Name: Instant Pot Beef Brisket
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: 3½ pounds beef brisket flat; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon cumin; 2 teaspoonns paprika; 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt or sea salt; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons Black Pepper; ¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper or chili powder; 1½ cups beef broth

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Instant pot beef brisket is cooked to tender perfection in a fraction of the time it would take to smoke the meat, and it is delicious served in so many ways.

Slices of beef brisket on a gray plate drizzled with BBQ sauce. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Beef brisket is certainly a classic Southern dish, but it can take up to 12 hours to cook it to perfection in a smoker, and 8 hours in the slow cooker, or oven. This method has all of the delicious flavors and tenderness of smoked beef brisket in just 90 minutes.

What you Need

Ingredients for Instant pot beef brisket. See details in recipe below. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Beef brisket: Beef brisket contains two different muscles. The flat and the point. It is easiest to choose a flat cut rather than a whole brisket. The cuts of meat have different thicknesses and will take a different amount of time to cook.
Cumin: Cumin gives the meat a warm, earthy flavor.
Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt.
Garlic powder: Granulated garlic or garlic powder are both fine. You can also use fresh garlic.
Onion powder: If using fresh onion, just quarter the onion and toss it in the Instant Pot with the meat.
Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is best.
Cayenne pepper: Cayenne pepper powder can be substituted with chili powder.
Beef Broth: Water or beef broth added to the electric pressure cooker.

How to Make it

Spices added to a small bowl. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Add the spices to a small bowl. Mix well.

Brisket on a cutting board, cut in half. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Cut the brisket in half so that it fits in the Instant Pot.

Brisket pieces rubbed with the dry rub. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Rub all sides of the meat with the dry spice rub.

Brisket halves in the Instant pot bowl. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Carefully place the roasts fat side up in the Instant Pot with the cooking liquid.

Lock the pot’s lid. Turn the vent to seal. Set it to high pressure for 90 minutes. When the time is done, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure and carefully remove the lid. Remove the roast from the pot and let it rest for at least 15 minutes, tented with aluminum foil. Slice the roast against the grain. Serve sliced with barbecue sauce or in sandwiches.

What to do With Leftovers

Store leftover brisket in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

For longer storage, freeze leftovers in airtight containers for up to six months.

How to Serve Brisket

Top salads with thinly sliced beef for a unique chef salad.
Chop the brisket and serve it on nachos.
Serve it sliced with mashed potatoes and a vegetable.
Slice the brisket and serve it as sandwiches or subs.
Place it in the slow cooker (or cook it for about 2 hours in the Instant Pot) and cook it until the meat can be shredded. Make brisket tacos.