This slow cooker corned beef and cabbage features fork-tender, fall-apart chunks of beef thanks to braising with beer and vegetables for an unbelievably delicious one-pot dinner.
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“Made this today, so easy and turned out perfectly tender and delicious!! Followed your thorough directions, except subbed three-quarter bottle of beer for some of the beef broth. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing!” -Doree, FoodieCrush reader
The Corned Beef Recipe I Keep Turning to After All These Years
Each spring as the pansies peek through the snow and college basketball’s March Madness plays through the weekends, slow cooked corned beef and cabbage is the highlight of our spring menu, particularly on St. Patrick’s Day.
I’ve made my corned beef and cabbage so many different ways over the years — cooking it on the stovetop or in the oven. But the method I always come back to is tossing everything in the slow cooker for one of the simplest dinners you’ll make all year.
This easy corned beef and cabbage with potatoes, carrots, and a tangy horseradish sauce for dipping takes all of 5-10 minutes of prep and 4-5 hours in the slow cooker. (Or, make it in the Instant Pot pressure cooker and it’s done in just about 1 hour 30 minutes.) The ease of making this meal is why I’ll cook a whole corned beef just so I can make my favorite Reuben sandwiches.
Corned beef and cabbage. It’s how we do March around here.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Corned beef usually comes with its own spice packet included. If your spice packet feels a little skimpy, feel free to make your own pickling spice, or add an extra teaspoon or more of coriander seeds and allspice and another bay leaf or two to the whole deal once you’ve popped it into the slow cooker. Or, you can always brine your corned beef yourself (here’s a recipe for that) but in my opinion, that’s simply taking the ease right out of this slow cooker corned beef recipe.
Cook the veggies with the corned beef for more flavor, except for the cabbage. Because of its delicate nature, add the cabbage in the last 45 minutes to an hour of cooking time. You could also add the potatoes at the 3-hour mark if you like a firmer potato.
Don’t overcook the potatoes. The only part of this cooking cautionary tale is I would recommend removing the vegetables from the slow cooker at about 4 hours so they don’t turn into mush, then returning them when you add the cabbage to the cooker. The result is a fall-apart tender chunk piece of corned beef.
The Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Corned beef — You’ll need a 3- to 4-pound corned beef round (leaner) or brisket (fattier), plus the seasoning packet it comes with.
- Vegetables — I keep things simple yet hearty by using a mix of carrots, onion, and potatoes (I recommend small red or purple potatoes).
- Beer — A brown ale or lager works great, but even Bud Light will do.
- Fresh thyme — For some earthiness.
- Head of cabbage — You’ll want to cut the cabbage into wedges or else it will fall apart in the braising liquid.
- Sour cream + prepared horseradish — Creates a super simple yet delicious dipping sauce for the corned beef.
Heidi’s Tip: If beer isn’t your thing, simply cover the beef and veggies with 16 ounces or so of cold water or beef broth and let the stewing begin. The spices should flavor it all well enough. Or, you can always go half and half water/broth to beer. It’s totally your choice.
How to Cook Corned Beef and Cabbage in the Slow Cooker
- Arrange everything in the slow cooker. I always place the veggies into the bottom, then top with the corned beef (fat side up). Then, sprinkle in the pickling spices, thyme, and top with beer.
- Cook until tender. Many recipes recommend you cook the brisket for 4 to 4 ½ hours on high in the slow cooker. While these will be mostly tender, the meat is still pretty solid and doesn’t shred easily. So, if you’re like me and want that fall-apart texture, cook longer to make it more tender.
- Add the cabbage. Place the cabbage on top of the beef and continue cooking for 1 more hour until the cabbage is tender.
FAQs
Corned beef is made with beef round (leaner) or beef brisket (fattier) that has been preserved through salt-curing. This preservation method goes back forever and is especially popular in Irish and Jewish cuisine. Herbs and pickling spices are added to the beef and then slowly cooked making it flavorful and tender.
