Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
The easiest way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is with this delicious Slow Cooked Corned Beef with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. It’s a traditional dish loaded with flavor and tender corned beef…and maybe a sprinkling of “ale”!
As many of you know we have three chicks at this nest, hence the “three” eggs in my nest logo. (See… I do have reason’s for just about everything!) Two of whom are adopted.
One of the things I have always tried to do is celebrate their ethnic heritages. I feel it’s really important. Our son, is half Irish and half Hispanic. To say he loves his “Irish” side is a bit of an understatement!
Years ago, I decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. To say it was NOT a huge hit would be a bit of an understatement! In my defense it wasn’t a dish I had ever made before. I learned really quickly that “corned beef” can be a bit tricky and DRY if not cooked properly.
From that point on, we just skipped the traditional, and went with things like the Shamrock Shake! You know from that American Irish Family the “McDonald’s” (insert eye roll)
I had vowed I was done with Corned Beef and Cabbage but then the other day I was shopping and walked past a huge display of Corned Beef Brisket and a bin filled with cabbage.
I thought “Okay the kids are all gone…the only two people who will have to gag this down is me and the hubs. Worse case… I’ll turn it into corn beef hash!”
I’m happy to report…the hubs ate THREE plates of this last night! Turns out that corned beef, like the Irish themselves, have a thing for “ale”! Who knew?
I’ve stated before that we don’t drink in this house. I looked like a total idiot at the local mini-mart trying to pick out just ONE bottle of beer. I stood there like an undercover agent… glancing over my shoulder, back at the case.
It was just like Tom Cruise in mission impossible! I thought about sliding down the glass door on my back while nabbing a “cold one” but decided… “mmmmm better not!” I didn’t need it announced over the intercom “Code Red… Code Red… We have another menopausal woman in the beer cooler!”
So with my one bottle of beer in hand I came home and made this absolutely delicious and amazingly easy Corned Beef and Cabbage! I found the recipe on All Recipes and it’s perfect!
How To Make Slow Cooked Corn Beef and Cabbage
I used Tiny baby potatoes, so I used about 20 of them, and I cut them in half. The original recipe calls for 10 baby red potatoes cut in quarters. I’ll admit I loved these tiny baby potatoes. Either would work though.
Place baby potatoes in the bottom of your large slow cooker.
Next peel 4 large carrots and cut them in half and then into thin strips. Next you’ll need 1/2 a large onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces.
My onion was frozen. (Don’t ask! Seems I have my own version of “Frozen” taking place on the top shelf of my refrigerator!)
Place the carrots and onion on top of the potatoes.
Next rinse off your 3 – 4 lb. Corned Beef Brisket. Place on top of carrots and onions. Add 4 cups of water and one bottle of your “undercover” beer.
You can see I picked a good German Dutch Beer to tick off the Irish meal I’m making! (See I have no idea about beer! I’ve just insulted two other countries! That’s pretty impressive when ya think about it!)
I tried to find a Guinness…evidently this town doesn’t carry it, or so I was told by the other non-drinker in the household.
Corned Beef Brisket comes with a little seasoning packet. This is when you want to use that packet. Sprinkle it over the top of the Brisket.
Cover your slow cooker and set it for 8 hours on high heat. Now…my cooker for 8 hours cooks on low and that was perfect!
You know how your slow cooker cooks so use your best judgment. I’ve found that they all have different “heat” levels. It’s getting a little frustrating these days.
An hour before it’s done cooking, coarsely chop 1/2 a head of cabbage. Stir the chopped cabbage into the broth of brisket and cook for 1 more hour.
Remove the lid and pull out the brisket. Don’t worry about the spices. They are nice and tender and will be fine left on the Brisket.
Slice the Brisket thinly against the grain. Place on a large platter.
Using a slotted spoon scoop out the cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Arrange on the platter and serve.
The flavor of this Brisket was delicious! The meat was so tender it was falling apart. The potatoes were tender.
The carrots still had a little “crisp” to them, and they were delicious. The cabbage was cooked perfectly! Simple, easy, delicious meal. The hardest part was buying the beer! Lol
I loved how beautifully this plated too! Serve with a loaf of Irish Soda Bread and maybe a little “grass hopper” pie for dessert, and you have a wonderful traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal. It’s also really economical! I love that this was all done in the slow cooker!
I had plenty of Corned Beef left over, and it will be making an appearance, reincarnated, as Corned Beef Hash!
St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
It’s not too late to run the market and grab a brisket for dinner tomorrow, or celebrate this weekend! A little well-known secret is Corned Beef Brisket makes a mean hot sub sandwich with Mustard and melted Swiss Cheese!
Thanks for stopping by my Nest!
Slow Cooker Corn Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 4 large carrots peeled and cut into thin strips
- 10 baby red potatoes quartered or 20 mini baby red potatoes cut in half
- 1/2 onion peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups of water
- 1 3-4 pound corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 6 ounces of beer
- 1/2 head of cabbage coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Place carrots, potatoes, and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker, pour in the water, and place the brisket on top of the vegetables. Pour the beer over the brisket. Sprinkle the spices from the packet over the brisket. Cover, and set the cooker on high.
