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Slow cooker corned beef is an effortless way to make a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner. Low and slow cooking makes it so juicy and tender, it melts in your mouth.
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What is corned beef?
Corned beef is a salt-cured beef brisket seasoned with a variety of spices that resemble pickling spices. Historically, corned beef was a non-perishable commodity during wartime when fresh meat was rationed, mainly because of its accessible curing process using salt pellets known as corns. In modern day, corned beef brisket is cured in a salt water brine which adds flavor and helps preserve it.
What are the cuts of corned beef?
Whole corned beef brisket consists of point cut and flat cut portions. Point cut has more fat marbling, which falls apart easily after cooking. Flat cut is leaner with less connective tissue, so it stays in tact after slicing. I used point cut in these recipe photos. Both cuts are equally delicious and widely available. Whole brisket can be used but isn't as readily available.
Why you'll love this recipe
- You only need corned beef brisket, a few vegetables, and water (or other liquid).
- Budget-friendly.
- Easy for any cooking level.
- Just load the Crockpot and press a button.
- The slow cooker makes corned beef brisket effortlessly tender, juicy, and delicious.
- It's a classic recipe for St. Patrick's Day that's great any day of the year.
Ingredient notes
- corned beef brisket – Use flat cut, point cut, or whole brisket for this recipe. Also, if your corned beef comes with a seasoning packet, don't discard it unless you have corned beef seasoning on hand.
- garlic cloves - Fresh garlic enhances the flavor and aroma of this dish, so use as much as your heart desires.
- bay leaf - You can leave the leaf whole, which makes it easier to remove later.
- water - Plain water works perfectly for this corned beef recipe, but feel free to substitute your favorite beer or broth in equal amounts.
- carrots – Packaged baby carrots can be used in place of whole carrots, but leave them whole so they don’t overcook.
- potatoes – Any potatoes can be used, but I recommend baby potatoes because they cook efficiently and won't fall apart in the slow cooker.
- green cabbage – Cut the cabbage into 2-inch thick wedges with the core intact so it holds together while cooking.
- (optional) fresh parsley - Use for garnish when serving.
How long to cook corned beef in the Crockpot
I recommend 8 hours minimum on the LOW Crockpot setting. This is because low and slow cooking is required for the connective tissue to break down and tenderize, which is what makes corned beef so juicy and delicious. Here's how to cook corned beef brisket with cabbage and other vegetables using this method.
Slow cooker corned beef step-by-step
Step 1: Set corned beef in the Crockpot. Add seasoning packet contents, garlic, bay leaf, and water or other cooking liquid such as beer or broth. Cover the Crockpot and set it to the LOW heat setting for 6 hours.
Step 2. Place carrots and potatoes next to the corned beef brisket. Arrange cabbage on top of the corned beef. Cover and continue slow cooking for an additional 2 hours, or until the corned beef internal temperature reaches between 180 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer.
Step 3. Transfer the vegetables and corned beef out of the Crockpot and rest 15 minutes under loosely-covered foil. Slice the brisket against the grain.
Step 4. To serve, arrange corned beef with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes on a platter garnished with fresh parsley, next to Irish soda bread, beer bread, or French roll. I recommend using the cooking liquid as au jus when serving the corned beef. Don't forget to make a shamrock shake for the kids!
What temperature to cook corned beef?
Corned beef should reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit for food safety reasons. However, when the brisket reaches a temperature between 180 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit, this allows the connective tissues to tenderize, which results in tender and juicy beef. So, aim for that and use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature.
Recipe tips
- Since ½ pound serving per person is standard and corned beef shrinks when cooked, aim for ⅓ pound per person of uncooked brisket.
- Rinsing corned beef is optional. Doing so will remove the viscous brine, but also removes any added seasonings.
- Please resist the temptation to slow cook corned beef on a HIGH setting. Forced efficiency makes any tough cut of meat the opposite of tender and juicy. Keep it low and slow.
- Bring refrigerated vegetables to room temperature before adding to maintain a consistent slow cooker temperature.
- If the vegetables finish cooking before the beef is ready, transfer them out of the cooker to prevent overcooking.
Recipe variations
- If your corned beef brisket doesn't include seasonings, use a pickling spice as a substitute.
- When substituting water with broth, I recommend using a reduced-sodium option since corned beef is naturally salty.
- You can also make corned beef with beer by simply replacing any amount of water with your favorite beer.
- This pressure cooker recipe gets corned beef on the table in under 2 hours.
What to do with leftovers
Turn corned beef and cabbage leftovers to into a savory corned beef hash breakfast. Or make a scrumptious, deli-style corned beef Reuben sandwich – this is the stuff dreams are made of.
Storage and reheat instructions
To store, allow corned beef and vegetables to cool completely. Refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container or freeze up to 90 days in freezer-safe packaging. Reheat corned beef covered on a medium-heat setting using an oven or microwave. You can also pan-fry leftovers with a splash of olive oil.
Recommended slow cooker dinners
- Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup
- White Bean Chicken Chili
- Whole Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Ham and Beans
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe
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When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Corned Beef Brisket, with seasoning packet
- 3 cups Water, or other cooking liquid
- 5 cloves Garlic, smashed and peeled
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 5 large Carrots, about ½ pound
- 10 small Potatoes, about 2 pounds
- ½ large Green Cabbage Head, cut into 2-inch thick wedges
- (optional) Fresh Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Place CORNED BEEF in the slow cooker with contents of seasoning packet.
