Corned beef and cabbage may seem like one of those things you’re only supposed to eat for St. Patrick’s Day, but this warm, satisfying meal can be enjoyed any time of the year.
If you’ve never cooked a corned beef brisket before and you’re worried that you might overcook it, then follow this easy slow cooker recipe for guaranteed success.
This is stick-to-your-ribs comfort food done right!
The ingredients in this dish are about as basic as they come. It’s just corned beef, cabbage, onions, potatoes, and carrots.
But basic doesn’t have to mean boring! The true secret to making the corned beef taste so good is a Guinness drought. Whatever you do, don’t skip this part.
As with all meat-based dishes, the most expensive ingredient will be the corned beef itself. But, you can often find it on sale, especially around St. Patty’s Day.
Ingredients:
- (4) large carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
- (10) baby red potatoes, quartered
- (1) onion, peeled and chopped into small pieces
- (4) cups of water
- (1) 4-pound corned beef brisket (with the spice packet)
- (6) ounces of beer (or a bottle of Guinness drought)
- Half a head of cabbage, coarsely chopped
- Optional: grainy mustard
If you don’t already have these pantry essentials at home, they’re very easy to find at the grocery store.
You might have some trouble finding corned beef “out of season” (it’s readily available between St. Patrick’s Day and Easter), but if you can’t find it, just ask your grocery store’s meat department manager if he can order some for you.
Substitution Ideas:
Buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots or use chopped-up baby carrots.
Instead of red potatoes, try Yukon gold baby potatoes. Even regular old Russet potatoes will do if you don’t mind it getting mushy.
Use canned beef broth in place of some (or all) of the water. It’ll add extra depth to the overall flavor profile.
Although the original recipe says you can use any beer, including a can of Coors Light, if you go all out with the Irish theme and use a bottle of Guinness, it’s hard to go wrong.
Instructions:
- Place the quartered baby red potatoes, chopped onions, and carrots on the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Next, add the water (or beef broth).
- Wash the beef brisket in cold water, then gently place it on top of the vegetables, fat side up.
- Pour the beer over the brisket, then sprinkle with the spice packet that came with it.
- Cover, then set the slow cooker on HIGH for 8 hours.
- About an hour before serving, add the chopped cabbage
Yes, the recipe says that you’re supposed to set the slower cooker on HIGH. You might want to check the beef periodically towards the end to make sure it’s still tender.
When the dish is done, cut the corned beef across the grain. Serve with grainy mustard for an extra flavor kick.
Make this meal taste even better by whipping up a batch of homemade Irish soda bread while the corned beef is cooking.
Since this type of bread uses baking soda as a leavening agent, you don’t have to fiddle around with yeast and you can bake it as soon as you’re done kneading it!
Check out this simple 4-ingredient recipe for crusty Irish soda bread right here. All you need is flour, baking soda, sea salt, and buttermilk.
Be sure to watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this deliciously moist corned beef and cabbage dish.
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