Traditionally served in the U.S. each and every St. Patrick’s Day, you won’t likely find it served at the local pub in Ireland, but it IS Irish-American.
You’ll want to purchase either a corned beef round or corned beef brisket for this easy slow cooker recipe.
Corned beef is usually offered in two cuts: beef round and beef brisket. Brisket comes from the front of the cow and round is from the back. Because these beef muscles are used most often, both cuts are relatively tough unless cooked low and slow. That’s what makes corned beef the perfect slow cooker meal.
Beef brisket cuts into more shreddy pieces with lots of juicy flavors while beef round cuts into more uniform slices that don’t fall apart. I’ve made corned beef with both cuts of beef with different results. So, which cut of corned beef is best?
Beef brisket has more marbling and fat which makes this corned beef juicy, fall apart-tender, and delicious. Brisket is offered in a point or flat cut. The flat cut has a generous fat cap on top of the meat that melts flavor into the meat as it cooks. The point cut has lots of fat and connective tissue for loads of flavor, but not as much meat.
If you prefer a leaner corned beef, go with the round cut. It’s leaner with far less marbling. But just like the meat of any kind with less fat and collagen, this cut won’t have quite the flavor and won’t be as juicy as beef brisket.
-When choosing your package of corned beef, remember it will shrink by about one-third when cooked.
-Look for an uncured corned beef round that has had no nitrates or nitrites added, which could have potential carcinogenic effects.
-I usually buy a 3 to a 4-pound piece of the pre-brined point-cut beef that handily serves 4 for dinner with enough leftovers for Reuben sandwiches.
-Like any meat, cut your corned beef against the grain for the best slices.
Yes! I rinse my corned beef before cooking to get rid of the brining solution and so the broth doesn’t get too salty.
You’ll need to cook your 3- to 4-pound corned beef for 10 to 12 hours on low. You can also cook it on high for around 6 hours, but cooking it on low ensures super tender, fall off the bone corned beef.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe (Instant Pot Option)
Ingredients
- 3 carrots , peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion , peeled and quartered
- ½ pound small potatoes , halved
- 1 corned beef brisket , (about 3-4 pounds), plus pickling spice packet or 1 tablespoon pickling spice
- 2 (8 to 12-ounce) beers , (I prefer ale or lagers)
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ head cabbage , cut into 1 ½-inch wedges
Horseradish Sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3-4 tablespoons prepared horseradish , to taste
Instructions
To Cook in the Slow Cooker:
- In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, place the carrots, onion and potatoes. Place corned beef, fat-side up, on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with pickling spice. Pour the beers over the vegetables and brisket. Sprinkle with the sprigs of fresh thyme. Cover and cook on high until corned beef is tender, 5-6 hours or 10-12 hours on low.
- Arrange cabbage over corned beef, cover, and continue cooking until cabbage is tender, 45 min to 1 hour (or 1 ½ to 2 hours on low). Thinly slice the corned beef against the grain and serve with the vegetables and cooking liquid with the horseradish sauce.
To Cook in the Instant Pot:
- Cut the corned beef into 2-3 chunks so it cooks faster and more evenly. Add to the insert of a 6 quart Instant Pot with the fat cap up. Layer with the onion, spices, thyme and beer. Cook on HIGH pressure for 90 minutes then do a quick release.
- Add the potatoes, carrots and cabbage to the insert, close, and set to HIGH pressure for another 5 minutes. Natural release for 5 minutes, cut, and serve.
For the Horseradish Sauce:
- Mix the sour cream and horseradish together in a small bowl. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
What to Serve With Corned Beef and Cabbage
More Irish Recipes to Make
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Laurie
This was DELICIOUS!!! So much good flavor! We used 2 Shock top Pumpkin wheat ales (24 oz). Your tips for the vegetables made them perfect! Thank you!
