The Best Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe for St. Patrick’s Day

This tender, crumble-apart corned brisket is served with perfectly cooked potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. This is the only recipe for corned brisket and cabbage you will ever need, whether you use your Instant Pot or slow cooker. It also includes everything you need in order to make it perfect every time.

Corned beef with cabbage is one of those meals that feels like a warm hug. On St. Patrick’s Day every year, millions of American kitchens fill with the rich, savory aroma of slow-cooked beef briskets, tender cabbages, and buttery mashed potatoes. This is the type of dish that has people lining up in the kitchen even before the meal arrives.

This recipe has been made more than I can remember. I’ve used it on the stovetop, when I wanted to cook, but didn’t have time, in the Instant Pot, when St. Patrick’s Day sneaked up on me, and even in the Slow Cooker when I just needed something easy. Each method is effective. Each method is delicious. Once you learn a few tricks, you won’t have to worry about brisket that is tough or cabbage that is mushy again.

Let’s start.

What is Corned beef? What is Corned Beef?

It’s a fun fact that nobody expected: Corned beef isn’t a traditional Irish meal. The classic Irish meal is bacon with cabbage, a boiled dish of pork that Irish families make for generations.

Bacon was very expensive and difficult to find when Irish immigrants first arrived in New York at the end of the 19th century. The Jewish immigrants had access to affordable salt-cured beef, which we now refer to as corned beef. The Irish replaced it and paired it up with the cheapest available vegetable (cabbage), creating an Irish-American Tradition.

It has nothing to do with corn. The name “corned” comes from the large, coarsely-grained rock salt “corns”, which are used to cure the meat. It is basically beef brisket, which has been cured for several days in brine with pickling spices, including mustard seeds, coriander, black peppercorns and allspice.

New Englanders love a similar dish called New England boiled meal, which adds parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips to the classic recipe. You can try a regional variation if you want to.

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What’s the difference between a flat cut and a point cut brisket?

Most first-time cooks of corned meat get confused by this question. Here’s what you should know when you are at the supermarket staring at the meat section:

We recommend the flat cut because it is widely available, and makes those lovely, even slices that you see on photos. The point cut has more fat, so it is easier to cook in the slow cooker. It also has a richer taste. Use whatever you can find in your local store.

Many corned beef briskets are vacuum-sealed and include a spice packet. Use it. Use it. You can make one yourself if yours is missing (see below).

Spice packets for corned beef made at home

If you don’t have a spice package with your brisket, or if you want to add more flavor, toast the following and mix them together:

• Mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon
• Coriander seeds – 1 tablespoon
• Black peppercorns 2 tsp.
• Allspice berries, 1 tablespoon
• Use 1 teaspoon of dill seeds
• Three to four bay leaves crumbled
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for extra heat.

Toast on a medium heat in a skillet with a little dry flour for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Store in an airtight jar or use immediately.

Ingredients

For a 3-4lb corned beef brisket, (serves 6),:

• 1 corned beef Brisket (3-5 lbs) with spice packet
• Yellow onion, 1 sliced
• Peel 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of beef broth (fat free for a lighter version).
• Guinness is a great option, but you can also use 1 cup of stout.
• Cut 5 large carrots into 2 inch pieces
• 1-1.5 lbs red potatoes, quartered
• Cut 1 small head of green cabbage into thick wedges
• To taste, add Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Serve with whole-grain mustard and horseradish cream (see below).

How to make corned beef and cabbage – 4 methods

Method 1: Corned Beef with Cabbage and Corned Beef in a Slow Cooker (Crockpot).

Best for: Hands-off cooking, deepest flavor, fall-apart tender results

Slow cookers are the easiest method to use and I always return to them. Set it up in the morning, and you can come home to a delicious dinner.

1. Sliced onion and garlic should be placed in the bottom of your 6-8 quarts slow cooker.
2. The corned beef brisket should be rinsed under running cold water and blotted dry. Place the fat side up on top of your onions.
3. Add the beer and beef broth (or just water/broth) around — not over — the meat. Pour the beer or beef broth around, not on top of, the meat.
4. Cook the brisket on LOW (8-10 hours) or HIGH (4-5 hours), until it is tender.
5. After 2 hours, place the potatoes and carrots around the beef. Only add the wedges of cabbage for the last 45-60 minute — this will ensure that the cabbage is tender, but not mushy.
6. The brisket should be placed on a cutting surface. Rest the brisket for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.
7. Slice against the grain, and serve the meat with the vegetables and the cooking broth.

Instant Pot (Pressure cooker) Corned Beef with Cabbage

Best for: Speed – a full meal can be prepared in just 2 hours.

Instant Pot corned meat is fork tender and ready in just a fraction of time it takes to cook on the stovetop. This is the method to use if you are short on time.

