Slow Cooker Corned Beef is an easy and delicious all in one dinner. With only 10 minutes of preparation you will love this corned beef and cabbage all year.
If you have never made corned beef at home, I have a recipe for you today that is so easy to make and fall apart tender. This corned beef and cabbage recipe should not be saved just for St. Patrick’s Day. It is a recipe that your family will love coming home to all year long. Want it a little faster? Make Instant Pot Corned Beef.
I made this last year, and it was, hands down, the best recipe!! So delicious. It’s on the menu, again, this year!
What is Corned Beef
Corned Beef is a beef brisket that has been cured with salt. Curing is a process that often uses salt to preserve meat. The term “corned” most likely refers to the salt rocks that were used in the process.
Corned Beef has become a staple around St. Patrick’s Day in restaurants across the United States. Though once you try this recipe, I think you will agree it should be eaten all year.
How to Cook Corned Beef in a Crockpot
This is a brief overview of how to make corned beef in the slow cooker. For the full recipe with all of the measurements see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Add the vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Make the cooking liquid: Combine the beef stock, vinegar, brown sugar, and seasonings. Pour it over the vegetables.
- Top with the corned beef.
- Cook on low: When cooking meat, especially beef, I always think cooking low in a slow cooker is best. Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Add the cabbage: Finally put in the cabbage wedges and cook for an hour. At this point the dish will be done. As soon as your cabbage is wilted your taste you can eat.
Substitutions and Variations
- Change the vegetables. If there is a vegetable in this that your family doesn’t like you can replace it with a different root vegetable or add more of one of the others in the recipe. I don’t recommend skipping all the vegetables so the beef has something to rest on.
- Skip the cabbage. the recipe is just about finished at the point that you are putting the cabbage in. So if your family does not enjoy cabbage, you can skip it.
- Add in Guinness. You can replace some or all of the beef broth in this recipe with Guinness beer.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to five days. If you have slow cooker corned beef leftovers, I recommend storing the meat and the vegetables separate from the liquid. Reheat the leftovers in a baking dish with the meat on top of the vegetables and some of the liquid in the pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 45 minutes or until the dish is warmed through.
The leftovers are also perfect for my Reuben Sandwich or my Reuben Dip.
What to Serve with Corned Beef
If you are looking for a full St. Patrick’s Day spread, consider adding on:
If you make this slow cooker corned beef or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion cut into 1 1/2 inch wedges
- 5 large red potatoes (about 2 pounds) quartered
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces (about 5 medium carrots)
- 16 ounces low sodium beef broth
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds corned beef brisket (seasoning packet discarded)
- 1 small head of cabbage cut into wedges
Instructions
- Add potatoes, carrots, and onion to the base of a 6 quart slow cooker.1 large yellow onion, 5 large red potatoes, 1 pound carrots
- In a mixing bowl combine beef broth, garlic, bay leaf, brown sugar, vinegar, kosher salt, allspice, ground mustard, dill weed, and black pepper. Pour over the vegetables.16 ounces low sodium beef broth, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Top with the beef and cook on low for 8 hours. Corned Beef is safe to eat at 145 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is done when it is fork tender and falling apart, usually around 200 degrees Fahrenheit.3 pounds corned beef brisket
- Add the cabbage wedges on top and cook for an additioanl hour. Remove the cabbage from the slow cooker, take out the beef, slice against the grain, and serve with the cabbage and other vegetables.1 small head of cabbage
Jerry says
Your corned beef sounds really tasty! The question I have is what about the fat cap that came with my Safeway corn beef?? Do you leave it or do you trim it off? I personally do not care for fat floating around in my crock pot. Thank you!
You definitely can trim the fat off. I usually will take really big pieces off, but not spend too much time on it.
Cheryl says
I am going to try this slow cooker corn beef but I normally and still want to use Guinness beer. Can I use it along with maybe 1/2 of the beef broth?
You can definitely do that. Just make sure you end up with the same amount of liquid – 16 ounces total.
Slow cooker corned beef says
I make this every St. Patrick’s day. Sometimes, when I purchase extra brisket meat after the holiday on sale, I make it. I make it every chance I get. Is inexpensive to make and super easy. Thank you so much for posting this.
I’m so glad you like it as much as I do!
Gloria says
Why would you throw away the seasoning packet that comes with it and then go to the trouble of having to add all of the same ingredients?
Adding your own seasoning allows you to control the exact seasonings you want to add. Typically those seasoning packets are lacking – both in freshness and in quantity. But of course you can use it in addition to what I have listed here or instead of.
Linda says
Instead of cooking low for eight hours, can it be cooked on high for four hours?
It can, but it will likely result in a little tougher meat.