Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage – There’s something undeniably comforting about a plate of corned beef and cabbage. Whether celebrating New Year’s or St. Patrick’s Day, indulging in a nostalgic family meal, or simply craving a hearty dish to warm the soul, this timeless recipe never disappoints.
With its tender, flavorful, salt-cured beef and perfectly cooked vegetables, most corned beef and cabbage recipes are steeped in tradition and brimming with robust flavors. Best of all? The slow cooker makes it insanely easy to make.
This meal can also feed a crowd! After you slice up the beef and dish out the veggies, there’s always plenty to go around. Your family can even go back for seconds…or thirds. 😉
Why Make Corned Beef and Cabbage in a Slow Cooker?
Making corned beef brisket and cabbage in a slow cooker is fantastic! First off, this beef cut benefits from low and slow cooking, effectively tenderizing it.
Second, who doesn’t love a hearty meal that’s almost completely hands-off to make? This dish is a real winner for that. 💯
Ingredient List
- Corned Beef – The most common cut of meat is the brisket, but any tough cut that benefits from curing and slow cooking works fine.
- Seasonings – Onion, garlic, fresh thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and mustard seeds deliver the classic corned beef stew seasonings. These flavor-enhancing herbs and spices also make a great pot roast.
- Beef Broth provides the necessary liquid for slow-cooking your corned beef. Plus, it ramps up that beefy goodness and gives you something delicious to cook the vegetables.
- Vegetables – Red potatoes, carrots, and green cabbage create a traditional British or Irish one-pot meal.
How to Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Prep Beef – Remove the corned beef brisket from its package and rinse it several times under cool water to remove excess salt.
- Load the Slow Cooker – Place corned beef in the slow cooker, then sprinkle with the contents of the spice packets if included.
- Flavor – Add onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and mustard seeds.
- Assemble – Pour beef broth into the slow cooker to cover the corned beef. Add enough water just to cover the meat if needed.
- Cook for 6-7 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low.
- Veggies – Add the potatoes and carrots during the last hour of cooking (if on high) or two hours (if on low). Close the lid and continue cooking.
- Cabbage – Cut the cabbage into wedges and add it during the last 30 minutes of cooking time if on high or the last hour if on low. That will ensure the cabbage cooks but still retains some texture. (Photos 1-2)
- Rest – Once everything is cooked to the desired tenderness, carefully remove the corned beef to a platter and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Serve – Slice it and serve alongside the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
Recipe Variations
- Guinness corned beef and cabbage. Add extra depth of flavor by subbing one cup of beef broth for a bottle of Guinness. 🍺
- Add a mustard sauce. For a rich flavor variation that looks pretty, try serving this dish with a mustard cream sauce drizzled over top. Simply simmer heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and whole-grain mustard until the three ingredients come together.
- Make egg rolls with the leftovers. Shred the corned beef, finely chop the veggies, and season with soy sauce. Then roll the mixture into egg roll wrappers, fry until golden, and serve with dipping sauce. 🤤
- No slow cooker? Cook the corned beef in a Dutch oven on low for 2-3 hours (4-5 hours if at high altitude). Add the potatoes and carrots halfway through, and add the cabbage 30 minutes before done.
Tips and Tricks
- Avoid overcooking vegetables by adding them later in the cooking process. Thirty minutes to an hour should be plenty of time for them to cook tender.
- To thicken the broth, remove some liquid and mix it with a bit of flour or cornstarch to make a slurry. Stir it back into the broth in the slow cooker and simmer until thickened.
- Check for tenderness. The corned beef should be fork-tender when done. If it’s not tender enough, continue cooking in 30-minute increments until it reaches the desired texture.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Make this dish a day or two ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Or freeze it for up to three months.
Reheat thawed corn beef and cabbage in the oven or stovetop with broth on low until heated through. Note: Cooked cabbage that has been frozen will be a little mushy when you reheat it.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve slow cooker corned beef and cabbage hot out of the cooker. Spoon some broth over each serving for added tastiness. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days or freeze them for 2-3 months.
What Goes With Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
For extra veggies, add a side of sauteed Brussels sprouts. This dish also goes great with a dippable loaf of beer bread or Irish soda bread. For dessert, how about homemade Bailey’s Irish cream? 😋
More Sensational Slow Cooker Recipes to Try
By Imma
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Ingredients
- 1 3-4-pound (1.3-2kg) corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2-3 bay leaves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon (6g) peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons (6g) allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon (6g) mustard seeds
- 5-6 cups (1.1-1.5L) beef broth
- 2 pounds (900g) small red potatoes
- 1½ pounds (680g) carrots
- 1 large head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
Instructions
- Remove the corned beef from its package and rinse it several times under cool water to remove excess salt.
- Place corned beef in the slow cooker, then sprinkle with the contents of the spice packets if included.
- Add onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and mustard seeds.
- Pour beef broth into the slow cooker to cover the corned beef. Add water to completely submerge the meat if needed.
- Cook for 6-7 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low.
- Add the carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking (if on high) or two hours (if on low). Close the lid and continue cooking.
- Cut the cabbage into wedges and add them to the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking if on high or the last hour if on low. That will ensure the cabbage cooks but still retains some texture.
- Once everything is cooked to the desired tenderness, carefully remove the corned beef to a platter and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Then, slice it and serve alongside the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
Tips & Notes:
- To avoid overcooking vegetables and making them too soft, add them later in the cooking process as specified.
- To thicken the broth, remove some liquid towards the end of cooking, mix it with a bit of flour or cornstarch to make a slurry, and stir it back into the broth in the slow cooker.
- Check for tenderness. The corned beef should be fork-tender when done. If it’s not tender enough, continue cooking in 30-minute increments until it reaches the desired texture.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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