• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Foodology Geek

  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • ☙ Iconic Recipes ❧
    • 🏝 California Food
    • 🍍 Hawaiian Food
    • 🌮 Mexican Recipes
    • 🏡 Family Recipes
  • Shop
  • 💌 Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • 🏠 BLOG
  • 🍍 ABOUT FG
  • 🗃 RECIPE INDEX
  • 📙 THE COOKBOOK
  • 🛒 SHOP
  • 📫 SUBSCRIBE
  • ➜ STORY EXPLORER
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Beef

    Corned Beef And Cabbage

    Published: Feb 21, 2022 · Modified: Mar 1, 2022 by Laura Reigel · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump To Recipe Comments

    Corned beef and cabbage are practically synonymous with St. Patrick's Day. This one-pot dinner recipe has earned its place at the table for good reason. As a holiday dinner or any other day, you're going to love this recipe.

    corned beef hash on a platter served with potatoes and carrots

    This corned beef recipe is the BEST!!

    Imagine corned beef brisket slowly braising in the oven in a bath of Guinness until it is so tender that it melts in your mouth. Caramelized onions and beer make a rich and decadent sauce that pairs perfectly with the carrots, potatoes, and braised cabbage.

    While you can make this recipe in a slow cooker, there's something magical about the corned beef when it’s cooked slowly and gently over time. The flavor becomes richer with every step of its journey through your Dutch oven.

    What is Corned Beef?

    tender sliced corned beef

    If you're wondering what corned beef is and why it's so special, let me tell you. Corned beef is made from brisket. This cut of beef is a shoulder cut that's tough and needs to be cooked for a long time at a low temperature to get it tender.

    Brisket is the king of meat in the BBQ world. A perfectly smoked brisket is a work of art that you won't soon forget. It's often on the smoker for 18 plus hours. Is your mouth watering yet?

    The brisket is made up of two main parts, the flat and the point. The entire brisket is used when smoking a full brisket. Corned beef is most often made from brisket flat. But you can use the flat or the point for this recipe.

    Corned beef gets in name from the salt used to cure the meat. Brisket is brined in a salt solution, brown sugar, and pickling spices for 5 or more days. The salt that was traditionally used to cure corned beef was large and chunky rock salt, thusly named corns.

    The curing salt used to cure meat is sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrate is a pink salt that preserves meat and inhibits the growth of bacteria. It's also what gives cured meat its pinkish color.

    You can find sodium nitrate commonly marketed under the name Prague Powder #1. Curing salt is easy to find online and curing your own corned beef is super easy to do and has a flavor that is out of this world. This pink salt is very different from Himilayan salt. Himalayan salt is not the pink salt used to cure a brisket.

    What Is In Pickling Spice?

    ingredients for pickling spice

    Pickling spice is a blend of spices that are commonly used to make pickled vegetables but is also a super important flavor component for making traditional corned beef and cabbage. When you buy corned beef from the grocery store a pickling seasoning packet is usually included with the meat.

    Pickling spice is made up of whole allspice, mustard seeds, whole coriander, red pepper flakes, black peppercorns, whole cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves, ground ginger, and cinnamon sticks.

    You may find that different pickling spice blends vary slightly. You can tweak the spice blend to your own liking.

    How To Cook Corned Beef

    You can cook corned beef and cabbage in a slow cooker, in a pressure cooker (or Instant Pot), or with my favorite cooking method, slowly braised in the oven in a dutch oven pan.

    Crockpot corned beef is by far the easiest method for making corned beef and cabbage. But, I've always felt like this method leaves your house with a very strong lingering cabbage smell, and meat that has been cooked in a crockpot lacks the caramelly goodness that a dutch oven corned beef has.

    But, if you're short on prep time or will be at work and really want that corned beef and cabbage when you get home, a slow cooker might be your best option for this one-pot meal.

    What You'll Love About This Recipe

    • This recipe is cooked in a large dutch oven. You'll slow cook this corned beef and cabbage in the oven for the better part of a day.
    • The corned beef is browned which gives you those brown bits that impart maximum flavor.
    • The beer and the onions meld together to create a rich and succulently flavored steam bath for the corned beef.
    • The potatoes and carrots are added in after a few hours of cooking and the cabbage is added at the very end. This method ensures that the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender while making sure that the vegetables aren't overcooked because noone loves soggy cabbage.

