Preparation:

Step 1:
Begin by preparing the brisket. Place the brisket on a clean surface or cutting board, patting it dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This helps the seasoning adhere better to the meat.

Step 2:
In a small bowl, mix together the dry rub ingredients: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined.

Step 3:
Rub the spice mixture all over the brisket, ensuring that every part of the meat is thoroughly coated. This spice rub will form a delicious crust as the brisket slow cooks, adding depth of flavor to the meat.

Step 4:
Place the seasoned brisket into the slow cooker, fat side up. Pour in the beef broth around the meat, ensuring that the broth doesn’t wash off the seasoning on the brisket. The broth will keep the brisket moist during the cooking process.

Step 5:
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on the “low” setting for 8-10 hours. The longer you cook it, the more tender the brisket will become, so aim for 10 hours if possible, especially if you prefer a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Step 6:
Once the cooking time is up, carefully remove the brisket from the slow cooker using tongs. At this point, the brisket will be very tender, so handle it gently to avoid it falling apart.

Step 7:
You can either shred the brisket using two forks for a pulled-beef style or slice it against the grain for thicker pieces. Both methods work well, depending on how you plan to serve it.

Step 8:
Toss the shredded or sliced brisket in your BBQ sauce, ensuring every piece is coated. If you want a more intense BBQ flavor, feel free to add more sauce to taste.

Step 9:
Return the sauced brisket to the slow cooker, and let it cook on “low” for an additional 15-20 minutes. This will allow the BBQ sauce to soak into the meat even more, enriching the flavor.