Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
A plate of brisket slices with a pickle, onion, and bbq sauce

Instant Pot Beef Brisket Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Mike Vrobel
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Description

Instant Pot Beef Brisket Recipe. Tender beef brisket, ready in about an hour and a half thanks to the pressure cooker.

 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 pound beef brisket (flat cut)
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Toppings

  • Thin-sliced onions
  • Dill Pickles
  • Texas style barbecue sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 1/2 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 cooked brisket is heavenly. Brisket sandwiches, brisket tacos, brisket scrambles…I’m tempted to buy another brisket right now.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 90 minutes
  • Category: Sunday Dinner
  • Method: Pressure Cooker
  • Cuisine: American