If you love bold, smoky flavors and fall-apart tender beef, this Easy Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Brisket is about to become your new favorite recipe! With just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep, your slow cooker does all the work—no hovering over the stove required. Whether you’re serving it with mashed potatoes, stuffing it into tacos, or piling it onto a sandwich, this brisket delivers big flavor with zero fuss. Trust me, once you taste it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

This Easy Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Brisket is a game-changer in my kitchen! It’s smoky, slightly spicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and packed with bold flavor—everything I love in a comforting meal. The best part? The slow cooker does all the work! With just a few minutes of prep, I can go about my day while it transforms a simple cut of beef into something amazing. I love serving it with creamy mashed potatoes or roasted veggies, but it’s just as incredibly piled into tacos or sandwiches. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be making it on repeat!
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Here’s a rundown of the ingredients you’ll need to gather for Chipotle Beef Brisket. Scroll down for the full recipe card with ingredient amounts!
- Chipotle Marinade: To make the marinade/sauce for this brisket, you’ll need garlic, fresh lemon juice, vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper, dry oregano, onion powder, cumin, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Check out my Ultimate Guide to Cooking With Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce.
- Beef Brisket: If brisket is not available, you could use beef chuck, pot roast, or even short ribs.
- Orange Juice: Fresh or bottled will work fine.
- Chicken Broth: Homemade or store-bought.
- Liquid Smoke: This is optional but highly recommended.
- Bay Leaves: It add a subtle hint of black pepper and an almost minty flavor that goes fantastic with the other flavors.
Food Allergy Swaps
- This recipe is naturally egg, dairy, nut, and peanut-free making it suitable for most dietary needs with these minor adjustments.
- Soy-Free: The chipotle pepper in adobo sauce may contain soy in some brands, so make sure to read the label of the brand you are using.
- Gluten-Free: The chipotle pepper in adobo sauce may contain gluten in some brands, so make sure to read the label of the brand you are using.
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Make the Marinade
First, place all the marinade ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste.
Step 2 – Marinade the Brisket
Rub the paste all over every side of the brisket.
If you have time, leave the brisket in the fridge after applying the rub for anywhere from 30 minutes up to 24 hours. So, go ahead and prep everything the night before and get that meat ready to drop in the slow cooker first thing in the morning!
Step 3 – Slow Cook
Next, mix the OJ, chicken broth, liquid smoke, and bay leaves at the slow cooker’s bottom. Place the brisket in the slow cooker, cover, and cook for 8-10 hours, depending on the size of your brisket (see the full recipe for details).
When the time is up, remove the brisket onto a foil-lined and sprayed baking sheet.
Step 4 – Reduce the Sauce
Remove the bay leaves and larger fat chunks from the sauce leftovers in the slow cooker. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids. Pour the sauce into a saucepan. Reduce it over medium heat until it becomes the consistency of syrup.
Step 5 – Caramelize The Brisket In The Oven
Set the oven to broil. Baste the brisket with the reduced sauce. Broil it for a few minutes, baste again, and broil for a few more minutes until your brisket caramelizes. The broiling is technically optional, but I highly recommend it, as that brisket crust is lovely.
Serving Ideas
You can serve brisket however you’d like, but here are a couple of ideas:
- Keep it simple: slice your brisket, place it on a platter, drizzle extra sauce over the top, and serve it alongside some roasted veggies and mashed potatoes.
- If you have any leftovers, try a brisket sandwich! Stack your sliced brisket on a bun and top it with extra sauce and some raw or grilled onions and coleslaw. For a side dish, consider roasted sweet potatoes, collard greens, or baked beans.
- Slice your brisket into thin strips and use it for burritos, tacos, salads, or any other Mexican-style dish. Serve alongside black beans and/or Mexican-style rice and corn.
Slicing the Brisket
Pro-Tip: If the meat is so tender that it falls apart when you try to cut it, try cutting it with a very sharp knife in one direction only, in a smooth, even stroke. Don’t run your knife back and forth.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store: Beef Brisket will keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about four to five days. Reheat it wrapped in aluminum foil at a low oven temperature (300°F works) for 20-25 minutes or so.
Freeze: The brisket can be frozen for up to three months. You can wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap, then foil or a zip-top freezer bag before freezing, or you can freeze the slices individually by laying them out flat on a baking sheet and popping them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, put the frozen slices in a freezer bag or container and label them.
