Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage creates tender, fall-apart beef and warm, flavorful veggies and potatoes, all in this simple Crock Pot recipe.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is not a traditional Irish recipe. BUT it is an Irish-American tradition to make it on St. Patrick’s Day.

This Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage is a super simple recipe that you can throw in your Crock Pot in the morning, and it will be ready by dinner time.

The way the cabbage is packed in the slow cooker keeps the corned beef and cabbage juicy and fall-apart tender. Plus, with the meat, veggies, and potatoes all in one Crock Pot, it’s already a no fuss, full meal!

What to Serve With Corned Beef and Cabbage

This Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is already basically a whole meal.

It has the corned beef, plus carrots, cabbage, and potatoes. Meat, veggies, and potatoes, all taken care of.

If you don’t love the cabbage from the Crock Pot, you can always saute some extra in butter. Or for a fresher option, just serve with a fresh salad.

How to Cook Corned Beef to Make it Tender

• Buy the right cut. There are generally three cuts of corned beef brisket: the point, the flat, and the whole cut. A point cut is going to be the fattier, marbled portion, which is great because it will keep the meat tender, but in my opinion it’s too fatty by itself. The flat is the leaner cut, but lean meat usually means less juicy in general. The whole cut on the other hand is a combination of both worlds because it is both cuts of meat. There is fatty and lean meat on the same brisket, making the whole brisket the best choice.
• Low and slow – Corned beef brisket needs to be cooked low and slow, which makes it perfect for the slow cooker, as in this recipe. If your brisket did turn out dry, there’s a pretty good chance you didn’t cook it long enough or you cooked it at too high of a temperature.
• Use enough water. The water should almost submerge the brisket. I like to just make sure the spices and fat on top are still showing.
• Cook it fat side up. This will allow the juices to run down and keep the brisket moist.
• Cut it the right way. Surprisingly, if meat is cut the wrong way, it can feel chewy, even if cooked properly. Always cut your meat against the grain.

What Dessert Goes with Corned Beef and Cabbage?

Since we usually make slow cooker corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, I like to serve it with a festive dessert.

Some bite sized dessert ideas to serve after your corned beef are these mint chocolate chip cookies, mint Oreo truffles, or mint chocolate pretzel bites.

For a fancier, but festive dessert, I like these light (and low calorie!) mint chocolate meringues, or this creamy grasshopper pie.

But my favorite way to end the meal is with a sweet drink, like this mint white hot chocolate or some coffee with this homemade Irish cream coffee creamer. Add some Bailey’s to either drink for a festive night cap.

How to Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Step 1: Place potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Step 2: Place corned beef brisket on top of veggies.

Step 3: Pack the cabbage in wedges around the corned beef. Packing the cabbage in tightly will help keep the corned beef moist and tender.

Step 4: Pour water around the corned beef. The water should come up at least half way to the top of the brisket.

Step 5: Finish seasoning with additional caraway seeds. Then top with cabbage leaves.

Step 6: Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.

Serve warm with the veggies and potatoes.

Pro Tips:

• Use a whole cut corned beef brisket, which is both the flat and point cuts together. The whole cut will give you both fatty marbling to keep the brisket juicy, and lean parts to keep it from being too fatty or chewy. It’s also worth spending a couple extra dollars to make sure you have a good quality brisket.
• Be sure to put the corned beef in the slow cooker fat side up so that the meat will stay tender.
• Add Guiness beer for extra festive flavor. Just add one 12 ounce bottle at the same time as the water.
• If you’re using a larger corned beef brisket than the recipe indicates (3.5 pounds), add additional water to keep the meat moist and tender. Use about 1 additional cup of water per additional pound.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Reuben Casserole – great way to use up leftovers!
• Reuben Dip – delicious, festive appetizer!
• Grasshopper Pie – creamy, minty, green, and festive for St. Pat’s!
• ALL St Patrick’s Day Ideas!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage creates tender, fall-apart beef and warm, flavorful veggies and potatoes, all in this simple Crock Pot recipe.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Corned Beef, Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 603kcal

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

• 4-5 medium red potatoes quartered
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 large onion wedged
• 3.5 pounds Corned beef brisket (either pre-spiced or one that comes with a spice packet)
• 1 cabbage wedged
• 3-5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Instructions

• Place potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of your slow cooker.
• Place corned beef brisket on top of veggies. Pack the cabbage wedges around the edges of the slow cooker, between the dish and the brisket. It should be packed pretty tightly as this helps the corned beef stay juicy.
• Pour water into the slow cooker. I try not to pour it directly on top of the brisket so the spices don’t come off.
• Add your caraway seeds and spice packet, if you have one. I like to add a couple stray cabbage leaves on the very top, too.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.

Notes

• Use a whole cut corned beef brisket, which is both the flat and point cuts together. The whole cut will give you both fatty and marbling to keep the brisket juicy, and lean parts to keep it from being too fatty or chewy.
• Be sure to put the corned beef in the slow cooker fat side up so that the meat will stay tender. It’s also worth spending a couple extra dollars to make sure you have a good quality brisket.
• Add Guiness beer for extra festive flavor. Just add one 12 ounce bottle at the same time as the water.
• If you’re using a larger corned beef brisket than the recipe indicates (3.5 pounds), add additional water to keep the meat moist and tender. Use about 1 additional cup of water per additional pound.

 

Nutrition facts are for about 1/6 of the brisket (about 9 ounces), plus a portion of the cabbage, 1/3 cup carrots, and 3 potato wedges.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 2634mg | Potassium: 811mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 120.6% | Vitamin C: 100.4% | Calcium: 10.2% | Iron: 29.8%

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UPDATE NOTES: This post was originally published in March 2015. It has been updated in March 2019 with new pictures, video, and some helpful cooking tips based on readers’ questions.

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