole bunch of herbs into the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Create the Braising Liquid: Pour the passata and beef stock over the vegetables. Stir in the dark brown sugar.
- Season and Place the Beef: Take the beef out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Drizzle the beef with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then rub it all over with the paprika and a generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Sit the seasoned beef on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Cook Low and Slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on the lowest setting for 8 hours, or until the beef is beautifully tender and easy to pull apart with a fork.
- Rest Beef and Make the Sauce: Remove the cooked beef to a plate, cover it with tin foil, and let it rest. Strain the liquid from the slow cooker through a sieve into a clean saucepan, gently pressing on the vegetables to extract all the juices.
- Finish and Serve: Bring the strained sauce to a simmer on the stovetop. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, or a little sugar if needed. Shred the rested beef with two forks, return it to the slow-cooker pot, and pour the finished sauce over the top. Serve immediately, or keep it on the warm setting until you’re ready to eat.
Recipe Tips
For the most tender, flavorful slow-cooker beef.
- How to get the most tender beef? The secret is the long, 8-hour cook time on a low setting. This gentle heat is what breaks down the tough connective tissues in the brisket, transforming it into meltingly tender, shreddable meat.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! This dish is a perfect make-ahead meal. In fact, the flavor is often even better the next day. You can cook it completely, shred the meat in its sauce, let it cool, and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop or back in the slow cooker.
- Do I need to sear the beef first? This recipe is designed for ease and skips the searing step. However, if you have extra time, searing the beef in a hot, oiled pan on all sides before placing it in the slow cooker will add an even deeper, richer, caramelized flavor to the finished dish.
- What is passata? Passata is uncooked, sieved tomatoes that have been pureed. It’s smooth, seedless, and provides a fresh, vibrant tomato base for the sauce. You can find it in tall glass jars in most supermarkets.
What To Serve With Slow-cooker beef
Perfect comfort food pairings for this rich, shredded beef.
This versatile shredded beef is fantastic served in a variety of ways:
- Piled onto creamy mashed potatoes
- Served with steamed seasonal greens like kale or green beans
- Stuffed into crusty bread rolls for hearty sandwiches
- Served over buttered egg noodles or a soft polenta
How To Store Slow-cooker beef
This recipe makes for fantastic leftovers.
- Refrigerate: Store the shredded beef and its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: This dish freezes exceptionally well. Let it cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Slow-cooker beef Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per serving.
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Protein: 65 g
- Fat: 28 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
What other cut of beef can I use?
If you can’t find brisket, a beef chuck roast (also called braising steak) is an excellent substitute. It’s a similar tough cut that becomes incredibly tender with low and slow cooking.
Can I cook this on the HIGH setting in the slow cooker?
Yes. If you’re shorter on time, you can cook this on the high setting for about 4-5 hours. The low and slow method is generally recommended for the most tender result with a cut like brisket.
My sauce is too thin after straining. What can I do?
When you transfer the strained sauce to the saucepan on the stovetop, you can simply let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it has reduced and thickened to your liking.
Try More Recipes:
Slow-cooker beef Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: EuropeanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes8
2
minutes620
An incredibly easy and meltingly tender slow-cooker beef brisket, cooked for 8 hours on a bed of aromatic vegetables with a rich tomato-paprika sauce until it’s perfectly shreddable.
Ingredients
1.5kg rolled beef brisket
2 red onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks
1 bulb of garlic, halved
1 bunch mixed woody herbs (thyme, rosemary)
1 (690g) jar passata
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Directions
- Bring the brisket to room temperature (about 30 mins).
- Place the roughly chopped vegetables, garlic, and herbs in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Pour the passata and beef stock over the vegetables and stir in the sugar.
- Rub the brisket with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Place it on top of the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the beef to a plate and let it rest.
- Strain the sauce into a clean pan, pressing on the vegetables to extract the liquid. Simmer on the stovetop to thicken if desired, and season to taste.
- Shred the rested beef, return it to the slow cooker pot, and pour the finished sauce over it. Serve hot.
Notes
- Bringing the brisket to room temperature before cooking helps it cook more evenly.
- This is the perfect “set it and forget it” recipe for a Sunday dinner or for a crowd.
- The dish is even more flavorful the next day, making it a great make-ahead meal.
- For an even richer flavor, you can sear the brisket in a hot pan before placing it in the slow cooker.