Prepare this super easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage for a festive St. Patrick’s Day dinner, or for a comforting Sunday Supper!
This meal is packed with juicy corned beef, tender carrots and potatoes and perfectly cooked cabbage all made effortlessly in the crockpot.
Whether you’re preparing this classic Irish dish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or if you simply have a craving for juicy, flavorful corned beef, this recipe will win you over.
I love how simple it is to make, how tender the veggies and potatoes are (NOT MUSHY), and that perfectly cooked corned beef just melts in your mouth.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
The trick to making the perfect corned beef in the slow cooker is to let it cook nice and slow.
You’ll most likely want to set your alarm clock to get the brined brisket started early in the morning, to be able to enjoy for an early dinner.
What Is Corned Beef?
You might be wondering what corned beef is?
Corned beef is a salt-cured cut of brisket. Brisket is a tough cut of beef that is made tender by slow curing the beef in a pickling brine.
Most grocery stores sell corned beef ready to be cooked, meaning it’s already been brined and seasoned.
Ingredients For Corned Beef and Cabbage
Here’s the simple list of ingredients you’ll need to make this easy dinner recipe. As always, you can find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card below.
- 3 to 4 pound Corned Beef with Seasoning
- Beef broth or stock
- Bay Leaves
- Baby Carrots
- Baby Red and Gold Potatoes
- Cabbage
How To Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef
To start this corned beef in the slow cooker, first remove it from it’s packaging and place it in the slow cooker. I’m using an 8 quart slow cooker.
Fill the slow cooker with beef broth or beef stock and top with some bay leaves.
Let the corned beef cook on LOW for 5 hours all by itself.
After the first cook, you’ll add in the potatoes and carrots.
Let this mixture cook on LOW for an additional 3 hours.
I love using this method because the potatoes and carrots come out tender and perfectly cooked, rather than mushy and baby-food consistency.
Finally, add in just a half a head of shredded cabbage right on top of the other ingredients.
Let this cook on LOW for an additional 30 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the cabbage, potatoes and carrots. Then carefully remove the corned beef to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
The result is buttery flavored cabbage with juicy corned beef, with tender potatoes and carrots. In short, it’s the perfect comfort meal.
Point Cut or Flat Cut?
Did you know there are two different cuts of corned beef?
Point – The point cut has more fat content, is thicker, and some say is more flavorful. Some prefer the point because it tends to be more tender and juicy after cooking.
Flat Cut – The flat cut is much leaner. While the flat, or round cut, is leaner, it still has a layer of fat on the bottom, keeping it nice and moist after slow cooking. It does have a better presentation than the point cut when cooked and sliced.
For this recipe showed here, I used the point cut.
Do You Rinse Corned Beef Before Cooking?
Corned Beef is usually packaged in a salty brining mixture, giving it it’s signature deep pink hue and distinct flavor.
It’s not necessary to rinse the corned beef prior to cooking, however, doing so would reduce the sodium levels and give a more mild flavor to the finished dish.
What To Serve With Corned Beef?
This slow cooker corned beef recipe is a whole meal by itself.
However, I would serve a side of grainy mustard and some nice Homemade Rolls or my Cheesy Beer Bread to go along with it.
More Slow Cooker Sunday Suppers
Here’s a few more super easy, all-in-one slow cooker dinners for you to try…
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe
- Crock Pot Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers with Mashed Potatoes
Festive St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Here are a few more fun and easy St. Patrick’s Day recipes that you can make…
- Tater Tot and Bratwurst Casserole
- Creamy Hot Reuben Dip
- Fresh Fruit (Rainbow) Salad
- Pot o’ Gold Marshmallow Pops
This corned beef comes out so tender and juicy, and practically falls apart.
I can’t wait for you to give this easy recipe a try!
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
- 8 quart Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb. corned beef, with seasoning
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb. baby carrots
- 2 lbs. baby potatoes, red and gold
- ½ head cabbage, chopped
Instructions
- Remove the corned beef from packaging and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with beef broth (or water for a more mild flavor), and top with 2 bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 5 hours.
- Add in potatoes and carrots around brisket and continue cooking on LOW heat for 3 more hours.
