How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage Quickly and Easily at Home

This slow-roasted corned beef and cabbage with Guinness beer is a traditional favorite in the United States on St. Patrick’s Day! It’s also super simple to adapt for stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot cooking, and the results are just as delicious!

This recipe is a little different in that it includes bacon in addition to the customary cabbage, potatoes, and corned beef, but the flavor is amazing. And because the corned beef is already cooked and chopped, it won’t take as long to cook as this cut generally does.

Cooked corned beef is usually found in the deli department of most supermarkets; you may need to have it chopped for you. With the vegetables, request 1/2-inch chunks of broth. If you can’t find cooked corned beef, you can make it on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Allow it to cool overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and cooking as indicated in this recipe.

The richness of baked corned beef and cabbage, regardless of origin, is ideally matched with this slow-roasted corned meat. The meat melts in your mouth and has an incredible salty flavor!

What is Corned Beef?

Corned beef is a salt-cured cut of meat that is usually a tough cut of meat. The most common cut of beef used is the breast, but round or rump cuts can also be used. All of these cuts benefit from a low-and-slow cooking method with plenty of liquid.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 diced russet potatoes
• 1 bag of baby carrots
• 1 green cabbage cut into eighths
• 6 1/2 inch slices of cooked corned beef

Step by Step Instructions

How to Make Corned Beef in The Oven

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C) and lower the racks to center the roasting pan in the oven.
• Combine the beef broth and Guinness with the prepared corned beef and cabbage spice mix in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven. Place your corned beef brisket in the center of your oven or roasting pan, fat side up.
• Apply coarse ground mustard to the top of your corned beef, then sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook for 1 hour with the lid on.
• Remove the corned beef from the roasting pan and place it on a cutting board. The liquids are next strained to remove the entire herbs. (Alternatively, a spice bag could have been used to hold all of the entire spices if desired) Toss the filtered liquid back into the roasting pan.
• Add the minced garlic and sliced or minced onion to the corned beef before returning it to the pan. Place the corned beef in the center of your roasting pan, fat side up. Arrange the veggies around the corned beef (carrots, celery, parsnips, potatoes, and cabbage). Fresh thyme sprigs are placed on top.
• Continue cooking at 325°F (162°C) for a further 2 hours (or 1 hour per pound of corned beef) after covering and returning the roasting pan to the center of your oven. It’s time to serve the corned beef when it’s fork-tender.
• Remove the corned beef and veggies from the roasting pan, slice against the grain, and serve with the juices poured on top. (if you wish to make use of them)

How to Make Corned Beef on The Stove

• Season with salt and pepper then lay the meat fat side up in an oven or large pot.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook for 2 hours and 12 minutes.
• After those two hours and twelve minutes, add the vegetables. Cook for 15 minutes (excluding cabbage).
• Cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the meat, potatoes, and cabbage are soft.

How to Make Corned Beef in Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

• Season with salt and pepper, then add the liquids, meat fat side up, and vegetables.
• Cook for 8 to 10 hours on low heat in a slow cooker. Cook for 4 to 6 hours on high heat. (or until the meat is cooked through)

How to Make Corned Beef in Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

• Add liquids, season, and cook for 90 minutes on high pressure or meat/stew setting with the meat fat side up.
• While the corned beef is resting, add the vegetables to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker, seal it, and cook for another 10 minutes on high.

Recipe Tips and Advice

• According to the National Food Safety Guidelines, all cooking methods should have an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) measured with a meat thermometer in the thickest area of the baked corned beef.
• Allow 20 minutes for the corned beef to rest before carving. After it has rested, it will slice more readily and the liquids will not run off into the cutting surface, keeping the meat soft and tasty.