OnSt. Patrick's Day, there's no better way to celebrate than with atraditional Irish feastof corned beef and cabbage!Made from humble ingredients, it's an inexpensive meal that's easy to put together, especially if you let your slow cooker do all the work! The corned beef cooks gently until it's fall-apart tender while the veggies cook to perfection nestled right alongside. All that's missing is a skillet of Irish soda bread and pint of green beer.Of all theslow cooker recipes,this one isguaranteedto become your new favorite St. Paddy's Day tradition.
How do you make corned beef and cabbage in a slow cooker?
Start by adding some aromatics to the base of your slow cooker: carrots, onions, and thyme. These will infuse your cooking liquid with fresh flavors and balance the seasoning of the salty, brined corned beef. The carrots and onions also provide a nice base for the corned beef to sit on in your slow cooker! Remove the corned beef from its package and brine, and place it over top of the vegetables. Most corned beef packages include a seasoning packet—sprinkle that over the top of the beef.Set your slow cooker to high heat, cover, and cook for five hours. Because no onewants mushy cabbage or potatoes, you'll add those ingredients closer to the end. After five hours, nestle the potatoes around the sides of the corned beef and top with the wedges of cabbage. Cook for two to three more hours until the corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes are tender.
What happens if corned beef doesn't have a spice packet?
Don't sweat it! If your corned beef didn't come with seasoning packet, try this easy substitute: 1 tablespoon of pickling spice. Pickling spice has herbs and spices like peppercorns, allspice, mustard seeds, cinnamon, dill, coriander, and bay leaves. It works like a charm as seasoning for a corned beef brisket!
Does corned beef go in a Crock-Pot fat side up or down?
Place the brisket in the slow cooker with the fat cap facing up. The fat on the corned beef protects the meat from drying out and helps achieve that fall-apart tender texture.
Does corned beef need to be covered in water in the slow cooker?
Corned beef needs liquid and moisture. That said, it does not need to be completely covered in water in the slow cooker. For this recipe, one quart of water is added to the slow cooker, which fills it about one-third to one-half full, and leaves some the top of the corned beef exposed. As the slow cooker works its magic, the steam it creates will provide gentle, moist heat to cook the part of the corned beef that is not covered in water. This also allows the seasonings placed on top of the corned beef to not wash away!
Can I use a different cooking liquid for corned beef and cabbage?
Absolutely! To boost the flavor of the vegetables, you can substitute 1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock, or even use 2 pints of of light beer in place of the water.
How do you know when corned beef is done in a slow cooker?
Corned beef should be cooked until tender. A good test is to use two forks to gently pull apart a piece of the corned beef—if the meat resists when pulled, it most likely needs more time.
Can you overcook corned beef in a Crock-Pot?
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.
Is it better to cook corned beef on high or low?
Either setting works for this recipe: Cooking on high can shorten the cook time, whereas cooking on low may require more time in the slow cooker for the corned beef to reach its desired internal temperature and tenderize.
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Ingredients
For the Corned Beef and Cabbage:
- 2
large carrots, peeled
- 1
yellow onion, peeled
- 6
sprigs fresh thyme
- 1
(3- to 4-lb.)package corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet
- 1/2
head savoy cabbage
- 1 lb.
small red-skinned potatoes
For the Honey Mustard:
- 1/2 c.
grainy mustard
- 2 Tbsp.
honey
Directions
- Step1For the corned beef and cabbage: Cut the carrots into 3-inch long pieces. Cut the onion in half, leaving the root end intact. Cut each half into 3 wedges (6 total). Place the carrots, onion, and thyme in the bottom of a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker.
- Step2Place the corned beef, fat-cap sideup, over top of the carrots and onions in the slow cooker. Cover with 1 quart of water and sprinkle with the seasoning packet. Cover and cook onhigh for 5 hours.
- Step3For the honey mustard: In a small bowl, mix togetherthe mustard and honey.
- Step4Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges, leaving the core intact. Place the potatoes in the slow cooker around the sides of the corned beef and place the cabbage over top. Cover and cook on highuntil the corned beef is tender and the cabbage and potatoes are soft,about 2 hours more.
- Step5Slice the corned beef and serve with the vegetables and honey mustard.
Tip: You can use beer instead of water to infuse your corned beef with even more flavor.
