This Slow Cooker Guinness Corned Beef and Cabbage has the classic corned beef flavor and made even better with beer!
It’s that time of year again! St. Patrick’s day is just weeks away and I have a wonderful recipe for you! As a blogger my family gets to celebrate holidays early, so I can get recipes out to you before the holiday happens. This dinner turned out amazing! I add Guinness beer and brown sugar to my usual corned beef recipe, this is the way I plan to cook corned beef from now on. The beer flavor is not strong after cooking all day, just a nice hint of beer flavor that blends well with the beef.
I decided to try adding the cabbage during the last 2 hours this time, it turned out perfect. In fact I couldn’t stop eating just the cabbage. I see more cabbage recipes coming on the blog soon.
Though this meal is great as is, leftovers are great in a Rueben sandwich. None of the meat will go to waste, trust me.
Below is my YouTube video about how to make this Slow Cooker Guinness Corned Beef and Cabbage. You can follow me on YouTube, here.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb. flat cut corned beef brisket
- 1 seasoning packet from above roast
- 12 oz. Guinness Beer (I use bottled extra stout)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 carrots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 head cabbage, cut into slices
Slow Cooker Size:
- 6 quart or larger
Instructions
- Add the corned beef to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the seasoning packet that came with the roast. Sprinkle over the brown sugar. Add the potatoes, carrots, garlic and bay leaf on top of the roast. Pour over the beer.
- Add the lid to the slow cooker. The total cooking time is 8 hours on low. You can choose when to add your cabbage. I put my cabbage in at the 6 hour mark and cooked for the remaining 2 hours, that's how I like it. Some like to add it at the beginning, and some at the last 30 minutes.
- Serve by removing the veggies and removing the corned beef on to a cutting board. Cut the corned beef into slices and serve with the veggies.
Notes
Nutrition
You may also like: Slow Cooker Chuck Wagon Chili
Assuming the beer goes in at the beginning?
Yes, thank you.
What is the name of the seasoning packet to use? Thanks.
It’s a standard packet that comes in with the corned beef.
Picking spice
what size meat for 4 quart slow cooker . what time for high setting
Here in Australia, we don’t get the seasoning pkt with the corned beef. What is a good substitute.
I’ve been looking online and haven’t found many recipes that are similar. This recipe I found is large, so I would just do a bit of each item. Mustard seeds seem to be the main ingredient in the packets I’ve seen. https://www.spice-mixes.com/corned-beef-spices.html
I add pickling spice as well.
A corned beef seasoning packet contains a mixture of whole pickling spices such as allspice, coriander, mustard seed, pepper, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, ginger, dill seed and fennel seed. For an extra bit of taste, I like to add some minced garlic, and chopped onion.
Those who don’t buy alcohol—maybe sparkling cider and leave out the brown sugar?
That is my ?,what to use instead of beer?? That’s a heck of a lot of sodium.
I use beef broth and it always comes out good.
The alcohol cooks off over 8 hours. No worries.
There are also alcohol free beers on the market.
USE WATER!!! Thats what most use!
You can use water, but beer adds flavor. 🙂
Is the corned beef premade that your buying or is it just a brisket?
It’s labeled corned beef, so yes, premade.
That looks amazing! I just happen to have guinness, corned beef, AND a bag of yukon golds! I know what we’re having this weekend!
is the cooking time the same for a 4-5# corned beef brisket?
Should be the same.
Can you peel the potatoes or will they be to soft?
I think they may get too soft.
Thanks for the video. Very helpful
Can I use Bud Light?
That would work fine. That’s the beer I use in my other recipes and turns out great.
Can’t find the Guinness beer. What other kind can I use?
Any beer would be fine. As long as it’s not a flavored beer (like pumpkin)
I used Dos Equis (dos ekkies) XX a Mexican Beer since I couldn’t find Guinness either.
Is the slow cooker on high or low?
Low
Do you add any water at all
no
I am making it right now,I’m using red potatoes . do you think it will be the same? I’ve had it in the crock pot for for 3 hrs so far and the potatoes are still hard!!
Yes, they will be fine. Keep the lid on for best results.
Is a pie cut brisket ok?
I’ve never seen that cut, is it cubed?
What’s the coming time on high?
I would do 4 hours on high
Does it end up with a beer taste?
Do you use red or grey corned beef? How many tablespoons or flavor packet?
It’s the red kind. And I used the entire flavor packet, it’s probably about 2 teaspoons.
It reading these comments my question is “Do any of these people actually READ the recipe?” i.e High or low, when to add the beer, flavor packet. It states it right in the recipe. READ PEOPLE.
Does anyone add onion?
I do for extra flavor.
I’m making it right now but I’m using red potatoes and it’s been cooking for about 3 hours and the potatoes are still hard. Will they soften up later or should I cut them in half?
Delicious the only way to go, no standing by the stove. Thanks for the recipe.
Do you have to use the brown sugar?
No, will be fine without.
I’ve never made corned beef before. The one I purchased is in a sealed package of water. Do you rinse it before putting it in the crock pot?
I would, or pat it down before adding to the slow cooker.