- Cook the brisket for about 8 hours. An hour before serving, stir in the cabbage and cook for 1 more hour.
Have never made Corned Beef with beer but there is a first time for everything – so will try it. Also, have no use for boiled cabbage so I make either Coleslaw or Colcannon with the cabbage.
I was wondering with the potatoes can you use the baby Yukon Gold or does it have to be the red potatoes ? I have never had corned beef before do this is my first time trying to make this.
Hi Rose!
You can use whatever kind of potatoes you want in this recipe and it will turn out wonderful. Sorry I’m late responding. We had a new Grandbaby come and I’ve been a little preoccupied! Yikes! Sorry.
Norine
Making this for dinner tonight since we were out of the house for St Paddy’s day. So far it smells amazing. I am so looking forward to it. I too had a hard time picking a beer and i live in Las Vegas Nevada. GO figure. Thanks
Hi Kellie!
I’m so glad I’m not the only staggering around sober in the beer aisle! lol Hope you enjoyed your corned beef! Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me.
Have a Great week.
~Norine
Question…will the corned beef be above the liquid? So is it essentially steamed? I usually boil it on the stove top. Thanks!
Hi Nora!
The liquid will pretty much cover the corned beef. It won’t cover all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Hope this helps. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I was out of town this weekend.
Thanks so much for visiting with me. Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Great story! Had me in fits laughing! The recipe sounds like it might be nice too, although I have no experience with corned beef. I might even try it 🙂 I’d like to make one request of you and your readers….please don’t say “St Patty’s Day”….Patty is a girl’s name. The day is in honour of St. Patrick, a man. If you wish to shorten his name, like we do in Ireland, then use “Paddy”…if you really must shorten it, but never “Patty”. Just never! It makes the Irish cringe. It feels like March 17th has been invaded and taken over by someone else.
Hi!
Thanks so much for your feed back. I went back and changed all the “St. Patty’s” Day to St. Patrick’s Day. Hope I didn’t miss any.
I sincerely appreciate your bringing it to my attention as I would not want to make any Irish cringe! 😉
Have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for visiting my nest.
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Thanks for a perfect basic CB&C recipe, great as is but ready to zhoosh up with as much clove/peppercorn/allspice action as one wants. However, as a faithful Daughter of Dublintown, I have to point out Guinness is to Heineken as the Hope Diamond is to the plastic ring from the gumball machine. Guiness has guts and will taste very different in your recipe. Love your story!
Thank you for sharing. I really appreciate your Guinness to Heineken comparison. I’ve really let my lack of education in the “beer department” shine in this post. LOL I am so glad you liked the recipe and that you are going to kick-it-up! Love that.
Have a Great Week!
Norine
Hilarious story! Gosh, I’d be dying trying to buy a beer, ?
Hi Carrie!
I was! Truly it was awful trying to figure out what I needed. lol Thanks so much for stopping by sweet friend!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Hi, Norine. This will be my 3rd time cooking corned beef brisket for my family. I have followed a few recipes online, but I have never had come across a recipe, that at the same time made me smiled , laugh and have a wonderful time reading your recipe . After I finish writing my comment, I will be out the door and in the supermarket getting the ingredients, coming home and making this dish, I will also be setting the plate as yours ( love the plate look) oh, FYI , my family and I , also don’t consume alcoholic beverages. Thank you for sharing your recipe. WILL START TODAY AND TRY TOMORROW.
Thank you SO much for your sweet comments! You totally made my day. I’m always tickled when someone “gets” my sense of humor! lol Hope you enjoyed the dish and if you went shopping for the beer…hope you had better luck than I did! lol
Have a wonderful week and please stop by and visit again!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
I usually cook my corned beef in the pressure cooker for about 1 1/2 hours. But I’m sure my husband won’t object to me adding some beer to the slow cooker instead! 🙂
Hi Jane!
I bet he wouldn’t object at all. lol Thanks for stopping by. I’ve got to get on Kitchen Thyme and get my photo’s up there. Adding it to my to do list right now! Have a Great Weekend!
Happy Nesting!
~Norine
Very happy ? with it. 85%
Rhonda THANK YOU so much for sharing with me! I was beginning to have a serious “Beer/Corned Beef” complex! lol 😉 I really loved this recipe too. I’m so tickled to know you enjoyed it too! Thanks for visiting with me! Have a FANTASTIC day! 🙂
Just for correctness’ sake. . .it’s Corned Beef. Not Corn Beef. And the Irish beer is called Guinness, and it’s readily available in cans at the grocery store. It really makes a huge difference, compared to a light beer like Heineken.
Hi Laura! Thanks for the correction. I’m getting a lot of that with this recipe! lol I have corrected the “corn” to “corned” although the recipe I went off of had it as “corn”. I’ve always said “corned” but figured I’d honor the original recipe creator. As far as the Guinness…I have no doubt that it would make a huge difference, and while I’m sure the other 49 states in the Union carry it at the grocery stores, here in the “dry” state of Utah they do not. My husband actually stocks for the beer companies here in our town and he assures me no one here carries it. Maybe at the State Liquor store? I’ll have to look into that. If anyone here in Utah knows differently please tell me. Thanks for your help. I’d love to try it with the darker deeper Guinness. It was still really good with the lighter beer. 😉