Brisket

If you want to make your own BBQ but don't have a smoker, your slow cooker can help. For a four-pound brisket, combine liquid smoke, brown sugar, and sliced tomatoes for a deep barbecue flavor, a five-minute sear on each side for a nice bark, and six hours in a slow cooker for tender, juicy, delicious brisket. A slow cooker recipe is also less complicated than smoking a brisket, which requires precise timing and temperatures to achieve the best results. Once your prep work is finished and your meat is in the slow cooker, you should leave it alone.

Brisket is quite pricey. It is derived from the chest of a cow and is divided into two parts: the fatty point and the leaner flat. The point produces tastier, more tender meat due to its fat content and marbling; as expected, it is the more expensive of the two cuts. The less expensive flat is better suited to thin slicing or shredding. Both pieces can be purchased as a whole brisket. The low price does not guarantee tender brisket; it still requires slow cooking on low heat to get the most out of this cut. When using a smoker is not an option, a slow cooker is the best option.