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.
The slow cooker is the BEST and EASIEST way to make corned beef! You can make this classic recipe below or my Guinness or Maple Mustard Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day.
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 cuts of corned beef; point cut or flat cut.
- Flat cut – easier to slice evenly (pictured below)
- Point cut – can have more marbling but usually not uniform in size.
Recipe Ingredients
- Corned Beef – Flat cut or point cut, be sure to save the spice packet that comes with it!
- Onions – Onions aren’t tradionally added to corned beef but adds SO much flavor.
- Potatoes – I use a mixture of baby red and gold potatoes
- Carrots – Whole carrots, peeled and sliced thick
- Garlic cloves (not pictured)- 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.
Step-by Step-Directions
Step One – Add the onions to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step Two – Add the corned beef and seasoning packet.
Step Three – Add the carrots, potatoes, and garlic; you can peel the potatoes if you prefer. Add the water.
Step Four – You can add the cabbage now or add it during the last two hours of cooking. If you add now, the cabbage will be ultra-tender.
Step Five – Cook on HIGH For five hours or LOW for 8 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
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
- Ginger ale – see this recipe from Just a Pinch
- Add the brine – If you want more salty flavor, add the brine from the packaging.
When do I add the cabbage?
- Everyone has their own preference for how long to cook cabbage in the slow cooker. In the video in the recipe card, I add the cabbage during the last 2 hours. I think that is a perfect amount of time for anyone who is cooking corned beef and cabbage for the first time to try.
- You can add the cabbage at any point. If you want it ultra tender add it at the beginning. If you want it crisp, add during the last hour.
What can I do to make this low carb?
Corned beef is low carb. Just be conscious of what else you add to the pot.
- Use water for the liquid (don’t use beer or other high carb liquid)
- Omit the potatoes and use celery or cauliflower instead.
Can I add brown sugar to this recipe?
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.
How do I serve crock pot corned beef and cabbage?
- Slice the meat against the grain.
- If desired, drizzle melted butter over the potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve with horseradish or stone-ground mustard.
Leftover ideas:
- Reuben Sandwiches
- Corned Beef Hash – by Dinner, Then Dessert
- Leftover Corned Beef Breakfast Sandwiches – by From Valerie’s Kitchen
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Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe
Equipment Needed:
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.
- Add the corned beef 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 and slice into strips.
- Serve the meat with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
- Drizzle melted butter over the potatoes if desired. Serve with horseradish mustard or stone ground mustard.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Flat cut – easier to slice evenly (pictured below)
- Point cut – can have more marbling but usually not uniform in size.
- Both are great in this recipe. I usually choose whichever is cheaper.
- Beer – such as Guinness
- Beef or chicken broth
- Ginger ale
- Add the brine – If you want more salty flavor, add the brine from the packaging.
- Use water for the liquid (don’t use beer or other high carb liquid)
- Omit the potatoes and use celery or cauliflower instead.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I love this recipe, and I definitely like it tender and medium rare. Half is for eating as is, the rest of the Corned Beef is perfect(!) for Reubens If it gets overcooked…ugh.
Excellent recipe for corn beef & cabbage! Easy instructions , perfectly cooked every time ! Every one is happy and asks for seconds .
Ok great recipe. I make a few changes though. I use low sodium broth (beef or vegetable). I put the cabbage in the last 1hr -30mins. Longer than 1hr and they’re way too mushy. I also shred the meat, not slice it and add it back into the crock pot (slow cooker) then mix it in with everything else. Use a strained ladle to serve in a bowl. Also, if you can’t get it with the seasoning packet, you can Google the spices used and make it yourself. Personally I don’t like whole peppercorns in mine so I tend to make the packet myself as follows:
2 tsp. Finely ground peppercorn
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp crushed dry bay leaves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp anise seeds
Hope this helps someone.
i will never make corned beef another way again. this turned out perfectly. i cooked mine on high for about 4.5 hours and it was delish, tender corned beef and the veggies were to die for. i opted for homemade coleslaw instead of cabbage cause that’s what i had and it made it more of a springtime meal than a winter one. i HIGHLY recommend a try!!!
Trying it for the first time only because my boyfriend accidentally got corned beef brisket instead of beef brisket so far going well just put it in the slow cooker so now I just wait, it’s a very easy recipe, in my younger years I brought canned corn beef and absolutely loved it on my lunch sandwiches so I know for sure I’m going to love it with the potatoes carrots and cabbage
I did the corned beef in a slow cooker on high for the first 5 hours in Guinness beer, onion and garlic clove. Then one more hour under pressure, I use a Ninja Instant Pot for both. I add the cabbage, carrots and potatoes and pressure cook another 30 minutes and it turned out awesome! I used point cut today, last time was a flat cut.
Hi,you list many nutritional values, but what is the serving size for such values?
I do not have measurements. I apologize.
What happens when you put the corned beef on top of all the vegetables
About the same! The liquid usually boils up over where ever you put that vegetables.
I cooked a 4 lb corned beef w veggies for almost 9 hrs but it came our tough and hard to cut. I love the slow cooker I think I’m just a lousy cook.
Did you add enough liquid? I usually add about 1 to11/2 chps of water (use that to rinse out the package liquid into the crockpot). Lack of liquid is usually the cause of dry ANYTHING! Don’t give up. Keep trying and looking for hints. If I could teach my husband to cook, ANYBODY can learn!
I assume it got cooked to long, remember corned beef is always pink cook on low for 6-hours then put your cabbage in for the final two hours, I also am trying this for the first time and going exactly what the recipe says get flat cut corned beef
Did you cook it on low or high? You definitely want to cook it on LOW. If you cooked it on high, after 9 hrs, it would be like shoe leather. Always, always, always cook it on low. I’ve got a 4.34 lb brisket that I literally just put on and I’m gonna check it in about 7 1/2 hrs; however, I’ll add my potatoes in about 2 hrs. I’ve made enough of these that I know when to add the cabbage. I make it at least once a month. And if by chance the cabbage goes in later than planned, I’ll take the brisket out and let it rest while the cabbage finishes cooking. That takes no time to cook. And don’t forget the Rye bread. Preferably Jewish Rye but Pumpernickel will work Hope this helps. Happy Eating!.
i have to disagree with the timing, amd say the brisket can take as long as a roast in a crockpot, 6-8 hrs on high if u like it tender, potatoes and carrots can go in the last 2 hours and the cabbage only took 30 minutes to bocome soft, so maybe 1 hour, your recipe shows the veggies going in at the start with makes them mash…maybe the briskett will be ok but the veggies i like to be in whole pieces,,,carrots al dente
You don’t get seasoning with corned beef here in Australia just the corned beef on its own but my god that looks yummy I will try this soon when I purchase a slow cooker
Instead of slicing, the beef should be pulled, imo. Much more aesthetically pleasing. Slicing it makes it look like a cold cut.
Loved it.
Excellent recipe! Made in a Crock Pot is the best way to cook Corned Beef! Yes, add a whole Garlic head after peeling and smashing. Cook on LOW heat for 6 to 8 hours and don’t open the lid until your ready to add the Cabbage! Definitely add the Cabbage late in the cooking process, two hours before the beef is done cooking is probably too much time as the Cabbage could turn out too soft, bordering on mushy and you don’t want that!
What would be the best time to add the cabbage if 2 hours is too long
30mins – 1hr, depending on how soft or firm you like your cabbage cooked.
It’s perfect. When I serve it I put carrots and potatoes together and drizzle with butter. Then cabbage in another drizzled with butter.