This easy slow-cooking breast meat takes 10 minutes and 8 ingredients to prepare: set it up and forget it in the clay pot! With spiced rubbed beef breast cooked slowly with a sweet and sticky apricot sauce, you will fall madly in love with the robust taste of this ultra tender and tasty meat. This simple slow-cooking breast recipe is perfect for any occasion, from family dinners to holiday parties; to meals, summer picnics and everything in between.

Featured Comment: I did this today and boy, it was fantastic! The hot spices and apricot icing made the house smell amazing. I pulled it out of the slow cooker when it reached a temperature of 200 F and it was tender, juicy and perfect. Simply ridiculously delicious!” – Mclean

Update: This post was originally published in April 2015. I’ve updated this post to include new photos and more information about the slow-cooking beef breast. Plus, there’s now a recipe video to show you how easy it is to make restaurant-quality breast at home!

Hello, friends! Let’s talk about Easter – Have you already made plans?

If you’re like me, you haven’t exactly made concrete plans, but you’ve thought about what you’d like to serve (or eat).

Unfortunately, I don’t like ham. Above all it is the texture. But also, the fact that it needs to be caramel-coated to be palatable and appetizing to taste buds just isn’t my thing.

So, with the Easter holidays fast approaching, I knew I had to share my family’s favorite festive dish that never disappoints me. And, no offense to ham, but it has absolutely nothing in this beautiful roast beef breast!

About this easy recipe for Ultra tender, flavorful, juicy, slow-cooking breast

that

melts in the mouth beef breast rubbed with sweet and savory seasonings, then stewed in a delicious mixture of bourbon and beer, and smeared with a sticky, sweet and drunken apricot bourbon glaze. (Or you can use your favorite homemade barbecue sauce or store-bought barbecue sauce instead!) Either way, this beef breast recipe features a delicious symphony of sweet, smoky, and savory flavors!

Not because of the texture! This slow-cooked beef breast recipe produces beef with the most deliciously moist interior and a perfectly caramelized glazed exterior. It’s so incredibly tender and melts seriously in the mouth like butter! Plus, you’ll receive rave reviews from even the most discerning diners!

And, thanks to the reliable clay pot or slow cooker, this breast recipe is ridiculously simple and not hands to prepare! It’s perfect for both easy weekday dinners and summer picnics, shared meals and barbecues!

Basically, this beef breast is epic! And, absolutely, you positively need this recipe in your life!

What is beef breast?

The breast is a cut of beef from the lower chest or breast of cattle, directly between the front stem and the plate.

Since the breast muscles support about 60% of cattle’s body weight, this cut of beef is normally hardy and requires low, slow cooking to soften connective tissue. You can cook breast on the stove, in the oven or on the grill. However, a slow cooker or clay pot makes cooking a beef breast very easy, as it requires very little attention and doesn’t have many hands.

Unlike other cuts of beef that are melted and crushed, such as short ribs or chuck roast, the breast will retain its shape even after hours of slow cooking. A perfectly cooked breast will be extremely tender, but still cutable at the same time.

Which cut meat breast is better?

Because a complete beef breast is very large, butchers will trim it into two distinct cuts: the flat cut (the first cut) and the cover point cut (the second cut).

The flat cut, commonly known as the thin cut, is the thinnest and thinnest cut of the breast. It is also the most easily available cut in grocery stores. This recipe for this slow cooker breast uses the flat cut.

It is important to remember that since the flat cut is leaner, you need to leave a thin layer of fat on one side of the surface of the meat. The fat protects the meat and ensures that it will remain moist and tender when cooked. So, whatever you do, don’t cut ALL the fat out of your breast.

(Check out the recipe video below to see how much fat to leave on your breast.)

Frequently Asked Questions: Seasoning Breast How to

season

the breast for simmering?

There are numerous ways to season a breast! Folk methods can include anything from pickle juice or mustard to spices and liquid smoke. However, the basis of any breast seasoning or meat rubbing should include ground black pepper and plenty of salt. Any additives should accentuate the rich flavor of the meat and the overall rubbing should be well rounded.

If you’re looking to keep things simple, you can season your breast with equal parts of coarsely ground pepper and kosher salt, a mixture known as a Dalmatian massage by wellmasters throughout Texas.

The seasoning ingredients used for this breast help you achieve a beautifully flavored breast that pairs perfectly with the apricot glaze!

• Brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• Smoked paprika
• Ground cumin
• Onion

powder Garlic

• powder
• Coarsely ground pepper
• Cinnamon

When should I season my

slow-cooking breast meat?

