Slow cook your way to bacon-y, brisket-y happiness. This is one of those stupid-easy yet impressive meals. Makes for a great weeknight dinner but is fancy enough for company too!
So we’ve been in our new house for about a month now, and this weekend we had some friends over for dinner for the first time.
My sweet friend Lara brought me a housewarming gift. The main dish was prepped and ready to serve. Everything was going great. And then my oven erupted in flames.
Some of the things going through my brain:
1) WHERE IS MY LANDLORD
2) We’re gonna die.
3) Do you KNOW how messy fire extinguishers are? Can’t we blow this thing out, birthday candle style?
4)I still have brownies to bake dang it, and here is my oven, being all like, I’M ON FIRE.
Don’t ever become a blogger, by the way. People get crazy visual expectations. You tell your mom there’s a fire and she’s like, prove it Karen.
Although in Mom’s defense, one time bees invaded her house through her fireplace (What? Yes really) and she had copious visual documentation. I’ll try to be better Mom.
You want to know the best thing about today’s recipe? NO BROILING. Meaning NO FIRE.
At least I’VE never managed to light my slow cooker on fire. (Have you?? Come on tell me all your kitchen fire stories!!)
This brisket has 3 things going for it (I mean besides the fact that it’s brisket): the bacon, the blue cheese, and the ONIONS. (They are to die for.) That’s pretty much the entire recipe, and it’s fabulous. Super easy to throw together, and then later in the day dinner is done. Perfect for busy holiday nights coming up! But also fancy enough for company. Or heck you could even serve it at Christmas or Thanksgiving, if you’re not feeling the turkey this year. Bacon is always the right choice!
Bacon Blue Cheese Brisket (Slow Cooker!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon, divided
- 2 large sweet onions
- salt and pepper
- 3 & 1/2 pounds flat-cut boneless beef brisket
- 3 cups water
- 4 teaspoons beef bouillon, I use Better than Bouillon
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, optional
- 4-6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook HALF of the bacon over medium heat until it is flexible but not crispy. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. When cool enough to handle, chop into bite-size pieces and set aside.
- Meanwhile, slice the onions into half or quarter-inch rings and place them in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
- Generously salt and pepper the brisket.
- Turn the heat to medium high and add the brisket (don't you dare throw out those bacon drippings, now).
- Cook for about 2 minutes until brown, then use tongs to carefully turn it. Watch out for splattering! When all sides are brown, turn off the heat.
- Place the brisket on top of the onions.
- Discard the leftover bacon grease in the pan.
- Add the water and bouillon to the hot pan and stir up the browned bits. When the bouillon is dissolved, pour the broth into the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle with additional cracked pepper if you want.
- Sprinkle with the cooked bacon.
- Cover and cook on high heat for 5-7 hours or low for 9-10 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- When you are ready to serve, cook the remaining bacon until crisp, then chop.
- Serve the brisket sprinkled with bacon and blue cheese. I like to serve with crusty bread so that you can dip it in the broth. It would go great on top of mashed potatoes or creamy polenta, too!
Notes
Nutrition
Other awesome slow cooker beef recipes! There are never enough, right:
Traditional Tejano Carne Guisada (Stewed Beef for Tacos) <<this is a classic around here
French Dip Sandwiches: << these are so easy and so good!!
Barbacoa Beef << Don’t be fooled by the photo. This remains as one of my favorite meals of all time!
Brisket brisket brisket!!!
Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket from Spicy Southern Kitchen
Slow-Cooker Beef Brisket French Dip Sandwiches from Neighborfood
25 Brisket Recipes from What Jew Wanna Eat
1. THIS LOOKS SO GOOD.
😱 2. Do you know how long this would take for the oven? Hubby broke the crock pot lol.
-Ria @ Whippd Up
Hey Ria! Oh no, broken?? Say it ain’t so! I would just look up some recipes for fall-apart oven-baked brisket to figure out what temperature and how long to leave it in. Let me know how it goes!
Hahaha! Amazing how quickly we got used to seeing pics of everything that happens! The question is, did you get those brownies baked?!
That’s like my worst fear. Scary!!!!
My parents are always asking for visual proof as well. I blame it on all the technology and the fact that no one likes to miss out on something remotely exciting. A broiler fire is real. I caught mallows on fire a few weeks ago. Um, the thing is, I kind of walked away. Apparently that’s a no-no when roasting mallows. Love this brisket!
Oh your texting story- absolutely hilarious (sorry about your oven though!) When we first moved into our house there was a family of mice living in the oven! The inspector turned it on and well, you get the idea. Love love love this brisket and is one of the best brisket recipes I’ve seen!
THAT PULLED MEAT! OMG OMG OMG! It looks soooo melt in your mouth good!
Are you trying to kill me, girl?! Seriously, this looks crazy good!
What’s not to love about this brisket?!?!
Thanks Julianne!! I agree! :)
Omg, I am DYING over that text from your mother. SO FUNNY! Also dying for this brisket…the food of my people!
Haha! She is the best. And yes, brisket ftw!!
This is gorgeous! Also I totally love when you share text conversations- always hilarious :)
Thanks Medha! I just have the most sympathetic friends! Haha
Okay, I am seriously laughing about the text with your Mom, because that’s exactly what I’d be saying to Sarah! About the recipe, it sounds delicious and I plan to make this soon!
I’m so glad Sheri, let me know how it goes! :)
I had cookies catch on fire once – NO clue how it happened, but all of a sudden we had flames – now that brisket – what a thing of beauty! I see this on our Sunday table for sure
What! Cookies! That is so weird. I’m glad our houses didn’t burn down Heather!!
Oh man, the husband will LOVE this for his crockpot Sundays :) You had me at blue cheese.
Blue cheese is the best right Emily?? Enjoy!
Ref: Bacon Blue Cheese Brisket- I assume you dissolve the 4 teaspoons of boullion in the 3 cups of warm/ hot water, then pour over brisket in crockpot.
Hey Kimberly! Thanks so much for letting me know! I’ve updated the recipe. :)