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. If you love cabbage try my cabbage, potatoes and kielbasa recipe.
Though this meal is great as is, leftovers are great in a Rueben sandwich. None of the meat will go to waste, trust me.
Slow Cooker Guinness Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 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
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.
I made this exactly as written – and it was absolutely delicious. I used the red potatoes – not real small and they were done perfectly. I did not have room in my crockpot for the cabbage so I just roasted the wedges in the oven and problem solved. This will be the only way I do corned beef and cabbage from now on – Thank you Thank you!!
Made this last night, was so good. The brown sugar gives it a nice sweet flavor. The corned beef was so tender that it shreds when cutting, it’s always a hard meat to cut to make it look like a professional, but who cares. Delicious
Doubled it used lil red potatoes and baby carrots. It was awesome. Corned beef was soooo tender and all the veggies just soaked up that flavor. This recipe is a keeper!
Do you go fat side up or fat side down? I didn’t coat the crock pot with oil or anything. Do I need to take it all out and restart?
I just put in grade B maple syrup instead of the brown sugar. Stoked for the results!
Either way is fine! I think I did fat side down. No oil needed for the crock pot.
I’m starting too late! Can I use the higher temp tp shorten the cooking time or should I try the instapot
You may get away with 4-5 hours on high the potatoes take the longest.
How’d it turn out on higher temp/shorter time? Started mine at 1:30p. Hoping it’s done by 6p-ish.
I have made this 3 years in a row and today I have 2 crock pots going with it! My husband absolutely loves it! Making Irish Soda Bread later this evening to serve to family with it.
I’m trying this recipe now but only have russet potatoes as the store is out of everything. Will I need to peel the skin off? Should I cut them in halves? Quarters? Thank you.
Hi Danielle. If it was me I would scrub them, leave the skins on and probably cut them in thirds. But there really is no wrong answer!
Thanks for the recipe. I’m about to try it out but I’m swapping out the Guinness for a chocolate stout. Fingers crossed
I love the idea of hands off for 8hours. Have time for making the Irish soda bread and setting the perfect table, before the family gathers.
I like a little sauce/soupy. Would adding water be okay?
Yeah, that’s fine!
It’s on 10 hours at low, cabbage in last 2 hours, still not done, potatoes are hard
Your slow cooker must not be cooking properly. May be time for a new one.
No kidding!1. Impossible for it not to be done after 10 hours!
I wonder why people decide to make a recipe and then change the ingredients and expect the same result….
What is the difference between ‘Point Cut” and “Flat Cut”. The one I just bought says Point.
Point cut is the larger fattier part of the brisket. Usually corned beef/pastrami is done with the leaner flat but yours will be really rich. Points are usually turned into burnt ends for bbq brisket cook time may be slightly longer depending on the weight but your final product will be incredibly flavorful.
Does it have to be extra stout beer
No! Any will work.
Don’t use extra stout way too bitter. I made that mistake last year.
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.
Do you have to use the brown sugar?
No, will be fine without.
Delicious the only way to go, no standing by the stove. Thanks for the recipe.
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?
Do you pierce the potatoes before putting them in the crock pot or are they good to go as is?
No need to pierce.
I have always put the vegetables in the bottom with the meat on top. That’s what the directions for my crockpot says to do.
I wondered about that also. With others I’ve always had veggies on the bottom and they soak up all the meat flavored goodness. I think I may make this recipe as is with the only change being veggies in first (following cooker instructions).