While not mandatory, I recommend seasoning your breast at least 6 hours in advance. Seasoning the breast and letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight allows the breast to develop a deeper flavor. The result is a juicy and delicious breast.

To season the breast in advance: Apply the rubbing mixture to the breast and use your hands to massage the spice mixture into the meat. Turn the breast over and repeat with seasonings and massages. Wrap the breast tightly and store it in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours. Remove the breast from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature before cooking.

How to make beef breast in clay pot?

This breast recipe is incredibly easy to prepare! Just put it in and forget it in the clay pot or slow cooker, and then get ready to devour the most tender, succulent and flavorful breast of your life.

(Scroll down to see detailed measurements and instructions on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.)

1. Do the massage: combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well.
2. Prepare Brisket: Mark the fat on top of the breast with a peeling knife. Massage the massage well on all sides of the breast. Optional, but recommended: If time permits, transfer the breast to a large baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes for up to 24 hours.
3. Make braised liquid: combine sugar, garlic, stout, bourbon, Worcestershire, soy sauce and seasonings in a slow cooker. Beat to combine. Add the rubbed breast to the slow cooker, with the fat side facing up.
4. Cover and cook slowly over low heat until the breast is very tender to the touch but still holds its shape, about 7 1/2 – 8 1/2 hours.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: In a small pot, beat the preserves, bourbon and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes or until reduced to a frosting-like consistency. Remove from heat. Reserve 1/4 cup of the icing to serve. Leave both aside.
6. Enamel breast: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. When the breast has finished stewing, remove it from the slow cooker and transfer it to a large baking dish. Brush the top of the breast with the frosting. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the breast from the oven, brush it again with icing and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until caramelized on top.
7. Serve: Remove the breast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting the breast finely against the grain. Serve with the glaze reserved on one side. Enjoy!

Step by step photos: make recipe for slow cooker breast

FAQ: Slow cooker beef breast

When

does my cooking finish breast?

Well-cooked breast should be extremely tender, but also cutable at the same time. While other slow-cooked cuts of meat, such as shredded pork, should crumble and crush easily, breast is not a type of shredded meat.

Three Ways to Tell When

Your Breast Is Made

• Sight Test: The breast is made by cooking when the edges can be easily crushed, however, the meat retains its shape. If you use a pair of tweezers to hold the meat, it should be hyperflexible and bend in the middle, but not break.
• Temperature: You can use an instant-read thermometer to test breast cooking. The breast should be cooked to an internal temperature between 195 and 215°F, depending on the cut. I recommend that you start checking cooking when the internal temperature reaches 195°F when measured on the thickest part of the meat.

Probe test

• : The “probe test” is a great way to test your breast if you don’t have a thermometer. Prick the meat with a knife, the barbs of a fork, or another sharp object. If there is little or no resistance when pricked, your breast is finished cooking.

A three-pound beef breast will take about 8 hours in a slow-cooker over low heat, or 5 hours in the preheated oven at 325°F. I don’t recommend cooking a breast over high heat, as that will make the meat harder.

Can you overcook slow-cooking beef breast?

In fact, you can overcook a beef breast. While you can crush or use your fingers to separate a slice of breast, it is not a type of shredded meat and should not be treated as such. If you leave your breast unattended or cook it for too long, the meat can go from tender to incredibly soft and unappetizing.

Why is my slow-cooked breast meat hard?

While breast is a hard cut of meat, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a tender, juicy slice of lean breast!

Beef breast contains a large amount of connective tissue, called collagen, which can make it hard and chewy. The breast must be cooked properly to break down collagen and turn it into gelatin.

How to Prevent Your Breast Meat from Becoming Hard and

• Chewy Cooking Time: Be sure to cook your breast for the right amount of time. If your breast is hard, it will likely need more time to cook and become tender.
• Heat: Simmer the breast. If you cook the meat quickly over high heat, you will end up with hard, dry meat.
• Rest: It is imperative that you let the meat sit a little before cutting it. The resting breast allows the juices to thicken slightly and helps the meat retain its moisture. Cutting the meat too soon will result in dried meat. To rest the breast, body it very loosely with aluminum foil. There should still be some degree of airflow under the sheet.
• Slice: For a tender texture, you should cut the breast against instead of parallel to the grain. (See below)

<img src="https://www.nospoonnecessary.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/recipe-for-slow-cooker-brisket.jpg" alt="Directly above the photo the tender interior of a simmered

breast.” /> Serve simmered breast How to cut beef breast? While it is important to cook the breast low and slow (over low heat for a long period of time),

cutting

the

cooked breast

against the grain

is also imperative to ensure a tender texture.

