Corned Beef & Cabbage (Crockpot)
312 CommentsFeb 13, 2025
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This Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage is a classic recipe that is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day of the year. The crockpot makes corned beef melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the cabbage and veggies soak up all the delicious flavors.
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“By far the best I’ve had, …and I’ve had it for many many years. I honestly would not change a thing! Thank you for sharing!!!”
– jill
What is corned beef and what cut should I buy?
Corned beef is salt-cured brisket. This is different than plain brisket which has not been cured. Corned beef usually comes with a seasoning packet that often includes: bay leaves, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and dill seeds. This flavor packet creates a wonderfully flavored roast.
- There are 2 main cuts of corned beef:
- Flat cut – easier to slice evenly (pictured below)
- Point cut – can have more marbling but usually not uniform in size.
Either cut is great for cooking in the crockpot! I usually grab whichever is cheaper.
Key Ingredients
Corned Beef – Find this in butcher meat section of the store, next to the roasts.
Onions – Onions aren’t traditionally added to corned beef but add SO much flavor.
Potatoes – I use a mixture of baby red and gold potatoes
Carrots – Whole carrots, peeled and sliced thick
Garlic cloves – Peeled
Water – Helps keeps the entire dish moist, can use beef broth if desired.
Cabbage – About a 1/2 head, cut into thin wedges, that’s all will fit in the slow cooker with all the other ingredients.
How to Make Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Build the base: onion + brisket + seasoning, then tuck in potatoes, carrots, and garlic.
- Let it cook low and slow until the beef is tender and the veggies are soft.
When do I add the cabbage?
Firmer Cabbage: Add during the last 2 hours for a cabbage with a little more bite.
Ultra Soft: Add that cabbage with everything else for a buttery tender bite.
What other kind of liquid can I add?
Water is the classic liquid used in crockpot corned beef and cabbage but feel free to try one of these other options for something different:
- Beer – such as Guinness
- Beef or chicken broth – This will add more sodium to the dish, so beware.
- Ginger ale – see this Ginger Ale Corned Beef Recipe
- I’ve even had one reader who used pickle juice!
How do I serve crock pot corned beef and cabbage?
This meal is great straight out of the pot, but here are some ways to enhance this meal:
- Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the meat against the grain.
- If desired, drizzle melted butter over the potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve with horseradish sauce or stone-ground mustard.
- Can’t go wrong by serving with Irish soda bread or a piece of cornbread.
More FAQs
Use water for the liquid (don’t use beer or other high-carb liquid). Omit the potatoes and use celery or cauliflower instead. Corned beef is low carb. Just be conscious of what else you add to the pot.
Brown sugar is great in corned beef; it adds depth of flavor and cuts back on the salty taste. Sprinkle two tablespoons over your corned beef before cooking.
You can use one tablespoon of pickling spice. If you do not have that, don’t fret. Just add a few seasonings such as coarse black pepper, ground dry mustard, garlic powder and a bay leaf to add some flavor to your dish.
Wondering which way to place your corned beef in the crockpot? While it might not look the prettiest, fat side up is the way to go! As it cooks, the fat slowly renders, keeping the meat tender and flavorful.
Yes, you want to do more than just pat dry your corned beef. You’ll want to rinse it well, for it can have a slimy texture that you want to get rid off. Also, rinsing will help get rid of some of the overwhelming sodium content.
Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2-4 lbs. Corned beef brisket (flat or point cut), (with seasoning packet that is included)
- 1 white onion, sliced, (this is optional but good!)
- 2 lbs. red or gold potatoes, (or a mixture of both!) Peel them if you'd like!
- 3 carrots, sliced thick
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 head cabbage, cut into thin wedges
- 1 1/2 cup water, (or see notes below for other liquid ideas)
For serving:
- parsley for garnish
- melted butter for potatoes if desired
- horseradish or stone-ground mustard
Instructions
- Add the sliced onion to the slow cooker.
- Rinse your corned beef and pat dry. Add to your slow cooker. Sprinkle over the included seasoning packet.
- Add your baby potatoes on top of the roast. If your potatoes are larger you can halve them to ensure they get tender. Add the carrots and garlic.
- Pour over the water. Add cabbage now if you want ultra-tender cabbage. Otherwise wait to add it until the last 2 hours.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours total. (Add the cabbage during the last 2 hours). You may have to rearrange things into the pot to get the cabbage to fit (or cut your cabbage thinner).
- Remove the meat onto a cutting board (let rest for 10 minutes) then slice into strips (against the grain).
- Serve the meat with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
- Drizzle melted butter over the potatoes if desired. Serve with horseradish mustard or stone ground mustard.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Here are my other corned beef recipes and Irish inspir ed recipes
Try Slow Cooker Reuben Dip made with store-bought pastrami, Slow Cooker Colcannon Potatoes with gold potatoes and cabbage, or Slow Cooker Corned Beef Hash made from raw corned beef—a breakfast staple.
If corned beef isn’t your thing, Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew is another hearty option, and Beer Bread makes a great side for the meal.
You can make the classic recipe below or try Guinness Corned Beef and Cabbage or Maple Mustard Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day—there are plenty of ways to cook this unique cut of beef.
I will make this for St. Patricks day this year! Very easy recipe, and I plan to do it just as described here. Thanks so much for posting it!
Can this be made in an InstaPot. What would be the time difference?
Perfection -‘ serve with dish if ustard to dip!!!
Another wonderful meal for our family can’t thank you enough. You proved me many options and valuable details that made this meal a success
i did the recipe just as it was written and it was the best ever. i had two helpings! rinsing the beef made all the difference—it’s usually so salty i struggle to finish it but this was perfect. i used a 7oz coronita plus 5oz of water. i did cook the cabbage separately as it never fits: filled a small anyday dish, added a pat of butter, nuked it for 90 seconds, perfect! if you haven’t tried those anyday dishes, you’d be amazed. (the potatoes, carrots, garlic and onions were 8 hours in the crockpot, though, never fear.)
Something I learned the hard way, and you might consider slightly adjusting your recipe. Water or other liquid should cover the meat by at least one inch. If I followed your recipe, part of my corned beef (under water) would be tender and the remaining part (above the water line) would be tough. Pots vary in size, this requirement does not. Just thought you’d like some feedback. Other than the water issue, it is a stellar recipe!
The corned beef creates more liquid, that’s why I don’t add too much more. But it truly doesn’t hurt to add more.
1. You do not rinse corned beef brisket before cooking. You’re just rinsing off flavor.
2. The brisket should be placed on top of veggies. The only exception is cabbage which is added later.
We can agree to disagree, most stove top recipes boil the corned beef to get that saltiness off, so rinsing well is a must. But of course you can do whatever you’de like.
who are you, brian boru? rinising it actually made it edible in one meal for the first time! it was great!
You must be a fan of that salty slime that coats the meat when you take it out of the packaging. Oh well, to each his own.
This is the very best corned beef and cabbage recipe I’ve ever made! I substituted beer for the water. Cooked on low. My husband loved it and we are planning to have Reuben Sandwiches with the corned beef. Thanks so much for the marvelous recipe.