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I have barely started on this post, and I’m apologizing. To the Texas Barbecue purists: Yes, I know this is not real Texas barbecue. I’ve had many fine briskets in Texas, and made a few more in my backyard in Ohio. (That’s right, I’m not from Texas).
But I get this question a lot - how do I make brisket in my pressure cooker?
I’m not going to run from it any more. Come at me, barbecue purists. 2
This recipe is based on my PC experiments with corned beef, because corned beef is actually cured beef brisket. I use my trick of cutting the brisket across the grain into 4 pieces, so the smaller pieces cook through quicker and easier. (I tell myself I’m just getting a head start on the slicing.) I am amazed at how tender the beef is when it comes out of the pressure cooker. This is fall-apart brisket - be gentle when you lift it, and when you slice it.
I use a simple seasoning, like they do in Texas - salt and pepper. And…a hint of Ancho chile powder. You can skip the Ancho - I’m annoying the Texas purists by adding it - but I like the hint of smoke it brings to the recipe. Traditional sides are barbecue sauce, sliced onions, and dill pickles. (Slices of cheap white bread would also be appropriate, but I can’t bring myself to buy a loaf of Wonder bread.)
After all this apologizing, why am I doing this? Because…oh, my. Brisket. Sure, it’s not 12 hour smoked, low and slow. But there’s nothing like the big beefy flavor of brisket. And, I don’t always have an entire day to set aside to barbecue. If you want brisket in about 90 minutes from the pressure cooker, try this recipe. Even the barbecue purists would finish a plate.
Video: Pressure Cooker Beef Brisket - Time Lapse (1:17)
Pressure Cooker Beef Brisket - Time Lapse [YouTube.com]
Pressure Cooker Beef Brisket
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker Beef Brisket - tender beef brisket, ready in about an hour and a half thanks to the pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 4 pound beef brisket (flat cut)
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Toppings
- Thin-sliced onions
- Dill Pickles
- Texas style barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the beef brisket: Cut the brisket crosswise into 4 equal pieces, each about 2 inches across. Sprinkle the brisket with the salt, ancho chile powder, and black pepper. Put the brisket in the pressure cooker pot, trying to get it into a loose single layer - but don’t pack it in. If the pieces don’t fit, add a second layer crosswise to the first layer, like you’re building a house with Lincoln Logs. Pour the water and Worcestershire sauce over the beef.
- Pressure Cook for 60 minutes with a natural pressure release: Lock the lid, then pressure cook at high pressure for 60 minutes in an electric PC or 50 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 minutes more. Unlock the lid, opening it away from you - the steam is hot. Test the brisket with a fork – it should be easy to poke a fork through the thickest part of the thickest piece. If it’s not done, lock the lid and cook for another ten minutes at high pressure.
- Slice and serve: Carefully lift the pieces of beef out of the cooker and transfer to a carving board. Strain the liquid in the pot into a fat separator. Slice the brisket into ½ inch thick slices, drizzle with a little of the defatted sauce, and serve, passing barbecue sauce at the table.
Notes
- Doubling the recipe - you should be able to fit twice as much beef in the pot - just cut it into 8 pieces instead of 4. Each piece should be about 2 inches across. Don’t add more liquid - there is enough in the base recipe to bring the cooker up to pressure. Cook for the same amount of time; cooking time is determined by how long it takes to cook each piece of brisket, not how many there are.
- Cutting against the grain is key to this recipe. Brisket has long muscle fibers. If you cut with the grain of the beef, you get long, stringy pieces of beef. Cutting across the grain cuts those muscle fibers, and the result is perfect bite-sized pieces of beef.
- Leftover brisket is heavenly. Brisket sandwiches, brisket tacos, brisket scrambles…I’m tempted to buy another brisket right now.
Tools
- 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
- Fat separator (I like this one from Oxo because of the integrated strainer lid)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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My other Pressure Cooker Recipes
My other Pressure Cooker Time Lapse Videos
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Rosalind Remer says
Mike -- I've made this and it's delicious. My question is if I can do this with a frozen brisket? (It's the other half of the one I did months ago...!) Do I need to thaw the meat first?
★★★★★
Mike Vrobel says
No, it won't work from frozen. Thaw it first. Good luck!
dd mau says
Mike, have you tried Apple juice instead of water ? I use a mix of Apple juice and water grilling ribs and I thought this combo might be great in the pressure cooker . I am waiting on a 10qt pressure cooker I ordered on line and will attempt a brisket first !
Mike Vrobel says
I don't use apple juice, but if you like it with ribs, you will probably like it with brisket - give it a try!
Elizabeth Lynch says
I just received the Power Cooker Plus for Christmas and the first thing we want to try is a brisket! I'm following your directions but changing the seasoning a little. Thanks!
Elizabeth
Linda says
Nice recipe, but I have to say, the music blew me away in the video! Fabulous music choice!!!! Can't wait to try the recipe.
Jackie says
This is why God gave us the pressure cooker! I went for the full 70 minutes from the get go because I wanted it to be really braisey. Really good!
Kat says
I did try this recipe and it was amazing. Paired it with sour cream/dill potatoes and greens salad.
★★★★★
Linda Crawford says
Hi Mike,
I just bought some pork brisket. Would I do it the same way as the beef brisket in my instant pot?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Mike Vrobel says
I think so - I've never cooked a pork brisket, but they should cook similarly.
Mike says
Thanks for putting up a normal brisket recipe. Can't wait to try this.
Mike Vrobel says
You're welcome
David Adam Edelstein says
Ahahah I was literally thinking about doing a brisket in the pressure cooker this weekend, and was going to start looking at recipes tonight. Thanks, Mike 🙂
Mike Vrobel says
You're welcome!