To cut the breast against the grain,

you simply need to look for the direction of the grain (in which direction the muscle fibers run) and then cut them through (or against) them, rather than parallel to them.

How much beef breast per person?

The amount of breast to buy to feed “x” amount of people is always important when feeding a crowd!

The amount of breast to buy will depend on the following factors: Trimmed breast: If you are buying a trimmed breast, that is, a breast that has been

removed from excess fat, butchers generally recommend 1/2 pound per person.
• Untrimmed breast: However, if you’re buying a breast that has NOT been trimmed, you’ll want to increase that amount to 3/4 pound per
• person.

Personally, I always sin on the side of caution and buy about 3/4 pound of trimmed breast per person or 1 pound of untrimmed breast per person.

The leftovers from this slow-cooked beef breast taste absolutely delicious on their own, but they’re also great sandwiches! Or, you can add it to pizzas, potatoes, omelets, fried rice, you name it!

What to serve with slow cooking beef breast?

You can cut the breast and serve it as a hearty main course with any barbecue or south side. Or, stack the meat on hamburger buns for a delicious sandwich! Or, as one lovely reader suggested, use the breast as a substitute for corned beef in ruben sandwiches, mmm!

Garnishes to accompany with your slow cooker of beef breast!

• Sweet and spicy coleslaw
• Cream

of corn

• Green

beans

• Kale
• Sautéed mushrooms

Corn on the

• cob
• Barbecue Baked beans
• Pasta salad Potato salad
• Mac n’ Cheese or healthy macaroni

Macaroni

• Mashed potatoes (pictured below)

Hush

• cornbread
• Puppies

Recipe Storage

The slow-cooking breast of leftover meat is absolutely delicious! Follow the simple instructions below to store your meat so you can enjoy it the same on day 2 (or 4)!

How to store leftover meat?

Let your breast cool completely to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.

Place leftovers in an airtight container

• and store them in the refrigeratorfor up to 4 days. Transfer leftovers into an airtight
• , freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What can I do with the leftover breast?

Leftovers: either you love them or you hate them! It can be challenging to reuse breast leftovers. And, while I love eating cold leftovers, straight from the fridge, I know that’s not everyone’s style. However, you can easily transform last night’s breast into a new meal!

How to Reuse Your Slow Cooked Meat Breast

• Eggs and Omelets: Use chopped breast, shredded cheese, peppers, and onions as a filling for tortillas. Or, top the huevos rancheros with a hearty breast!
• Hashish: Beef hashish is a great way to use the breast! Chop the meat, add some caramelized onion and garlic and you will have a breakfast fit for a king!
• Toast: Reinforce your avocado toast by sprinkling some chopped tomatoes and diced breast!
• Salad: Looking to turn breast into a healthier meal? Make a breast salad! Mix leafy greens with your favorite vegetables and toasted nuts; Then load some sliced breast and drizzle with some balsamic dressing.
• Sandwiches: This is probably the most obvious way to use leftovers. The thinly sliced breast is delicious stacked on a handmade bun! Or, try stuffing it in a hoagie with caramelized peppers, onions, and lots of melted cheese.
• Pizza: The rich beef breast is the perfect complement to a barbecued pizza! Or try this New York-style breast pizza!
• Baked potato: Fully loaded baked potatoes are life! Top a baked potato with salt crust with breast, cheese and your choice of preparations for a next level ‘tater!
• Quesadilla: A reimagined childhood classic! Smother the breast in BBQ sauce, then add some red onion and pepper jack cheese! Top it with sauce and sour cream for a party!
• Tacos or Burritos: Taco or meat burrito? Sign me up! Stack the leftover breast, salsa, some salad and a creamy salsa on a charred corn tortilla and call it one day!

Trust

me, folks, this

slow cooker breast is nothing short of magnificent

!

Save the ham for next year and add this breast to your Easter table! Or, you can do this for dinner tonight, because it’s worth it!

Until next time, cheers! To meaty main courses!

Does Cheyanne

crave MORE? For more inspiration for tasty recipes, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can also receive all my latest content directly in your inbox by subscribing to my email newsletter.

More delicious meat recipes!

If you love this slow-cooked breast, try one of these delicious meat recipes below!

• Stir-Fry

Beef

• How to Grind Your Own

Beef

• Easy Beef Chili (No Beans!)

Beef

• Barbecue
• Korean Beef Short Ribs
• Eye of Round Roast Standing
• Prime Rib Roast Slow

cooker

Meat Breast Recipe & Video👇

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