Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

This corned beef and cabbage recipe is an easy dinner for St. Patrick’s Day made with tender corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes simmered in the slow cooker all day for the best results!

Love crockpot recipes? Try crockpot beef stroganoff, slow cooker BBQ brisket sandwiches, slow cooker beef bourguignon.

Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is a hearty meal that’s traditionally served on St. Patrick’s Day, but can really be served all year long. It’s an easy slow cooker meal that is simple to throw together just like my crockpot beef stew or crock pot Mississippi pot roast

This easy recipe for crock pot corned beef simmers on low all day, giving the meat a seasoned, tender and flavorful taste. Add some Irish soda bread for a festive and traditional way to bring a taste of Ireland to your dinner table!

Corned Beef and Cabbage Ingredients

I love to add fresh vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. The broth from the brisket gives them such a nice flavor. Serve it with mustard or horseradish sauce for a St. Patty’s Day feast!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Corned beef brisket: This is a beef brisket that is already cured. The cured meaning comes from the color of the brisket. It will be a pink color to the meat rather than a deep red. It will come either flat cut and point cut. Flat cut is more common.
• Spice packet: Usually corned beef brisket will come with a spice packet that is a mixture of peppercorns, whole mustard seeds, allspice and bay leaves. McCormick pickling spices work, too.
• Onion: Slice and quarter the onions then separate them to lay on top of and around the beef brisket.
• Beef broth: Adds flavor and keeps the brisket tender and juicy as it is slow cooking. Chicken broth, vegetable broth or even Guinness beer can be used instead.
• Red potatoes: Cut and quarter each potato and add it to the crockpot. Red potatoes cook quicker than other potatoes and have a soft inside and skin when cooked.
• Carrots: Fresh carrots are best! Slice carrots evenly to help them cook at the same time.
• Cabbage: Quarter and cut into cabbage wedges and add to the slow cooker. Cabbage will float to the top of the slow cooker as it is cooking.

How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage

Start a great tradition by enjoying a delicious St. Patrick’s classic dinner. It doesn’t take long to prepare the ingredients and let the slow cooker do the work. It’s a straightforward, yet fun dinner to celebrate as a family!

1. Rinse. Rinse the meat with water, then add to the bottom of the crockpot.
2. Add seasonings. Sprinkle the seasoning packet on top. Next, add the onion on top and tuck it into the sides. Pour broth around the sides. Then fill the broth can with water and add until it just about covers the beef.
3. Cook. Cook in crockpot on low for 8 to 10 hours.
4. Add veggies. About 3 hours prior to serving, add potatoes and carrots. Then add cabbage 30 minutes before serving.
5. Serve. Remove from the crockpot (make sure it’s fork-tender) and let rest for a few minutes on a serving platter. Slice and serve with vegetables.

Cooking Tips

• Low heat. Corned beef is a tougher cut of meat so the key to making a tender and juicy brisket is cooking the meat low and slow. If you cook it too fast and at a high temp, the meat will be chewy.
• Don’t over-salt. If you’re using the salt brine seasoning packet that comes with the meat, make sure NOT to add in any additional salt. Wait to taste and adjust after it is done cooking.
• Add the veggies in later. Because the meat cooks on low heat for so long, don’t add the veggies in at the very beginning or else they’ll overcook and be mushy. Add them to the crock pot with about 3 hours left on the timer.
• Let rest. This allows the juices to flow back into the meat and makes it super moist, tender and juicy. I let mine rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Slice against the grain. Once rested, slice the meat against the grain in order to break up the long muscle fibers for tender, less chewy slices.

Storage and Freezing

• Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three days. Leftovers make delicious corned beef Reuben sandwiches or add to eggs for a simple hash.
• Reheat: When ready to reheat, place in the microwave, oven, or back in the slow cooker until warmed through. You may need to add more cooking liquid like beef broth in case it dries out.
• Freeze: I would not freeze the vegetables, but you can freeze the corned beef in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

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