Description
This Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe offers a traditional and easy way to enjoy tender, flavorful corned beef paired with slow-cooked potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Perfect for a comforting meal, this method uses a crockpot to infuse the beef with spices and create melt-in-your-mouth texture while simmering vegetables in the same flavorful liquid.
Ingredients
Scale
Corned Beef
- 1 (3- to 4-lb) corned beef brisket, point or flat (with included spice packet), fat cap removed
- 1 large white or yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 dried bay leaves
Vegetables
- 1 ½ pounds small red potatoes (1½- to 2-inches diameter), cut in half if large
- 8 oz carrots (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 small or ½ medium green cabbage, cut into thin wedges
Liquid
- 1 ½ cups liquid (low-sodium chicken broth, beef broth, water, or stout beer such as Guinness)
Optional for Serving
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Coarse grain mustard
- Horseradish sauce
Instructions
- Prepare Corned Beef: Remove the corned beef from its packaging and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.
- Layer Onions and Garlic: In the bottom of a large 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, spread out the sliced onions and minced garlic evenly.
- Add Corned Beef and Spices: Place the corned beef brisket fat side up over the onions. Sprinkle the included seasoning packet over the brisket and top with the bay leaves.
- Add Vegetables: Arrange the halved potatoes and cut carrots around the corned beef in the slow cooker.
- Pour Liquid: Pour your choice of liquid (chicken broth, beef broth, water, or stout beer) over the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours, allowing flavors to meld and the beef to become tender.
- Add Cabbage: With about 2 hours of cooking time remaining, remove the lid and arrange the cabbage wedges on top of the beef and vegetables. Replace the lid and continue cooking.
- Check Tenderness: Allow cooking to continue for 2 hours more or until the brisket is fork tender.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the corned beef and let it rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a serving platter.
- Slice Beef and Garnish: Slice the corned beef against the grain and arrange with the vegetables. Spoon some cooking liquid over everything and garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve with mustard or horseradish sauce.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftover corned beef can be repurposed for Reuben sandwiches or corned beef hash.
Notes
- This recipe creates traditional corned beef and cabbage with tender, briny slices of brisket and slow-cooked vegetables bursting with flavor.
- Use low-sodium broth or water to control salt levels in your meal.
- Adjust liquid quantity if using an oven instead of slow cooker (use 2 ½ cups then).
- Resting the meat before slicing helps retain juices and tenderness.
- Slow cooking on low ensures the best texture and flavor development.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz meat and 2 cups vegetables
- Calories: 409
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 895 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