    What You'll Need

    ingredients for corned beef and cabbage
    • Corned Beef (4 to 5 pounds)
    • Guinness Beer. You can your a lager style beef instead or you can use beef broth if you don't want to buy beer.
    • Beef Broth. I usually don't end up needing to add the beef broth for this recipe, but i like to have it on hand just in case I need the extra liquid.
    • Pickling Spice. This seasoning will usually come with a purchased corned beef.
    • Onions. 2 medium onions.
    • Carrots. 4 to 5 medium carrots.
    • Green Cabbage. You can use regular green cabbage or napa cabbage. I like the texture of the napa cabbage. It's little crinkles grab more tasty juice.
    • Potatoes. I like Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes for this recipe. It's best to use a waxy potato.

    Instructions

    These steps will take you through how to cook corned beef in the oven. I will also provide the slow cooker instructions in the recipe card if you would like to use your crockpot.

    rinse and pat dry the corned beef
    season with black pepper
    brown the corn beef in a dutch oven
    brown the corned beef
    sauté the onions in the dutch oven
    sauté the onions
    return the corned beef to the pot
    return the corned beef to the pot
    add the pickling spice to the corned beef
    add the pickling spice to the corned beef
    add two bottles of guinness
    add two bottles of Guinness
    bake the corned beef in the oven for 2 hours
    in the oven for 2 hours
    add the potatoes and the carrots
    add the potatoes and carrots
    bake for another 30 minutes
    bake the cabbage for another 30 to 45 minutes
    slice the corned beef
    allow the corned beef to rest and then slice
    1. Rinse the corned beef with cool water and pat dry.
    2. Preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃)
    3. Pepper the corned beef generously with fresh cracked black pepper. There is not need to add salt to this recipe.
    4. Brown the corned beef. Heat a large dutch oven on medium-high and brown the corned beef on both sides. Remove the beef and set it aside.
    5. Add the onions to the dutch oven and sauté for a few minutes.
    6. Return the corned beef brisket back to the dutch oven and place it on top of the onions fat side up..
    7. Add the Guinness to the beef. Cover and place into the oven.
    8. Cook at 450℉ (230℃) for 10 minutes.
    9. Reduce the temperature to 325℉ (165℉). Cook for 2 ½ hours.
    10. Add in the carrots and the potatoes, return to the oven and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. You want the potatoes and carrots to be fork-tender.
    11. Add in the green cabbage, return to the oven and cook until the cabbage is tender. About 30 minutes.
    12. Remove the dutch oven from the oven. Pull out the vegetables and put them onto a large platter. Pull the corned beef from the pot and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

    How to Serve Corned Beef and Cabbage

    corned beef and cabbage recipe with potatoes
    1. Remove the cabbage, the carrots, and the potatoes from the dutch oven and arrange them individually on a large platter.
    2. Pull out the corned beef carefully with tongs and a large fork or spatula. The meat will be very tender to you don't want it to fall apart.
    3. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes on a cutting board and then slice across the grain.
    4. You can use a stick blender to puree the onions into the remaining cooking liquid that is in the dutch oven. YStrain this liquid through a fine seive and then add in a few tablespoons of horseradish sauce or whole grain mustard. Serve this gravy alongside the corned beef for extra flavor.

    What to Serve with Corned Beef and Cabbage

    This recipe is a hearty meal that's pretty much a complete meal on its own. However, if you're a person that likes extra carbs with your carbs I recommend serving this with Irish Soda Bread. Nobody is going to complain about having some bread to sop up all the delicious juices.

    You can serve corned beef with extra mustard or horseradish sauce. I find that I really can't get enough horseradish sauce.

    More St. Patrick's Day Recipes

    Hearty stews and a few yummy desserts to round off your meal.

    • Guinness Cupcakes filled with Whiskey Ganache and frosted with Bailey's Buttercream.
    • Guinness Braised Short Ribs & Smashed Potatoes.
    • Apple Cake
    • Beef Stew
    • Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Boozy Bailey's Frosting
    • Guinness Braised Beef Short Ribs
    • Homemade Apple Cake Recipe
    • Keto Beef Stew

    ➽ Did you make this recipe? I love to see what's going on in your kitchen. Please show me what you're cooking. 🍳 Tag me @foodologygeek on your favorite social channel! Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest. If you loved ❤︎ this recipe, please leave a five ★ review and a comment!

    corned beef with cabbage, potatoes and carrots
    Favorite Saved!

