Slow cooker corned beef and cabbage, a super easy meal that produces the most tender and flavorful meat with hearty potatoes, cabbage, and carrots. This is a great meal to just toss in the crock pot and come back to enjoy the tasty results.
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
I’ve have talked about corned beef not being a traditional meal in Ireland. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it. A great recipe to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in America. A true fix and forget a slow cooker meal.
This recipe uses either beer or beef stock, whole garlic cloves, onions and pickling spices to add the perfect mount of flavor to the beef and veggies. You will love how flavorful the corned beef is when using this seasoning. The slow cooker allows the flavors to blend so well. This is one keeper of a recipe.
Ingredients
Why this works
- A slow cooker is an amazing appliance and I love using it because it really makes a difference in making food taste good! When it comes to making this recipe, using the slow cooker is a great choice as this is a fix and forget meal.
- The slow cooker uses a low temperature and slow cooking makes the most tender brisket.
- When you have a busy day, the slow cooker does the work!
- Enjoy this meal any time of year and you have a delicious dinner without a lot of fuss!
Instructions
- Place the meat, ale, onion, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, pickling spices, potatoes, carrots, and enough water to cover the meat.
- Slowly cook the corned beef on low for 8-10 hours.
- Add the cabbage with one hour left on the slow cooker.
- Serve with Irish Brown Bread or Irish Soda Bread.
Tips/FAQs
- Corned beef is a brisket that has been brined for about 10 days.
- A flat cut is less fatty and my preferred cut.
- The key to a flavorful corned beef is low and slow. Regardless of stove top or slow cooker.
- Trim excess fat from the brisket before cooking
- When cooking the brisket, place it in the cooking vessel, fat side up. This ensures the fat will render off and produce flavor.
- Feel free to remove and discard the film off the top of the water after the meat has slow-cooked for about an hour. .
- Once the meat is cooked, remove, cover with foil and let rest for about 10-15 minutes. This sets the juices in the beef.
- Cut the meat against the grain.
Why is corned beef a tradition of Saint Patrick’s Day in the United States?
When the Irish immigrated to America, they were accustomed to eating pork and bacon. Both were very expensive in America. This particular cut of meat was very affordable and soon became a meal that was regularly eaten due to its economic benefits.
Best cut of beef
I prefer using a brined flat cut. It is less fatty. I do always trim off any excess fat that I can before cooking the brisket. The point cut is also popular but again, I find it a bit too tough for my liking and a bit fattier. Some find this cut more flavorful. It is a personal preference. The point cut is more economical. Personally, I prefer the flat cut.
Can the meat be overcooked?
Yes, you do not want the meat to shred. For best results, cook in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours using a 4-5 pound cut of meat hours. If cooking on high, let cook for about 4 hours. The meat will be fork tender when completely cooked.
Variations
If you do not cook with alcohol, use beef broth. The veggies round out the meal. Feel free to vary the potatoes. Red potatoes, sweet potatoes, Yukon gold, or baby potatoes are all great choices.
Other veggies to try would be parsnips, celery, baby carrots, Brussels Sprouts, and baby turnip are all great choices to make along with corned beef.
Leftovers
Leftover corned beef can be kept covered in the fridge for about 3 days. The leftovers can be used to make a Rueben Sandwich, which is just like my Rachel Sandwich, except using corned beef.
Serving Suggestions
While this is a great dinner on its own, we love it with my Brown Bread recipe. What a combo.
Our Irish Soda Bread is another recipe to serve along side the corned beef or as a side dish.
When ready for dessert, serve up some Mini Mint Cheesecakes along with a fabulous Irish Coffee.
Other Great Irish Recipes
Traditional Irish meals included Beef and Guinness pies, Bangers and Mash, and Guinness Beef Stew, all of these recipes are beyond delicious with traditional Irish flavors.
Sausage and Cabbage is another tasty low-carb, one pan meal.
When you make this recipe, take a pic and tag me on Instagram @everyday_eileen or #everydayeileen
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Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients
- 4 pounds brined flat cut corned beef
- 12 ounces beer Note 1
- 4-6 cups water Note 2
- 1 large onion, peeled
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 10 whole black peppercorns Note 3
- pickling spice Note 4
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks Note 5
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks Note 5
- 1 medium cabbage, cut into thick wedges
- Irish Soda Bread optional side
- Irish Brown Bread optional side
Instructions
- Add to a slow cooker the corned beef (fat side up), beer, water, onion, garlic, black peppercorns, pickling spices, and bay leaf.
- Set the timer for 4 hours on low.
- At the 4 hour mark, add the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage to the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on low for an additional 3 - 4 hours.
- Once the timer is up, beef should be fork tender. Remove corned beef and cover with foil. Let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. Cut corned beef against the grain.
- Remove and discard the onion, bay leaf, and thyme. Strain the veggies.
- Serve the corned beef and veggies with brown mustard and enjoy.
Notes
- Trim excess fat from the brisket before cooking.
- Cut veggies into larger chunks so they aren't too soft. Add Cabbage with 1 hour left.
- Prefer veggies with a bite, add them halfway through cooking, hour 4.
- Once the beef is cooked, remove, cover with foil and let rest for about 10-15 minutes. This sets the juices in the beef.
- Cut the beef against the grain.
- Feel free to remove and discard the film off the top of the water after the beef has slow-cooked for about 45 minutes.
