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.
- 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 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.
Its 5 stars based on the recipe and…comments! I followed a couple commenters twists: Turned out really well.
I had a Trader Joe’s corned beef that comes coated with spices…not a spice packet. Placed that right in the crock pot on top of thinly sliced onions. Added water to just beneath the top of the corned beef. Added in the garlic and some pickling spice on top of the corned beef. Set the timer for 8 hours. And let it cook.
At the five hour mark, I added halfed yukon gold potatoes.
At the 6 hour mark, I added in pre-washed and peeled baby carrots and wedges of cabbage.
Best Ever! And, so dang easy.
Best corned beef recipe evah!
I’ve never even bought a corned beef before and have never cooked a New England boiled dinner before, so I searched for a good tecipe online and found this!
This slow cooker recipe allows enough cook time for the corned beef to tenderize and absorb all the flavors from the Guinness. I put all the ingredients in at the start and the meat and veggies all came out perfectly..even the cabbage!
Thank you — I will use this recipe on the future!
Can I make corned beef without vegetables?
Yes! You may want to cook it in beer or beef broth instead of water for more flavor.
Ever done Brussel sprouts instead of cabbage?
I have not tried that! It may be good.
I cooked this recipe but I added some seasonings oregano, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and crushed red peppers. I thought that I got these seasonings from this recipe but I don’t see them on here I also used 1 1/2cup beef broth. Anyway it was a big hit we had 3 different crock pots full of corned beef and cabbage mine was all gone! Thank you for sharing this recipe it also was the 1st time I ever made corned beef and cabbage, I’m from Texas, we love our brisket so we don’t make this dish that much.
I’ve cooked my corned beef in the crock pot for years, but always like seeing how other people do theirs; I always seem to pick up great tips, and gentle reminders of tried and true methods! Love your recipe here….I’ve pretty much done it like yours for a long time now; the corned beef is tender, and I also don’t add my cabbage till the last hour and half. My add on here is to add pickling spice to the corned beef. Seems there’s never enough in that little packet that comes with it, and the extra spice gives it more flavor through the whole cooking.
Great tips, thank you!