- Finally, add in the chopped cabbage on top, cover and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes on LOW heat. Use tongs and a slotted spoon to remove cabbage, carrots and potatoes from slow cooker. Remove the corned beef and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
PIN THIS IMAGE TO SAVE THE RECIPE:
Classic Waffle Recipe
Jill
Be sure that the meat stays covered in broth or beer. I cooked the brisket for 8.5 hours but it was still tough, I think because it needed more liquid than one can of beer. We fixed it by cooking it again in the insta pot. Flavors were great.
Jackie
I just put my corned beef in the crockpot with a 12 oz, I used an IPA because that’s what had. I also used a corned beef with the spices already on the meat and not the packet that you sprinkled over yourself.
Felicia
My mom use to use water instead of beef broth and it turned out just as good!
Michael Schwartz
I followed the recipe for a 4lb, and wound up doing a total of 9 hrs on low. It tasted good….but was still pretty tough. I have another one to do this weekend….how should I adjust?
Shawn
I would try leaving the beef out on the counter for an hour or so prior to putting it into the slow cooker to allow it to come to room temperature. This will help it cook more evenly and hopefully wont be as tough. Enjoy!
Chris davis
Sometimes it’s the meat itself
Elizabeth Lensby
I used half beef stock and half beer. It was delicious.
Sarah
Can you make this meal with frozen corned beef? What do you change? Thanks!
Tina Woods
Do you add the seasoning packet when you add the broth?
Doreen
When I made this for my family last year I placed the bay leaves on the beef, fat side up, btw, sprinkled the seasoning packet on the top of the beef, and poured the stock around the meat, so the seasoning stayed somewhat on the meat.
SHANNON ROBERTS
Never ever made or eaten corned beef and cabbage …tried this recipe for the first time today! It was super easy and delicious!!
Ronnie Peacock
Instead of all the beef broth, use one bottle of Guinness or other stout beer. Much better flavor. I do like the breakdown in time to add veggies later..that would make a huge difference.
Eunice
Did you use the 22oz bottle of guinness? Is that enough liquid vs the 4 cups of beef broth in the recipe? Thanks!
Robin
Good recipe, but I add good can of Irish beer.
Annette Kreamer
I want your Recipe please that look so Good.
Paul Trendell
Darn near identical to my recipe except I add parsnips in with the Vegtables and fresh green beans wrapped in a cheese cloth when the cabbage goes in.
philip rowley
I saw a recipe which promoted cooking the brisket in COLA; tried it and result was favourable! Anybody else tried it?
Philip.
Marta
I would bet that using coke in cooking is meant for a regular beef brisket, like you’d make bbq sandwiches with. The corned beef has gone through a salt/brine process before it ever gets to the grocery store. I can’t say how it would taste with a corned beef brisket, but usually broth or beer are used with corned beef.
Shane ODonnell
Delicious
Terra
I’m short on time. Do you have recipe for cooking in instant pot?
Rick Godwin
Do you place the fat side of a point cut up or down?
Terry Burnworth
Place the fat side up so meat stays moist and doesn’t dry out.
Tom Jarvis
I need to cook Corn Beef for our Senior Center. Can we cook them in stock pots, if possible how long and units in each pot. We will also server Cabbage and Potatoes We will need to server 100. guest I enjoy your receipt and look forward to them on Facebook Thanks for your help. Tom , Clovis Senior Center, Clovis Ca
Marilyn
How did your dinner turn out? I can’t imagine cooking corned beef and cabbage for that many people!
The word Clovis caught my eye! I used to live there. My dad was a doctor there before we moved into Fresno.
Catherine
What beef joint woUlster you buy for this recipe please
Shawn
I’m not sure what you’re asking here, but I think it’s which cut of beef would you buy? Either the point or the flat cut will work!
Carl Fredrickson
This is standard way to do crockpot corned beef. It’s fine. However, I like to roast in crockpot, not boil. Try wrapping corned beef in foil with onion, red potatoes, and carrots. Cook overnight or 8-12 hours on low. Open to find the most juicy meat without boiling out the taste. Remove foil and Cook cabbage in the juice in pot last 45 minutes to an hour. The meat will fall apart.
Sue Paugh
Do you add any liquid to slow cooker before adding the foil wrapped beef? Will foil stick to bottom of cooker?
Thank you