I’m sharing my Crock Pot Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day, a super-easy traditional slow-cooker meal with potatoes, carrots and cabbage that makes great leftovers.

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I never thought a Crock Pot Corned Beef could make me this curious, but here we are. The sight of corned beef brisket with spice packet nestled beside wedges of small head green cabbage makes my mouth decide faster than my brain.

The whole thing smells like a trip to an Irish kitchen you didn’t know you needed. I can’t stop thinking about that first bite.

It’s the kind of Boiled Dinner that keeps secrets, leftovers taste even better, and honestly I’ve ruined other dinners trying to copy this, so yeah, you’re gonna want to try it.

Ingredients

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Corned beef brisket: Protein rich, salty and fatty; great iron and B12 but high in sodium from curing.
Cabbage: Crunchy, low calorie, tons of vitamin C and K, adds sweet, mellow flavor and fiber.
Red or baby potatoes: Starchy carbs for energy, potassium rich, filling, soaks up the broth and seasonings.
Carrots: Sweet, colorful, full of beta carotene for vitamin A, adds fiber and subtle sweetness.
Onion: Adds savory depth, has antioxidants, becomes sweet when cooked, low calorie and aromatic.
Garlic: Pungent and savory, contains immune friendly compounds, small amount gives big flavor boost.
Beef broth: Savory liquid backbone, adds meaty depth and minerals, hydrates the pot, can be salty.

Ingredient Quantities

1 (3 to 4 lb) corned beef brisket with spice packet, if included

1 large onion peeled and quartered

4 large carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

8 small red or baby potatoes halved

1 small head green cabbage (about 1.5 to 2 lb) cut into wedges

3 cups beef broth or water

3 cloves garlic smashed

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar optional

How to Make this

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1. Rinse the corned beef brisket under cold water and pat dry; put it in the crock pot fat side up and sprinkle the meat with the spice packet if it came with one.

2. Tuck the quartered onion and the 3 smashed garlic cloves around the brisket. Add the 2 bay leaves and the 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns.

3. If you like a touch of sweetness sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top.

4. Pour in 3 cups beef broth or water so the liquid comes about halfway up the brisket. This helps keep it moist without diluting flavor.

5. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Fat side up will baste the meat while it cooks.

6. About 3 hours before the end of cooking add the carrots and halved baby potatoes around the brisket so they cook through but dont turn to mush.

7. About 1 hour before it’s done nestle the cabbage wedges into the crock pot on top of the veggies so they steam and get tender but still hold shape.

8. When everything is tender remove the brisket to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes; discard the bay leaves.

9. Slice the brisket thinly against the grain, serve with the carrots, potatoes and cabbage, and ladle some of the cooking liquid over everything or reduce the liquid on the stove to make a sauce.

10. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, serve with mustard or horseradish if you want, and save leftovers in the cooking liquid for extra juicy reheats.

Equipment Needed

1. 6 to 7 quart slow cooker or crock pot, the bigger the better
2. Large cutting board
3. Sharp chef’s knife for the brisket and veggies
4. Vegetable peeler for the carrots
5. Tongs or a slotted spoon to lift the meat and veggies
6. Liquid measuring cup (you’ll need about 3 cups)
7. Ladle for serving or skimming cooking liquid
8. Aluminum foil to tent the rested brisket, dont skip it
9. Instant read thermometer optional, if you like to check doneness

FAQ

Q: How long should I cook a 3 to 4 lb corned beef in the crock pot?

A: Cook on LOW for about 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The meat is ready when fork tender, but if you want exact safety numbers aim for an internal temp around 145F then rest it 10 minutes, though longer slow cooking makes it more tender.

Q: When do I add the potatoes carrots and cabbage so they dont get mushy?

A: Add the carrots and potatoes about 2 to 3 hours before done, and add the cabbage in the last 45 to 60 minutes. That keeps them tender but not falling apart.

Q: Can I use water instead of beef broth?

A: Yes you can, water works fine, but beef broth adds deeper flavor. If you only have water add a splash of Worcestershire or a bouillon cube for more taste.

Q: What do I do with the spice packet that comes with the corned beef?

A: Toss the packet in the pot with the bay leaves peppercorns and garlic. If it doesnt have one, sprinkle in the peppercorns and any pickling spices you like.