Zaira
I’m making this today for St Patty’s! The crockpot is already making its magic,
Salomon
This is so close to my recipe that I know it has to be delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Tally
Oh yum! thanks
Evita
I made this today and wish I wouldn’t have used the ale, it gave the carrots a weird taste and my brisket looked brown not pink. The best part was the horseradish sauce. Won’t be using this recipe again. Sorry!
Too bad you didn’t like it Evita. Not sure why your brisket turned out pink, the ale must have been stronger than the one I used. You could try with a regular Bud Light for a lighter taste.
Stephanie
I’m making this today for St Patty’s! The crockpot is already making its magic, but just hoped for some clarification one point. Do you cook the meat for 5-6 hours, THEN put the cabbage in and cook it for ANOTHER 45 min -1 hour? Just want to be sure I have the timing right. Thanks!
That’s how I do it Stephanie. Keep an eye on your cabbage and cook it til it’s done to your preference.
Annalise @ Completely Delicious
Putting this in the slow cooker right now! So excited! xoxoxo
Stacey
Just tossed this all in the crockpot. Followed your recipe but with beer/water. Can’t wait to eat it after work tonight!!
Courtney
What could you use in place of the beer?
Stacey
Water or water/broth combo would be ok.
fenia tsukalas
how do you make corn beef and cabbage the regular way and not with a slow cooker?
Hi Fenia, you could cook it in a dutch oven on the stove-top for 3-4 hours over medium-low heat. No need to brown, just toss the meat in with the veggies then add the cabbage in the last hour or 45 minutes of cooking.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love that you douse your corn beef in beer, this looks so good!
Lori @ RecipeGirl
This sounds incredible. I’m loving your slow cooker method for this must- have dinner!
Gaby Dalkin
I love the recipes with such great stories behind them that we still love and this one is a classic!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
I’ve actually never made corned beef and I had in my head that it was something super labor intensive. But crock pot to the rescue. Hooray! This sounds fabulous, Heidi. I’ll take two servings and skip the green beer this year (I’ll just have regular beer instead!).
Letty / Letty's Kitchen
My Mom always made corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day. This brings back memories. Oh yes, and memories of drinking too much green beer at an Irish bar in Denver. (I camped on my knees in a ladies bathroom stall if you know what I mean. yuk)
Lisa
Corned beef is definitely something I love to eat but have never attempted to cook it at home. I love that this all comes together so easily in the slow cooker. How fun it must have been to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your friends during college!
becky
Seriously, why have I never made corned beef? I always think about it around this time of year but then I don’t get around to it. Yours looks perfect and if college Heidi can do it so can I :)
marcie
I look forward to corned beef every March, and I’ve found making it in the slow cooker to be my favorite way as well (with beer too). :) I love savoy cabbage and all the veggie goodness you’ve packed in here — this is corned beef and cabbage perfection!
Kari
Yum! What a fun and easy (thank you crockpot) St. Patty’s Day dinner.
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Del
I have corned beef every St. Patricks day (week) – love it! I also have it in the fall. I’ve done different cooking methods also but I’ve never added beer – it gets drank! lol I might let some go in the crock pot this year. This is so close to my recipe that I know it has to be delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Heather
I’m defrosting the brisket now. Thanks!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain
Whoa! I am glad I wasn’t the only green beer drinker in college. Also, I so wish I had a plate of this gorgeous corned beef in front me. Bookmarked to make during Spring Break next week!
BBJCHA
Boy, does this ever look good. Many thanks!
Aimee Wimbush-Bourque
This has to be one of the prettiest slow-cooker meals I’ve ever seen. Inspiring!
Emily @ Life on Food
Oh this looks so good. Corn beef is not my favorite but come March it is a must. I haven’t tried making it with beer before. Seems like a good addition to try come my annual crock pot cooking session.
Jenna Sayman
Seriously, why have I never made corned beef? I always think about it around this time of year but then I don’t get around to it. Yours looks perfect and if college Heidi can do it so can I :)