Slow-Cooked Smothered Beef Brisket with Detroit-Style BBQ Sauce
Tender beef brisket slow-cooked in a tangy, slightly sweet Detroit-style BBQ sauce inspired by the city's rich barbecue tradition. This American-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 520 minutes, pairs beef brisket, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef brisket
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup beef broth
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Rub 3 lbs beef brisket evenly with 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Step 2: In a bowl, whisk 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp liquid smoke to make the Detroit-style BBQ sauce.
- Step 3: Place the brisket in a slow cooker. Scatter 1 cup chopped onion around the meat, pour 1 cup beef broth over it, and then coat the brisket with half of the BBQ sauce.
- Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours until the brisket is fork-tender and easily shredded.
- Step 5: Remove the brisket and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve drizzled with the remaining BBQ sauce warmed slightly in a small saucepan.