Q: How should I slice the corned beef for serving?

A: Let the brisket rest 10 to 15 minutes then slice thinly against the grain. Slicing against the grain gives you tender pieces, slicing with the grain makes it chewy.

Q: How do I store and reheat leftovers?

A: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the oven at 300F covered with a little broth, or in the slow cooker on low so it stays moist.

Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Corned beef brisket: pastrami (same cured beef but smoked, cooks a bit faster); beef chuck or round roast (similar texture, great for slow cooking); bone-in brisket (richer flavor, just add more cook time)
Small red or baby potatoes: Yukon Gold or fingerlings (same waxy texture); russets (cut larger so they dont fall apart); sweet potatoes (for a sweeter, earthier twist)
Green cabbage: savoy or napa cabbage (more tender leaves); kale or collard greens (hearty, add later so they dont overcook); Brussels sprouts (halved, roast-like bite)
Beef broth or water: chicken or vegetable broth (lighter, still savory); diluted stout or beer (for an Irish-style depth, use half beer half water); beef bouillon or stock concentrate (easy pantry swap)

Pro Tips

1) Sear the brisket quick on the stove before it hits the crock pot. Pat it dry, get a hot skillet and brown the fat side and edges for 2 to 3 minutes. It adds real flavor, and you can trim off just the excess fat so it wont be greasy but still bastes itself while cooking.

2) Think about veggie placement and size so nothing turns to mush. Bigger chunks of carrot and whole small potatoes will hold up better if you want texture, and tuck root veg under or around the meat so they soak up flavor. Put the cabbage in only near the end, otherwise it turns to sad, soggy leaves.

3) Rescue and upgrade the cooking liquid into a sauce. When the meat’s done take it out, skim off fat, strain the broth and simmer it down to concentrate flavor. Whisk in a spoon of mustard or a pat of butter to finish, or thicken with a cornstarch slurry if you want gravy.

4) Rest, slice and store right. Let the brisket rest 10 minutes and always slice against the grain otherwise it’ll be tough. Save leftover slices in some of the cooking liquid for reheats, heat gently so it stays juicy not rubbery.

Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Crock Pot Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day, a super-easy traditional slow-cooker meal with potatoes, carrots and cabbage that makes great leftovers.

Servings

servings

Calories

840

kcal

Equipment: 1. 6 to 7 quart slow cooker or crock pot, the bigger the better
2. Large cutting board
3. Sharp chef’s knife for the brisket and veggies
4. Vegetable peeler for the carrots
5. Tongs or a slotted spoon to lift the meat and veggies
6. Liquid measuring cup (you’ll need about 3 cups)
7. Ladle for serving or skimming cooking liquid
8. Aluminum foil to tent the rested brisket, dont skip it
9. Instant read thermometer optional, if you like to check doneness

Ingredients

1 (3 to 4 lb) corned beef brisket with spice packet, if included
1 large onion peeled and quartered
4 large carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
8 small red or baby potatoes halved
1 small head green cabbage (about 1.5 to 2 lb) cut into wedges
3 cups beef broth or water
3 cloves garlic smashed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar optional

Directions

Rinse the corned beef brisket under cold water and pat dry; put it in the crock pot fat side up and sprinkle the meat with the spice packet if it came with one.
Tuck the quartered onion and the 3 smashed garlic cloves around the brisket. Add the 2 bay leaves and the 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns.
If you like a touch of sweetness sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top.
Pour in 3 cups beef broth or water so the liquid comes about halfway up the brisket. This helps keep it moist without diluting flavor.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Fat side up will baste the meat while it cooks.
About 3 hours before the end of cooking add the carrots and halved baby potatoes around the brisket so they cook through but dont turn to mush.
About 1 hour before it's done nestle the cabbage wedges into the crock pot on top of the veggies so they steam and get tender but still hold shape.
When everything is tender remove the brisket to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes; discard the bay leaves.
Slice the brisket thinly against the grain, serve with the carrots, potatoes and cabbage, and ladle some of the cooking liquid over everything or reduce the liquid on the stove to make a sauce.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper, serve with mustard or horseradish if you want, and save leftovers in the cooking liquid for extra juicy reheats.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.