Caramelized Pulled Beef Brisket in a Rich Spicy Sauce. Take a couple of forks and shred this slow cooked beef brisket into tender ribbons and eat with everything….
Overhead shot of pulled beef brisket in a spicy tomato sauce in black skillet. Fork is pulling beef apart.

Make sure you save yourself some of the caramelised pieces from the outside – they’re the best bits.  Then maybe add a spoonful of sweet chilli jam on the side for an extra kick.

This is one of those meals I like to cook on a cooler summer evening served with a crunchy salad and some french bread, or during the winter with a bowl of steaming hot boiled rice.

It’s super easy to prepare. First season and seal the brisket in a pan, then mix together the glaze/rub and spread half of it on the beef.

Fry up red onions with garlic and spices, then add in tinned tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and HP sauce for a spicy, tangy sauce.

Add the brisket into the pan with the sauce and cook in the oven until tender, before brushing on the rest of the marinade and letting it finish off without the lid for beautiful caramelised exterior!

6 preparation photos for slow cooked beef brisket in a tangy tomato sauce

If you manage to save leftovers of this pulled brisket, warm up the beef and sauce and serve it on crusty rolls for lunch the next day.  You’ll be the envy of your colleagues.

Overhead shot of beef brisket in a spicy tomato sauce in black skillet on blue teatowel.

This gorgeous brisket certainly isn’t a quick dish – in fact it’s in the oven for 3 and a half hours.

Cheaper cuts like brisket lend themselves really well to this kind of slow cooking -resulting in lovely tender meat and amazing sauces from the meat juices mixing with any ingredients you might add.

I love the tomatoey, slightly smoky and spicy flavour of this sauce, but it’d work wonderfully with other flavours like red wine & mushrooms or even some spicy Thai sauce with coconut milk (a bit like my Massaman curry).

Close up shot of a fork shredding a slow cooked brisket in a black skillet.

This would also work great in the slow cooker or crockpot. I bet coming home to the smells of this filling your home would be amazing.  It will still need a quick blast in the oven (see step 7) to get the caramelised layer though.

There’s more info on cooking in the slow cooker in the recipe notes below.

The Caramelized Pulled Beef Brisket in a Rich Spicy Sauce Recipe:

4.70 from 13 votes

Caramelized Pulled Beef Brisket in a Rich Spicy Sauce

Sugar glazed pulled beef brisket in a rich, tangy sauce with a hint of spice.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4 hungry people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, British

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tbsp veg oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 0.75 kg (1.6 lbs) rolled beef brisket
  • 1 large red onion peeled and sliced
  • 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
  • 1 x 400ml (1 x 14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 540 ml (2 1/4 cups) hot beef stock water with three stock cubes is fine
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sauce/HP Sauce you could use A1 Steak sauce if you can't get HP
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar

Serve with (optional):

Instructions 

  • Heat oven to 140C/275F (fan).
  • Heat oil in a large casserole pan on a high heat. Season the brisket with salt and pepper, place in the pan and then brown on all sides. Take the brisket out of the pan and place on a plate.
    1 1/2 tbsp veg oil, salt and pepper, 0.75 kg (1.6 lbs) rolled beef brisket
  • Turn the heat down to low, place the sliced onion in, season with salt and pepper and gently cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until they've softened.
    1 large red onion, salt and pepper
  • Whilst the onions are cooking, mix the paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, dark brown sugar, honey and water in a small bowl. Spread half of it over the brisket.
    1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp water
  • Add the garlic to the onions and give a stir. Allow to cook for 30 seconds, then add the tinned tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and brown sauce. Bring to the boil and then place the marinated brisket on top. Place a lid on the pan and place in the oven for 3 hours (check it occasionally. If it starts to look too dry, add in a splash of water).
    3 cloves garlic, 1 x 400ml (1 x 14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes, 540 ml (2 1/4 cups) hot beef stock, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sauce/HP Sauce
  • After three hours, take it out of the oven and give everything a little stir.
  • Spread the rest of the marinade on the brisket, sprinkle with the light brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Turn up the oven to 200C/400F (fan) and cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the brisket is dark and sticky looking. Take out of the oven, sprinkle with a few chilli flakes, then leave to cool a little. Shred the meat in the sauce using two forks.
    1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • Serve with rice, potatoes or salad and sweet chilli jam if you like.
    sweet chilli jam

Notes

Can I make the beef brisket gluten free?