1. Pour the broth and beer in the Instant Pot insert. Add the onion and garlic.
2. Place the trivet on top of the brisket, fat side up. Sprinkle the spice pack on top.
3. Seal the lid, and then set HIGH pressure (for a brisket weighing 3-4 pounds) for 85 minutes. Larger briskets may need 90 minutes.
4. After completing the procedure, let any pressure remaining slowly release over a period of 10-15 minutes.
5. Cover the brisket with foil and let it rest on a plate while you prepare the vegetables.
6. Add the carrots, potatoes and cabbage to the liquid. Pressure cook at HIGH for 3 to 5 minutes. Quick-release immediately.
7. Serve the brisket with vegetables, sliced against the grain.

Pro tip: To get a golden, crispy top, place the cooked brisket on a baking tray, brush it with mustard and broil it for 3-4 mins. This extra step transforms the dish.

Method 3: Stovetop Corned beef and Cabbage

Best for: Traditional, classic results, the way they’ve always been done

Stovetop cooking is the traditional method and allows you to have the most control. As a general rule, allow 45 minutes for every pound of beef brisket.

1. Place the brisket, fat side up, in a large Dutch Oven or stockpot. Add the onion, garlic and spice packet.
2. Cover the beef with water or broth until it is completely submerged. Add beer if using.
3. Bring to a rolling boil on medium heat and then reduce immediately to a low simmer. Remove any foam that may have formed on the surface.
4. Cover and simmer the brisket for 2 1/2-3 hrs, or until it is tender enough to be forked easily.
5. Add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until almost tender.
6. Continue to simmer the cabbage wedges for an additional 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on the cabbage — it cooks quickly.
7. Slice against the grain and serve.

Method 4: Dutch Oven/ Oven-Braised corned beef

The best for: Rich, deep braised flavor — makes the occasion feel “special”

1. Pre-heat oven to 300degF. In a large Dutch Oven, place the brisket with the onion, garlic and spice packet. Cover tightly.
2. Braise in the oven for 3 to 4 hours, or until very tender.
3. Add the vegetables, cover again, and bake for 45 more minutes.
4. Slice against the grain.

What temperature is corned beef cooked?

Answering this question is two-fold:

• USDA safe temperature: Minimum safe internal temperature of beef is 145degF
• The temperature at which the brisket becomes tender and melt-in-your mouth is 195-205degF.

For the best texture, aim for temperatures between 195 and 205degF. Use an instant-read temperature gauge inserted in the thickest part. If the brisket still feels firm after cooking, continue to cook it. Brisket gets better as it is cooked longer.

How to make perfect corned beef every time

Rinse it first. This will remove any excess surface brine and prevent the dish from becoming overly salty. Don’t skip it.

Always cut against the grain. Slice perpendicularly to the direction of the muscle fibers. They look like parallel lines. Slices cut against the grain will result in tough, chewy pieces. Slice against the grain to get tender, beautiful pieces.

Always add the cabbage last. Cabbage takes 10-15 minutes to cook. It will turn to mush if you add it too soon. Add it at the very end of cooking, no matter what method you use.

Rest it. It makes a big difference to let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting. The juices will settle into the meat and make slicing much easier.

Taste before salting. The brine of the corned beef already contains salt. You’ll probably only need a small amount of salt.

Horseradish Cream Sauce

This simple sauce makes the difference between a good and an unforgettable corned beef meal.

• Half a cup of sour cream (or dairy alternative)
• Prepared horseradish, 2-3 tablespoons (adjust according to taste).
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Taste salt and pepper

Mix together and chill until ready to serve. It can be kept for up to one week.

Freeze & Store Food Ahead

Corned beef tastes better the second day. It is best to cook it all the way through, cool it in its cooking liquid and then store it overnight. Slice the meat and gently reheat it in a pan covered with broth on low heat.

Refrigerator: Store leftover corned meat and vegetables in an airtight container for up to five days. Separate the meat from the vegetables to maintain textures.

Freezer: Corned beef can be frozen for up to three months. Cooked vegetables do not freeze well. They become mushy after thawing. Only freeze the meat.

Reheat: Heat slices with a splash broth in a covered skillet over medium low heat. Avoid high heat as it will dry out the meat.

How to Use Leftover Corned Beef

This dish is best served with leftovers. Here’s how to prepare it:

• Corned Beef Hash – In a skillet, fry diced beef with potatoes and onions until crispy. Add a fried yolk to the top.
• Reuben sandwich classic: layer thinly sliced corned meat on rye with sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Thousand Island dressing can be added. Grill until golden.
• Corned Beef Soup – Combine the remaining cooking broth, diced beef and extra cabbage with barley to make a delicious soup for the next day.
• Corned Beef Quesadillas – Place sliced beef, Swiss cheese and flour tortillas in a pan and fry until crispy.