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Even though crockpot corned beef and cabbage is not a popular meal in Ireland (it’s true), every year I look forward to making it on Saint Patrick’s Day. Since this meal is technically a New England boiled dinner, it speaks to my Irish-American New England roots.
I was born into a loud, crazy Irish-American family. My grandfather was 100% Irish and that side of the family is exactly what one might expect. Large, fun, and pretty amazing.
We also take our corned beef and Irish pride pretty seriously.
A lot of people don’t like corned beef and cabbage but it’s my guess that most people just boil it in water with the packet that comes with the corned beef and call that a meal.
Nope. Not me. Ifyou’re looking for a corned beef and cabbage recipe with some real flavor, you’ve come to the right place!
How to make delicious crockpot corned beef and cabbage
For this recipe, you will need a small cabbage, about 8 small red potatoes, a large onion, baby carrots or 3-4 large carrots, and an 11-ounce bottle of stout beer such as Guinness, pickling spice, and flat cut corned beef. Do not substitute with a point cut or a regular brisket.
Cut up your potatoes into large cubes or use small red and yellow potatoes; enough to cover the bottom of a crockpot.
Add a handful or two of baby carrots then rough chop your onion andthrow it in.
Cover the vegetables with water; about four cups.
Stout beer
Now for the coup de grâce, stout beer. Use the stout of your choice as long as it isn’t flavored with chocolate, coffee, or anything else. Pour the whole bottle in.
*Note: the first few years I made this recipe I used Guinness which is easy to find and perfectly fine to use. A couple of years ago I discovered a stout beer that I find more flavorful and it really kicks this recipe up a few notches. If you can find Dragon’s Milk stout, I highly recommend picking up a bottle.
Pickling spice
Now throw away that spice packet that comes with the corned beef and get a good quality pickling spice; one with visible leaves and berries in it. I prefer Penzey’s pickling spice, but McCormick or any other spice brand is better than the packet that comes with it.
Penzey’s also has a corned beef spice. It looks very similar to pickling spice that I’m sure is also delicious as all Penzey’s spices are.
Put the corned beef on top of the vegetables and water fat side up then liberally cover the top with pickling spice. About 2 tablespoons, but you could use a little less if you’d like.
The pickling spice includes whole cloves and juniper berries which will be in the vegetables. If you would prefer, you can put the spices in a spice ball instead.
Now for the cabbage. Cover the top of your corned beef with as much cabbage as you can and still be able to get the lid on the crockpot. I used 3/4 of a small cabbage.
Put the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours and enjoy!
To get the core out, I cut my cabbage into quarters then cut at an angle to remove the core. You will have to do this with each quarter.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours7 seconds
Total Time: 8 hours30 minutes7 seconds
Ingredients
1 FLAT CUT corned beef, about 4lbs.
1 bottle stout beer such as Guinness. (note: Dragon's Milk stout is even better, but any stout that is NOT chocolate or coffee flavored will work.)
About 8 small red or gold potatoes
1 large onion
1½ cups baby carrots, or 3-4 large carrots
4 cups water
1 small green cabbage
2 tbsp pickling spice
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Instructions
Rough chop your vegetables
Put the potatoes, carrots,garlic, and onion at the bottom of the crock pot and cover with water.
Add the corned beef on top of the vegetables, fat side up. Cover with pickling spice.
Pour stout over the corned beef then add chopped cabbage.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours if you're short on time.
Notes
1. The pickling spice includes whole cloves and juniper berries which will be in the vegetables. If you would prefer, you can put the spices in a spice ball instead.
2. If you're unable to fit the cabbage in your slow cooker, steam it separately on the stove then add it to the liquid with the rest of the vegetables after you'veremoved the corned beef from the slow cooker. Let it soak up the flavor while slicing the corned beef and remove the vegetables from the liquid to serve.
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Note: as with anything cooked in a slow cooker, the vegetables will be very soft. If you prefer them to have more bite, I would suggest doing a quick boil on the stove then adding them to the juice in the crockpot to soak in some flavor after the meat is removed.
Place potatoes, carrots, and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker; add water and place brisket on top of vegetables. Pour beer over brisket; sprinkle over spices from the packet and cover.
Cook on High for 7 hours; stir in the cabbage and cook for 1 more hour.
You can add seasonings other than salt, like black peppercorns and bay leaves. Keep the brisket submerged at all times as well since it's the water actually transferring heat into the meat and cooking it. Letting the top become exposed will dry out the meat and slow down the cooking process, leading to uneven doneness.
Instead: Regardless of the cooking method, corned beef is best cooked over low heat. A low, gentle simmer on the stovetop or in the slow cooker are two excellent methods for cooking up soft, tender slices of corned beef every time.
Ale: Red ales (something like Smithwicks; Killian's is actually a stateside invention) are malty and mildly sweet — a good pair for corned beef or shepherd's pie (or, frankly, a full Irish breakfast, but we won't encourage that).
Place corned beef brisket, fat side up, into a slow cooker; sprinkle with pickling spice. Place whole cloves throughout the brisket. Add garlic, bay leaves and 2 cups water, or more water as needed to cover the brisket by at least 1 inch. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.
One of the keys to getting there is the amount of water in the pot. From start to finish, when there's not ample liquid to cover the meat, your dreams of tender corned beef might be crushed with a tough, chewy result.
Because corned beef comes from brisket, a tough cut of meat. You need its connective tissue to break down so you can have tender results. Some like to braise their corned beef in an all-water liquid, with various spices and salt; others add beer to the mix to further tenderize the meat.
To make the corned beef, open the sealed package right over the slow cooker, because you want to include the brine in the cooking liquid. Don't discard the brine.
"It's important to add enough liquid to ensure the bottom of your dish doesn't burn." If your meal does burn, the chef said to avoid scraping the bottom of the pot while stirring and serving because it can give the entire dish a burnt flavor.
You can overcook corned beef in a Crock-Pot if it's cooked for too long at too high of a temperature. Overcooked corned beef can taste tough and stringy. It's best to follow the recommended cook time and temperature within the recipe.
Corned beef brisket can get rubbery if cooked to high. The low constant heat of a slow cooker will get you that falling apart, amazingly tender corned beef. It does take some planning and time. If you are low on time I got you covered with this Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Recipe.
Please note that crock pot cooking times may vary greatly depending upon brand and style. It is important to check the meat with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached at least 160°F for food safety; for optimal tenderness, cook to an internal temperature of 190°F.
Regardless of whether you cure the meat yourself or buy a ready-to-cook corned beef, chances are there's excess salt lingering on the surface and tucked into folds on the outer part of the meat.
Using beer to cook corned beef is a popular method because it adds flavor and complexity to the dish. The alcohol and hops in the beer add a rich, slightly bitter flavor that complements the salty and savory taste of the corned beef.
The original Guinness is a type of ale known as stout. It's made from a grist (grain) that includes a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color.
When the meat is almost done, and you are about an hour from dinner, ladle out most of the cooking liquid and place in a large, heavy bottomed cooking pot. Add the cut potatoes, carrots and rutabaga.
The most common method for cooking corned beef and cabbage is boiling. Put the meat in a large pot, cover it with water or beef broth, add a seasoning packet and boil before lowering the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is tender and cooked to your liking.
For a two to three-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. For a three to five-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. STOVE: Place brisket fat-side up in a large pot and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer, allowing about 1 hour per pound.
So when they found salted beef brisket was cheap in the States, they were quick to replace their traditional “Irish bacon.” Nutrient-dense cabbage was also readily available and affordable, and a dish combining the two became a staple for working classes across the country.
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