This pressure cooker beef brisket recipe makes the perfect Sunday dinner or cosy midweek meal. Using the pressure cooker locks in flavour, tenderises the meat, and creates a rich, savoury gravy that goes great with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.
What You Need
For more concise instructions or to print out the recipe please head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Beef Brisket
I used a 1kg beef brisket joint. It’s a tougher cut that becomes lovely and tender under pressure, sliceable if cooked a little less, or fall-apart soft if you give it a bit longer.
Onion and Garlic
Carrots
Carrots melt into the gravy, adding natural sweetness. You can mash a few into the sauce at the end for extra thickness and flavour.
Beef Stock
Use between 400ml and 600ml of beef stock, depending on how much gravy you want. A little more liquid gives you a generous amount of sauce to ladle over your potatoes.
Worcestershire Sauce
Tomato Purée
Smoked Paprika and Black Pepper
I used 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. The paprika adds a lovely warm smokiness that pairs perfectly with the beef, and the pepper gives it just the right amount of kick.
Fresh Rosemary and Thyme
A sprig or two of each gives the gravy a beautiful herby aroma. The rosemary adds depth, while the thyme brings a gentle savoury note.
Olive Oil
Used for searing the brisket, this step helps develop that rich, golden crust and enhances the flavour of the finished dish.
I cooked this beef brisket in a Ninja Foodi 15 in 1, but you can use any pressure cooker.
Making It
Start by patting the brisket dry with kitchen paper, then season it generously with salt and pepper. Set your pressure cooker to Sauté and heat a little olive oil. Once it’s hot, brown the brisket on all sides for a few minutes until it develops a lovely golden colour. This step really helps build flavour, so don’t skip it if you have time. Once browned, lift the brisket out and set it aside on a plate.
Next, add your chopped onion, garlic, and carrots to the pot. Let them sauté for around three or four minutes until they start to soften. Stir in the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and black pepper, and let everything cook together for about a minute.
Now pour in the beef stock (use the higher amount if you’d like more gravy) and add the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Give everything a good stir, then return the brisket to the pot and spoon some of that rich liquid over the top.
Secure the lid, set the valve to seal, and cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes (see below for other sized joints). Once it’s done, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes, this resting time inside the cooker helps keep the meat tender and juicy.
Carefully lift out the brisket and place it on a board. Cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. The sauce in the pot should be rich and full of flavour, but if you’d like it a bit thicker, set the cooker to Sauté again and stir in a simple cornflour slurry or some instant beef gravy granules. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until it reaches your preferred consistency.
How To Turn This Into A One Pot Meal
You can easily make this a complete meal by cooking your potatoes and carrots in the pressure cooker at the same time. Once the brisket and stock are in the pot, place a metal trivet or steamer basket over the top of the beef and add:
- 6–8 baby or small potatoes (halved if large)
- 3–4 carrots, cut into thick batons or chunks
- Optional: parsnips, swede, or shallots
Cook for the same 45 minutes for soft, flavour-infused vegetables.
Serving Suggestions
This brisket is wonderful served with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or Yorkshire puddings. Spoon plenty of the rich gravy over the top and garnish with a few fresh herbs if you like.
Leftovers are just as delicious. Slice or shred the beef and serve it in soft rolls with caramelised onions and a drizzle of gravy, or toss it through pasta or rice for a quick second-day meal.
Pressure Cooker Brisket Timing Guide
| Brisket Weight | Sliceable (20 min per lb / 45 min per kg) | Fall-Apart Tender (25 min per lb / 55 min per kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg / 2.2 lb | 45 minutes | 55 minutes |
| 1.2 kg / 2.6 lb | 55 minutes | 65 minutes |
| 1.5 kg / 3.3 lb | 65 minutes | 80 minutes |
| 1.8 kg / 4 lb | 75 minutes | 90 minutes |
| 2 kg / 4.4 lb | 85 minutes | 100 minutes |
Always allow at least 15 minutes natural release, it helps the meat relax and stay juicy.
More Pressure Cooker Recipes
I hope you enjoy this beef brisket recipe for the pressure cooker, if you want more pressure cooker recipes, check out some of my favourites:
- Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Casserole
- Pressure Cooker Sausage Casserole
- Pressure Cooker Pork Casserole
- Pressure Cooker Beef Curry
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry
- Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chorizo
- Pressure Cooker Gammon Joint
Pressure Cooker Beef Brisket
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef brisket joint
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to season
- 2 onions chopped
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 400 ml beef stock
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Pat the brisket dry with kitchen paper and season it generously with salt and pepper.
- Set your pressure cooker to Sauté and heat the olive oil. Brown the brisket on all sides for 5–7 minutes until golden, then remove and set aside.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, and carrots to the pot and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and black pepper, and cook for about a minute to release their flavours.
- Pour in the beef stock (use more if you’d like plenty of gravy) and add the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Stir everything together, then return the brisket to the pot and spoon some of the liquid over the top.
- Secure the lid and set the cooker to High Pressure for 45 minutes. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure. When finished, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes before opening the lid.
- Transfer the brisket to a board, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- For a thicker gravy, switch the cooker back to Sauté and stir in the cornflour slurry or instant beef gravy granules. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until thickened to your liking.
- Serve the brisket with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or Yorkshire puddings, and spoon plenty of gravy over the top.
Notes
Brisket Timing Guide
| Brisket Weight | Sliceable (20 min per lb / 45 min per kg) | Fall-Apart Tender (25 min per lb / 55 min per kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg / 2.2 lb | 45 minutes | 55 minutes |
| 1.2 kg / 2.6 lb | 55 minutes | 65 minutes |
| 1.5 kg / 3.3 lb | 65 minutes | 80 minutes |
| 1.8 kg / 4 lb | 75 minutes | 90 minutes |
| 2 kg / 4.4 lb | 85 minutes | 100 minutes |
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.