    Corned Beef And Cabbage Recipe

    Laura Reigel
    This corned beef recipe is the BEST. Imagine corned beef brisket slowly braising in the oven in a bath of Guinness until it is so tender that it melts in your mouth. Caramelized onions and beer make a rich and decadent sauce that pairs perfectly with the carrots, potatoes, and braised cabbage.
    PRINT PIN SAVE SAVED
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 4 hrs
    Resting Time 10 mins
    Total Time 4 hrs 25 mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Irish
    Servings 8
    Calories 502 kcal

    Equipment

    • dutch oven

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 to 5 lbs corned beef
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons pickling seasoning seasoning packet usually comes with the corned beef
    • 2 medium onions
    • 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into thirds
    • 8 small potatoes red potatoes or yukon gold
    • 1 head green cabbage cut into 8 wedges
    • 2 bottles beer
    • beef broth if needed
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse the corned beef with cool water and pat dry.
      4 to 5 lbs corned beef
    • Preheat your oven to 450℉ (230℃)
    • Pepper the corned beef generously with fresh cracked black pepper.
      1 teaspoon black pepper
    • Heat a large dutch oven on medium-high and brown the corned beef on both sides.
      4 to 5 lbs corned beef
    • Remove the beef and set it aside.
    • Add the onions to the dutch oven and sauté for a few minutes.
      2 medium onions
    • Add the corned beef brisket back to the dutch oven and place it on top of the onions fat side up.
      4 to 5 lbs corned beef, 2 medium onions
    • Add two bottles or cans of Guinness beer.
      2 bottles beer
    • Cover and place into the oven. Cook at 450℉ (230℃) for 10 minutes.
    • Reduce the temperature to 325℉ (165℉). Cook for 2.5 hours.
    • Add in the carrots and the potatoes, return to the oven and cook for another 45 minutes up to an hour. You want them to be fork-tender.
      4 medium carrots, 8 small potatoes
    • If you need to add more liquid, add in some beef broth or even a little cold water.
      beef broth
    • Add in the green cabbage, return to the oven and cook until the cabbage is tender. About 45 minutes.
      1 head green cabbage
    • Remove the corned beef from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

    Laura's Tips + Notes

    How to Serve Corned Beef and Cabbage
    1. Remove the cabbage, the carrots, and the potatoes from the dutch oven and arrange them individually on a large platter.
    2. Pull out the corned beef carefully with tongs and a large fork or spatula. The meat will be very tender to you don't want it to fall apart.
    3. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes on a cutting board and then slice across the grain.
    4. You can use a stick blender to puree the onions into the remaining cooking liquid that is in the dutch oven. You can add in a few tablespoons of horseradish sauce or whole grain mustard and serve this gravy alongside the corned beef for extra flavor.
    How To Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
    1. Follow the steps above through browning the corned beef. 
    2. Add the onions to the slow cooker. 
    3. Place the Corned beef on top. 
    4. Add the beef and/or broth. 
    5. Set the slow cooker to high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours. 
    6. About halfway through the cooking time add the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. (you can add everything at the very beginning, but I feel like the vegetables get really overcooked) 
    7. Cook the vegetables for about 2 hours on high or 3 to 3.5 hours on low. 

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 502kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 35gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 2803mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gCalcium: 79mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword Beef, Cabbage, corned beef, one pot
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Snap a 📸 and share it. Tag me @foodologygeek and don't forget to hashtag #foodologygeek!

    More Beef Recipes

    • Pot Roast Recipe
    • Japanese Beef Curry Recipe - Easy & Delicious
    • The BEST Bolognese Sauce Recipe
    • World's BEST Steak Marinade
    20 shares

    About Laura Reigel

    Laura is the owner and CEO of Foodology Geek. She holds a degree in Physiology and Neuroscience as well as a Certification as a Nutrition Coach. Laura uses her love of cooking and science to create healthy real food recipes that you'll love eating.

    As a certified recipe hoarder, and meal prep maven Laura is passionate about sharing her love for cooking easy from-scratch recipes. She also shares the occasional family recipe and all of the technical details.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Review this recipe!




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    laura reigel from foodology geek profile shot

    Hi, I'm Laura! Welcome to Foodology Geek restaurant-inspired recipes & culinary science.

    You'll recipes inspired by restaurants that I visit when I travel. I recreate them in my kitchen so that you can make them in yours.

    The best things in life can be found around the table with family and friends. Make them delicious!

    Find out more about me →

    🦃 It's Almost Turkey Day

    Check out our collection of Thanksgiving Recipes.

    • Classic Pumpkin Pie
    • Smoked Turkey Legs
    • How To Make The BEST Smoked Turkey Breast
    • Homemade Poultry Seasoning Recipe

    All Things Pumpkin

    • Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Tart
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Classic Pumpkin Pie
    • DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
    • Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Sauce

    🥂 Trending...

    • Potluck Recipes
    • Hawaiian Coleslaw - Sweet & Savory
    • How to Make Homemade Roasted Nuts
    • Pork Fried Rice
    • Smoked Kalua Pork - Authentic Hawaiian Flavor
    • How To Make Crostini

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
    • TikTok

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Our Cookbook

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Terms & Conditions

    Accessibility Policy

    Contact us at: hello@foodologygeek.com

    Copyright © 2022 Foodology Geek

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    20 shares
    20 shares