- Add WATER (or other cooking liquid), GARLIC, and BAY LEAF to the cooker.
- Cover and set slow cooker on the LOW heat setting for 6 hours.
- Add CARROTS and POTATOES to the cooker next to the brisket. Arrange CABBAGE WEDGES on top of everything.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook an additional 2 hours, or until corned beef reaches an internal temperature between 180 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer.
- Transfer the vegetables and corned beef out of the cooker and rest under loosely covered foil for 15 minutes.
- Slice the brisket against the grain to desired thickness.
- Serve warm corned beef with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Use the cooking juices as au jus for serving.
- To store, allow corned beef and vegetables to cool completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 90 days in freezer-safe packaging.
Recipe Notes
- Rinsing corned beef is optional. Doing so will remove the viscous brine, but also removes any added seasonings.
- Please resist the temptation to slow cook corned beef on a HIGH setting. Forced efficiency makes any tough cut of meat the opposite of tender and juicy. Keep it low and slow.
- Bring refrigerated vegetables to room temperature before adding to help maintain the cooking temperature.
- If the vegetables finish cooking before the beef is ready, transfer them out of the cooker to prevent overcooking.
Dave says
So delicious! and the Reubens after the fact. Shut the front door!
This is one of my favorites, at the moment! LOL
Traci says
Yayyyyy!! I look forward to my Reuben every single time LOL. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! Enjoy!!
Amanda says
I've never enjoyed having to traditionally boil a slab of corned beef in a pot of clove water and the results have always been met with less than subpar excitement - some, even disgust at the thought (despite the slathers of honey desperately offered).
I tried throwing it all in slow cooker, following as per your recipe written here, and I'll never be going back to that simmering pot! We have a re-emergence of corned beef faith! This was tender through and through, and absolutely delicious! A crowd-pleaser! It'll definitely be showing up at my house as a roast regular now! :)Thank you.
Traci says
Hi Amanda, I'm so glad you went for it and loved it as much as we do! You really can't go wrong with classic low and slow Crockpot corned beef. Thanks for the feedback and enjoy!!
Andy says
I was not impressed. This recipe had no flavor. I cooked it for the recommended times and none of the vegetables cooked on time.
Timings and seasoning seem to be way off on this.
Traci says
Hmmmm, I'm not sure what went wrong for you there. This recipe follows standard timing and procedure for classic slow cooker corned beef and cabbage. As for flavor, did your corned beef not include the usual seasoning packet? As for your vegetable outcome, it's possible that your cooker's temperature is off, which would certainly affect the cooking times. If you have further thoughts, I'd love to hear and help troubleshoot with you. Thanks!!
Meg15 says
I would like to cook 2 corned beefs 3.5 and 4lb in one 8qt crock pot later adding potatoes and carrots and cabbage. Would they still cook 8 hrs on low and use two seasoning packets? I thought one packet on each corned beef. Any advice would be appreciated.
Traci says
Hello, yes, you should be able to follow the same instructions and use both seasoning packets. Your cooker might take a while longer to come to temperature with 2 briskets, but once it's fully heated, the timing should be the same. Let me know if I can help you further. Thanks and enjoy!!
Lacinda Mckeehen says
I need to cook a large amount of Corned Beef and Cabbage. I'm feeding 20 plus. Can I cook recipe in a roaster oven and get the same results? Thank You, Lacinda
Traci says
Hiya, I haven't used that method with corned beef, so I can't offer any test kitchen advice. However, I can offer the suggestion you'll want to plan accordingly when buying corned beef because it shrinks up to 50% once cooked. Let me know if I can help you any further. Enjoy!
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; looking forward to serving this again for St. Patrick's Day, indeed!
Traci says
Yay! So glad to hear it 🙂 Sounds like you're doing it up right! Thanks so much. Enjoy!!
Jeff says
I love this meal. It is so hearty and warming in the winter.
Traci says
Awesome! Yes, it really is the perfect winter meal and why I always say it's not for St. Pat's Day only LOL. Thanks so much. Enjoy!
Cara Campbell says
This meal was so cozy and comforting. The beef was absolutely amazing in flavor and texture. Loved it with the cabbage, too - thank you!
Carrie Robinson says
What a great way to make corned beef and cabbage! 🙂 Definitely saving this recipe for St. Patrick's Day next month.
Traci says
Yay! I can't wait to make it again myself 🙂 Thanks so much. Enjoy!
nancy says
wow thanks for posting this corned beef and cabbage recipe. the beef was so tender and juicy. Everyone loved it and really made the busy weeknight meals easy
Traci says
Yay so glad to hear it!! I couldn't agree more about how juicy it is 🙂 Thanks so much!! Enjoy!
Kathi says
Thanks for posting -as I had lost how the amount of time to cook the cornbeef. I do not do boiled cabbage as I find it too greasy - so I make cole slaw instead. Thanks again.
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome 🙂 Glad you found what you were looking for 🙂 Cole slaw is a great idea for corned beef! I think I'll do that next time I make mine. YUM! Thanks for the feedback
JB says
This corned beef and cabbage dinner is a winner and could not be any easier. The bonus, besides juicy corned beef, is the aroma of slow cooking it for hours. Great recipe!