Yes - replace the stock with bouillon and the soy sauce with tamari.
Worcestershire sauce and HP/Brown sauce is often gluten free, but it's best to check the specific one you use.

Can I make the beef brisket in the slow cooker/crockpot?

Yes, sear the meat, then add the sauce ingredients, and cook on low for 7-8 hours, checking occasionally. It will need a blast under the grill/broiler for the final step when the marinade has been applied.

Can I freeze the beef brisket?

Yes, shred the beef and mix with the sauce, then cool, cover and freeze in portions. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight until completely defrosted, then heat through thoroughly before serving (reheat in the oven at 170C/325F for 20-30 minutes until piping hot throughout).
Nutritional Information is per serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 368g | Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.9g | Protein: 59.4g | Fat: 17.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.5g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 428mg | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 17.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Save This Recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent straight to your inbox!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

This recipe was first published in October 2014. Updated in June 2018 with new photos and cook’s tips.

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

Welcome to Kitchen Sanctuary

Hi, I’m Nicky, bestselling author, award-winning recipe creator and food photographer. I love to cook comforting, delicious and easy recipes and share them with you.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate the recipe




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. plasterer bristol says:

    yummy this sounds so good. can’t wait to give this a go. Thanks simon

  2. Jill says:

    This looks so good I’m trying it tonight. Do you mind if I share this on our blog, girsgonemildsite.com?

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Thanks Jill, hope you enjoy it. I’m happy for you to include one of my photos of the recipe on your blog, so long as it links back to my blog to get the recipe.
      Alternatively, I’m happy for you to photograph and write it up in your own words (would appreciate a link as the recipe source though please).

  3. Crystal says:

    This is one of the best recipes I’ve tried out for quite a while. So rich and comforting and delicious! I’m eating leftovers at work right now ans giggling because every single coworker has commented in how good it looks and smells, just like the recipe says!
    Thank you for sharing this!

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Thanks so much for letting me know how it went Crystal 🙂
      I’m really happy you enjoyed the recipe!

  4. thespeckledpalate says:

    Man, oh man. I’m a huge fan of brisket (I do live in Texas, after all!), and this recipe sounds right up my alley! I’ve never made one at home, and clearly, I need to fix this and soon because this would be the perfect dish for a chilly winter’s day!

    Thanks for sharing!

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      A Texan who like my brisket recipe? I’m a happy girl now 😀

  5. Maria Iles says:

    Hi, can you use pork instead of beef pls?
    Btw, this looks so delish!!!

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Hi Maria, I’ve never done pork to this exact recipe, but I think it’ll be fine.

  6. Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says:

    Love! Great comfort food!

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Thanks Anna 🙂

  7. KLMarkert says:

    Looks YUMMY! What’s “brown sauce”?

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Thanks for pointing that out! I’m based in the UK, and I sometimes forget that different countries don’t use the same terms for ingredients. Brown sauce is the same as HP sauce, which I think is available in certain places in the US. A1 steak sauce would be a good alternative if that’s easier to get hold of.

      1. KLMarkert says:

        Thank you, Nicky! I’m excited about making this for the family. May double the recipe because I know my boys will eat as much as they can. 🙂

      2. Nicky Corbishley says:

        Hope you and your boys enjoy 🙂

  8. dedy oktavianus pardede says:

    Damn delicious!!!
    this is waht i;m craving for, my indonesian licking would be dance with this kind of spicy dish

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Thanks for the compliment Dedy 🙂

  9. Thalia @ butter and brioche says:

    Wow these beef looks delicious and packed full of flavour! You’ve definitely got me hungry just looking at the images – wish I had some to devour right now.

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Ha ha thanks Thalia. I’ll swap you for some that that fab looking French onion soup on your blog!

  10. Corina says:

    It looks incredible. I love pulled meats.

    1. Nicky Corbishley says:

      Thanks Corina, me too. Usually stick to pork, but this one’s a definite winner!