The Best Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe Is Here
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional Irish dinner recipe typically reserved for St. Patrick's Day, but if you grew up with a version that literally tasted like boiled socks, you may have sworn off the meal for good. Don't quit it though! We promise this is about to get good.
The corned beef of our youth was pretty bland, to say the least—sorry mom—but thanks to a few flavor bomb hacks, one foolproof appliance and culinary wizard Chef Jon Ashton, we may have just discovered the best Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe of all time.
Why waste your entire day standing guard over a pot of lackluster beef and soggy cabbage, when you can set it and forget it and get back better things, like making sides and dessert? The slow cooker does all the work for you when it comes to this classic brisket recipe. Simply toss your ingredients in, come back in two hours to add the roughage, wait a total of 8-10 hours and corned beef and cabbage dinner is served!
Related: 50 St. Patrick's Day Recipes That Will Bring the Luck of the Irish To Your Dinner Table
What Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is essentially salt-cured brisket, which is different from plain brisket that hasn't been cured.Another distinguishing characteristic of corned beef is that it usually comes with a seasoning packet filled with bay leaves, peppercorns, mustard seeds and dill seeds. This flavor packet is the key to mastering a wonderfully flavored roast.
The Best Type Cut of Meat for Corned Beef
When it comes to corned beef, there are two different cuts: point cut or flat cut. Flat cut is easier to slice and has less fat on it (pictured below) Point cut can have more marbling, but it's usually not uniform in size
Ingredients Need for Corned Beef & Cabbage
Corned Beef: Flat-cut or point cut
Potatoes: We're using baby red here, but you can also use gold
Carrots: Whole carrots, peeled and sliced thick
Chicken Stock: Helps keeps the entire dish moist but water or beer will also work
Cabbage: I use a whole head, cut into 1-2 inch wedges
Spices: Normally, the spices in the packet with the corned beef include peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay leaves. Sometimes allspice and juniper berries are included as well.
Colman's Dry Mustard Powder: This gives the dish a little extra kick
How To Cook Perfectly Tender Corned Beef and Cabbage in a Crock Pot
Instructions:
1. Start by washing your corned beef. Rinse excess salt from the meat; dry with paper towel. Trim fat with a sharp knife, putting upwards not down so it doesn't go into the meat itself.
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2. Regarding the vegetables for corned beef, you'll need 1 lb of carrots, 2 lbs of small red potatoes and 1 small head of green cabbage. For the carrots, peel and chop them for the slow cooker—can be slightly larger since they are going to slow cook longer. As for the potatoes, purchase potatoes that are uniform in size so everything cooks evenly. Don't add the cabbage in the beginning; wait about two hours to add it so it doesn't get mushy.
Related: Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe
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3. Place meat fat side up in the center of the slow cooker, then layer veggies around the edges so everything cooks evenly. Pour in 4 cups of stock and add the package of spices that came with the corned beef and the dried mustard. Add your lid and hit slow cook.
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4. After cooking for 2-3 hours, it's time for the cabbage you've previously washed and cut into eighths. Add the cabbage sections on top of the meat and veggies, directly in the liquid, to steam for the next 6 hours. Note: It takes about 8 hours to cook in total.
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5. Once the corned beef has cooked a total of 8 hours in the slow cooker, it should be nice and tender and ready to plate. Place the meat on the chopping board and slice the beef against the grain.
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6. Serve with a dollop of whole grain mustard, cabbage wedges, carrots, potatoes and maybe an Irish Whisky for good measure.
Watch this video to see how to make Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage:
Easy Corned Beef Tips:
Brisket can be a tough, fibrous cut of meat, so the key to cooking it just right is to go low and slow. The slow cooker is perfect for this, on the low setting for eight hours.
To prevent your meat from drying out before you cut it, rest it. A few minutes before slicing will go a long way.
When it comes to slicing the meat, always cut it across against the grain.
If you're looking to cut carbs, substitute celery for potatoes for a low-carb version.
What Mustard Is Best To Use?
Colman's Dry Mustard Powder is the best mustard to use for corned beef and cabbage; 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder to be exact. This step is optional if you want to give it that mustard flavor, but if you can't get dry mustard, feel free to use whole-grain mustard.
Best Corned Beef & Cabbage Variations:
More Corned Beef Recipes to Consider:
Ingredients
3½-4 lb corned beef brisket, remove spice packet for later
1 lb carrots
2 lbs small red potatoes
1 small head green cabbage, cut into eighths
4 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp Colman's Dry Mustard Powder
Rinse corned beef with cold water and trim off any excess fat; remove seasoning packet.
Place corned beef fat side up in slow cooker, then layer carrots and potatoes around. Pour in stock; add seasoning packet and dry mustard.
Cook on low for 2-3 hours, then add the cut up cabbage.
After about 8 hours, when the corned beef is tender, take it out and slice against the grain.
Time to plate up! Serve with a dollop of whole grain mustard, cabbage wedges, carrots and potatoes.
