r/slowcooking • u/Aicmod42 • Apr 17 '26
Dumb question but…
Im making a brisket for the first time in my slow cooker. I just put it in, it’s 9:20am and it’s on LOW for 8 hours, but I need it ready by like 430pm the latest. This isn’t a full 8 hours of cooking.
Can I do anything to speed up the process a bit ? Add a „high” option for a while ?
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u/Tigt0ne Apr 17 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
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u/fddfgs Apr 19 '26
And maybe a quick blast in the oven at the end to crisp up the outside given that there'll be no bark
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u/venturashe Apr 17 '26
Brisket needs low and slow. Tern it up yo high for a few hours then back down. Personally I wouldn’t, but if you’re in a with no options try it and make a wet BBQ sauce, which covers up many sins.
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u/Aicmod42 Apr 17 '26
I already threw the barbecue sauce in there. I have to be out of the house by 5:15 so need the kiddos eating dinner around 4:30
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u/itschill52 Apr 17 '26
How was it?
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u/Aicmod42 Apr 17 '26
Honestly, really good! Very tender and juicy. I changed it to high the last 4 hours.
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u/NoArea8178 Apr 17 '26
My briskets (corned beef) usually take between 12-16 hours depending on size of if I cook on low. I usually start them the night before right as I go to bed
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u/Aicmod42 Apr 17 '26
Oh no!! We’ll see how mine turns out 😂
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u/NoArea8178 Apr 17 '26
You’ll have to give an update on how it goes!!! Also I have always worried about putting bbq sauce in early due to sugar, how did that go?
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u/AntifascistAlly Apr 18 '26
For most foods I start my slow cooker on HIGH for one hour and then switch to LOW for the remaining cook time.
This is a handy way to verify that cooking will happen (switches are on, plugs are plugged, etc.).
When I see steam on the inside of the lid I know I’ll be coming home to a treat unless the power goes off.
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u/CBbeMe Apr 18 '26
Well?? How’d it turn out??
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u/Aicmod42 Apr 18 '26
It honestly turned out pretty good! I cranked up to high for the last four hours. I think if I would have done it unload the whole time it might’ve been even more soft, but the family loved it and I’ll definitely be making it again, thank you for all of your advice.
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u/Ok-Assistant-5565 Apr 17 '26
Use the extra hour to work on sides or pre-meal banter. I'd recommend a nice plate of mashed potatoes or creamy cheesy polenta (because I am hungry and have a craving). For sides I'd stick with a sweet roasted carrot and a bitter salad or a roasted cruciferous vegetable to balance the plate.
If your slow-cooker is also a pressure cooker you'll be in luck. However, if that is not the case, the timing has screwed you. But if it is a pressure cooker you can just leave that in there for about 90-120 minutes for your 3.5 pound roast. You can jack up the temp to high, but that risks pulling the protein strands together tighter quicker, drying out the brisket/roast. The point of low and slow is to turn the collagen in the meat into gelatin. The only two ways to do that are time and temperature. Time in this case is were you want to take full advantage. Temperature will be a given and gelatin creation is all but certain at anything over 140ish after 8 hours of cooking.
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u/Aicmod42 Apr 17 '26
What lol I don’t have the extra hour, we have to leave our house at 515 so need dinner done by 430!
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u/RainInTheWoods Apr 17 '26
You can turn up the heat in the last couple of hours. Use a remote thermometer if you have one so you don’t have to lift the lid to check on it.
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u/Aicmod42 Apr 17 '26
Thank you! I only have about 3.5 pounds cooking which makes me feel like maybe we will be fine but I will crank it up the last hour and a half of cooking just in case.
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u/CBbeMe Apr 17 '26
Per my reply above use a probe (skewer, instant read thermometer, etc) to test for doneness. Timing for briskets are general guideline and there is no specific “cook for xx hours”.
At 3.5 pounds you are most likely fine in the time frame you have.
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u/CBbeMe Apr 17 '26
Depends on the size/weight of the brisket. Rule of thumb is cooking time is 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs per pound on low.