This crockpot corned beef and cabbage recipe is my go-to easy way to slow cook corned beef along with cabbage, carrots, and red potatoes. It’s a full, hearty, comforting, and savory dish! We cook this twist on a traditional Irish meal every St. Patrick’s Day and it’s become a favorite family tradition.
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Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
I used to live near a neighborhood in St. Louis called “Dogtown”. It’s an amazing neighborhood steeped in Irish heritage that has a truly wonderful St. Patrick’s Day parade and celebration each year. You walk down the street and families offer you all the fun and festive fare. Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage was what I always looked for, it was so delicious! I knew I could develop my own version of the recipe that would become a fun tradition for our family for years to come.
Ingredients
Cooking corned beef and cabbage in a crockpot makes this traditional Irish recipe super easy. Just throw the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it, and forget it!
- Corned Beef: Corned beef is a salt-cured beef brisket. Look for flat cut rather than point cut for the best results. Trim all visible fat from the brisket.
- Onion: Use yellow onion.
- Cabbage: Use one small cabbage.
- Red Potatoes: These are smaller and less starchy than white potatoes, so they work better in recipes like this. Peel and halve before putting them in the slow cooker.
- Carrots: I used baby carrots for convenience, but you can also peel and cut whole carrots into thick slices.
- Beef Bouillon Cube: This adds a lot of savory flavor into the mix.
- Beef Broth: This adds a flavorful liquid into the mix.
- Garlic: I used 1 garlic clove, but you can increase the amount if you like more garlic flavor.
- Dry Mustard: Sometimes called mustard powder or ground mustard, this adds a savory, almost tangy flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This adds the perfect mix of flavor to this dish.
- Caraway Seed: Caraway is a must for corned beef.
What spices are used to make traditional corned beef?
Corned beef brisket generally comes with a spice packet that includes a mix of peppercorns, mustard seeds, dill seeds, and bay leaves. I recommend using this, but you can also use any mix of those spices from your cabinet, or leave it out completely.
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How to Store and Reheat
Storing leftover corned beef and cabbage is quite easy. Just place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate as soon as you’re done eating. I find that it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat in a slow cooker or in the oven, and cook to an internal temp of at least 145°F.
How to Freeze
I freeze corned beef for up to 2-3 months. I let it cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag.
Serving Ideas
I truly love that this crockpot corned beef and cabbage recipe is a full meal! It’s filled with beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes, so it’s quite hearty, perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
When I am serving a large crowd and want to add some extra sides, I’ll whip up some beer bread, colcannon potatoes, or hash brown potato casserole. I also love to serve it with our St. Patrick’s Day Punch, which is always a crowd pleaser.
5-Star Review
“I followed this recipe to the letter except one change-up as I used vegetable bouillon with a pint of stout to substitute for the broth. The corned beef was the most tender I have ever made. The mix of vegetables was perfect. It is rare for me to find keepers on the internet or to review recipes. This one is a keeper!! Brava to you:)” – Becky DiRosa
Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2½ pounds corned beef brisket
- 1 onion sliced
- 6 red potatoes peeled and halved
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- The spice packet that comes with the corned beef brisket optional
- 1 cabbage cut into wedges
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Trim the brisket of all visible fat.2½ pounds corned beef brisket
- Spray a large crockpot with nonstick spray.
- Place the onion, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom of the crockpot, and place corned beef on top.1 onion, 6 red potatoes, 2 cups baby carrots
- Whisk together the bouillon, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and beef broth.1 beef bouillon cube, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- Pour the liquid over the brisket.
- Sprinkle the included spice packet over the corned beef (optional). Cover pot.The spice packet that comes with the corned beef brisket
- Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, adding the cabbage wedges and caraway seed for the last hour of cooking.1 cabbage, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- To serve, discard cooking liquid, slice meat and serve with mustard if desired.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- I prefer flat cut brisket, as it is more uniform and easier to cut, but point brisket will also work.
- You can swap the beef broth for vegetable broth, water, or Guinness beer.
- For more tender cabbage, add it earlier; for crisper cabbage, add it later.
- Properly cooked corned beef should be at least 145°F internally.
- Slice the beef across the grain for tender meat.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
More Cozy Beef Recipes We Love
- Corned Beef Hash
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Reuben Casserole
- Beef Wellington
- Slow Cooker Brisket
- Cabbage Rolls
On the low setting, it will take about 8-10 hours to cook. On the high setting, it will only take about 4-5 hours.
Corned beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F to ensure safe consumption. Use a meat thermometer to measure this. The meat will still be quite pink due to the curing process, so that is not an adequate way of determining how done or cooked the meat is.
Slow cooking methods work best for corned beef, like oven-roasting or using a slow cooker.
Corned beef is a salty brine-cured beef brisket. It’s a specific type of meat, and that curing process is the important part.
Yes, corned beef benefits from a longer cooking time, which is why the crockpot is such a great option.
Cabbage doesn’t need nearly as long to cook as the corned beef, so add it into the slow cooker about 1 hour before the beef is done.
I make corned beef and cabbage at least 2x per year. This is my favorite recipe I have ever tried! It was delicious! I will be using this recipe again and again! And, ALL of my guests loved it!
That is so wonderful to hear!!
I made this today for my husband and I, adhering strictly to the recipe. It was good. We both enjoyed it very much. The only thing I did not do is discard the cooking liquid, instead serving it with the meal.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Millie. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Becky! Love this recipe & can’t wait to fix it! Thanks for sharing :) I was wondering which cut of corned beef you’d recommend, flat or point…I never know which to buy. Thanks in advance!
Recipe tasted amazing!! Only thing was when I made it, it came out a little tough. I’m a beginner with cooking, any tips to prevent that for next time?
I love how this is so easy using a slow cooker. Really makes it moist and tender!
Thanks Sabrina!
Super awesome Corned Beef recipe! We love this one!
So glad!
Mmm, I can almost smell it. Saving this for St. Patrick’s Day!
Exactly!!
Wow! I’ve never made corned beef but this recipe makes it look easy. Thank you!!!
Of course! Thanks for stopping by.
This corned beef looks amazing – one of my favorite meals ever!
Such a classic
I know this post is from some months back but I had a question. When adding the caraway seeds, do I sprinkle them over everything, or add them to the liquid. Or do they go on the cabbage? Not sure what to do here!