Pulled beef brisket is one of the easiest ways to feed a crowd. You do ten minutes of work in the morning, leave it in a low oven or slow cooker all day, and by teatime it falls apart with a fork.
It’s perfect for bonfire night. Pile it into soft buns, hand them round at the fire, and nobody has to stand at a barbecue in the cold. It’s just as good for a weekend family meal, a birthday spread, or a freezer full of easy dinners.
Here’s our pulled beef recipe, with methods for both the oven and the slow cooker, plus how to choose the right brisket.
Serves: 8 to 10 in buns (from a 2kg brisket) · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 5 to 6 hours in the oven, or 8 to 10 hours in a slow cooker
The best meat for pulled beef
Brisket is the best meat for pulled beef. It comes from the lower chest and has plenty of connective tissue and fat running through it. Cooked fast, it’s tough. Cooked low and slow, that tissue melts down, and the meat turns soft, juicy and easy to shred.
We have two briskets to choose from:
| Mill Close Brisket | Aberdeen Angus Brisket | |
| Where it’s from | Our own pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd at Mill Close Farm, Bedale | A select network of trusted UK farms that share our welfare and quality standards |
| Choose it for | Full field-to-fork traceability from our farm | Great value for big gatherings |
| Buy | Mill Close Brisket | Brisket, 1kg, 2kg or 3kg |
Both are hand-cut by our butchers and suit this recipe.
How much brisket per person?
Brisket loses a fair bit of its weight as it cooks. Allow around 200 to 250g of raw brisket per person. A 2kg joint feeds 8 to 10 people in buns, and a 3kg joint feeds 12 to 15.
Pulled beef brisket recipe
Ingredients
For the rub
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the brisket
- 2kg brisket, rolled or flat
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, thickly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, bashed
- 300ml beef stock
- 150ml of your favourite barbecue sauce, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
Oven method
- Take the brisket out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan, gas 2).
- Mix the rub ingredients and press them all over the brisket. If it’s rolled, you can leave the string on for now.
- Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Brown the brisket well on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes in total. This adds a lot of flavour, so don’t rush it.
- Lift the brisket out. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and soften for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the stock, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, then put the brisket back in, fat side up.
- Cover with a tight lid (or a double layer of foil) and cook for 5 to 6 hours. Check after 3 hours and add a splash of water if it’s looking dry.
- It’s ready when a fork slides in easily and the meat pulls apart with no resistance. If it still feels firm, give it another 30 to 60 minutes.
- Rest the brisket for 15 minutes, remove any string, then shred it with two forks. Skim the fat from the cooking juices and stir enough of them back through the meat to keep it moist.
Slow cooker pulled beef brisket
Follow steps 2 to 5 above, browning the brisket and making the sauce in a frying pan. Put the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, sit the brisket on top and pour over the sauce. Use 150ml of stock instead of 300ml when you make the sauce, as a slow cooker loses very little liquid.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 5 to 6 hours, until it shreds easily. Then shred and finish as in step 8. Check your slow cooker is big enough first: a 2kg brisket needs one of at least 5 litres.
Bonfire night beef brisket buns
Warm food you can eat with one hand is what you want on Bonfire Night. Pulled beef buns tick every box.
Build the perfect bun
Start with soft brioche or floury white baps, lightly toasted so they don’t go soggy. Pile in a generous handful of pulled beef, add a spoonful of the cooking juices, then top it however you like:
- Crunchy slaw. Shredded red cabbage, carrot and spring onion in a mustardy mayonnaise. It cuts through the rich beef.
- Quick pickled red onions. Slice thinly and cover with cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar and salt for 20 minutes.
- Melted cheese. A slice of mature Cheddar or a crumble of Wensleydale, if you’re keeping it Yorkshire.
- Extra barbecue sauce. For those who like it sticky.
Feeding a crowd
The brisket can be cooked the day before, which makes the night itself much easier. Shred it, cool it, and keep it in the fridge in its juices. On the night, reheat it covered in a 160°C oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or in a pan over a gentle heat, until piping hot all the way through. Then keep it warm in a slow cooker on low and let everyone help themselves.
To round out the spread, add a tray of chipolatas for the children, some beef burgers, and jacket potatoes wrapped in foil. If you’re catering for a big group, our Party Hamper is worth a look.
Order by the end of October to have everything in good time for 5 November. Delivery is free on orders over £60, or collect from our farm shop at Mill Close Farm, Hackforth.
Pulled beef brisket FAQs
Why is my beef brisket not pulling apart?
It needs more time. Brisket goes through a stage where it feels firm before the connective tissue breaks down. Put the lid back on and keep cooking, checking every 30 minutes. Low and slow is the only way.
Should beef brisket be cooked fat side up or down?
Fat side up. As it cooks, the fat melts down through the meat and keeps it moist.
Can you freeze pulled beef brisket?
Yes. Cool it quickly, then freeze it in portions with some of the cooking juices for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.
What else can I do with leftover pulled beef brisket?
Plenty. Try it in pulled beef tacos with salsa and lime, on top of nachos, stirred through a beef ragu for pasta, or in a cheese toastie. It also makes a great filling for jacket potatoes.
Can I use a different cut?
Brisket gives the best texture, but beef shin or a chuck roast will also pull well with the same slow cooking. Lean roasting joints like topside aren’t suitable, as they dry out before they get tender.
Get your brisket ready for bonfire night
A good brisket, a low oven and a bit of patience is all it takes to feed a crowd properly, whether that’s round the bonfire or round the kitchen table.
Order your Mill Close Brisket from our own herd, or our Aberdeen Angus Brisket in 1kg, 2kg or 3kg joints. Pick your delivery date at checkout, with free delivery on orders over £60, or collect from our farm shop at Mill Close Farm, Hackforth.