To reheat your brisket, pull it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then cover it tightly with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven until hot (at least 30 minutes).
Frequently Asked Questions
Brisket is cut from the lower chest or breast of beef. It’s a tough cut of meat, as it contains the pectoral muscles. Because of this, brisket needs to be cooked for a long time in order to become the tender meat we enjoy. Untrimmed beef brisket is still one of the least expensive cuts of beef you can buy. When you order the brisket, ask your butcher for a whole piece, neatly shaped and free of much of the excess fat that is usually found on the sides.
In short, yes, you can! Other cuts of meat, such as beef chuck, pot roast, or even short ribs, can be substituted for beef brisket in my Chipotle Beef Brisket recipe.
For maximum flavor, marinade the brisket for anywhere from 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are sold in most grocery stores in the international aisle. You can also buy them online at Amazon.
Yes, follow the exact instructions, and cook at high pressure for 75 minutes, then natural release for 15 minutes. Remove the lid carefully.
This Easy Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Brisket has a mild to medium heat level, depending on how many chipotle peppers you use. The chipotle peppers in adobo add a smoky, slightly spicy kick, but the long cooking time mellows the heat, balancing it with deep, rich flavor. If you prefer a milder brisket, you can reduce the number of chipotle peppers or remove the seeds before adding them. For those who love extra heat, feel free to add an extra pepper or a pinch of cayenne!
More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Carnitas
- Instant Pot Beef Tips with Gravy
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew [Video]
- Slow Cooker Honey Balsamic Pork Loin
- Slow Cooker Beer Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- More slow cooker recipes…
Recipe Card
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 individual chipotle peppers from a can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 3 lb. (1.3 kg) beef brisket
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 2 dried bay leaves
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
MAKE THE MARINADE:
- Place garlic, lemon juice, brown sugar, oil, salt, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, cumin, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce in a small food processor. Pulse until well combined and a paste is formed.
MARINADE THE BRISKET:
- Rub the brisket with the chipotle paste, rubbing it thoroughly on all sides. If time permits, leave it for 30 minutes to 24 hours in the fridge to marinade.
SLOW COOK:
- Place orange juice, chicken broth, liquid smoke, and bay leaves in the slow cooker; mix to combine. Add seasoned brisket into a slow cooker. Cover with the lid.
- Slow cook for 8 hours (1.5 kg / 3 lb) to 10 hours (2 kg / 4 lb).
- When the time is over, remove the brisket onto a plate or tray.
REDUCE THE SAUCE
- Strain the cooking juices. Pour cooking juices into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency, about 10 – 15 minutes.
CARAMELIZE IN THE OVEN
- Turn on the broil of your oven. Line one baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
- Place brisket onto a baking sheet, baste generously with sauce, a broil for 3 – 4 minutes. Then remove and baste again, then return to oven for 3 – 4 more minutes until it caramelizes.
- Cover the brisket with foil and let it rest for 15 – 20 minutes before slicing. Slice brisket thinly across the grain and serve with the remaining sauce.
- This recipe is naturally egg, dairy, nut, and peanut-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs with these minor adjustments.
- Soy-Free: The chipotle pepper in adobo sauce may contain soy in some brands, so make sure to read the label of the brand you are using.
- Gluten-Free: The chipotle pepper in adobo sauce may contain gluten in some brands, so make sure to read the label of the brand you are using.
- When you order the brisket from your butcher, ask for a neat-shaped whole piece, trimming off any excess fat on the side.
- If the meat is so tender that it falls apart when you try to cut it, try cutting the meat with a very sharp knife in one direction only, in a smooth, even stroke. Don’t run your knife back and forth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in April 2021, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in January 2025.
Is it lime juice or lemon juice that you use? It’s says one, then the other. Thank you.
Hello Christie! I apologize for the confusion. I meant lemon, but you can really use either. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
This recipe sounds amazing. But what pressure cook time would u recommend is using an insta pot?
Hello Ruth! I would recommend pressure Cook at High Pressure for 60 minutes and Natural Release for 15 minutes. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
This brisket was delicious. I cooked a 3 pound cut in a 6 quart crockpot and it was ready after 7 hours.
It was a bit too much ‘heat’ for my liking so next time I will try using only half the amount of chipotle/adobe sauce. Nevertheless it was tender and flavorful!
Hello Kimberlee! Yes, next time you can adjust the amount of the chipotle peppers to your liking. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!