The dish likely found its beginnings in the New England Boiled Dinner, a similar dish that used a ham rather than beef. Corned beef was less expensive than ham in those days, so the Irish immigrants started using it.
This easy preparation results in a super tender, yummy roast beef brisket that is even better the next day on a Reuben sandwich or better yet… Corned Beef Hash! Sometimes the leftovers are better than the original dish, right!?
Just keep in mind that the corned beef shrinks a lot when it cooks, so make sure you grab one big enough to feed the whole family. I usually plan on about 1 pound (precooked) per person.
A few things to note:
Many recipes call for you to rinse the corned beef before placing it in the slow cooker. Every time I’ve ever done this, I end up with a rather flavorless corned beef and even worse vegetables. On the package I once noticed that they recommended using the juices from the package when cooking. Despite the rather unpleasant look of the stuff, it added tons of flavor to the dish and I’ve done it that way ever since. If you’re watching your sodium intake, you can certainly rinse it first – just know you’ll be sacrificing flavor as well.
Speaking of flavor, I also add more pickling spice because I find that the tiny packet they include with the corned beef is just too small for a 5 to 6 pound brisket. Again, it’s totally optional, but I highly recommend it.
When it comes to the cook time, this is a super long one. I like my brisket pull apart tender. Yes, you can cook it for a shorter amount of time if you want it more “sliceable.”
When it comes to the veggies, I like big chunks for the long cook time so they won’t all cook to mush. I prefer using a small waxy potato that’s about 1 1/2 inches in size – something like a small red or yellow potato. Leaving the skin on helps it keep its shape as well. But this recipe makes super tender potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery. If you want more texture to them, proceed with the recipe and just add the potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery about halfway through the cooking time. I’d only ever add the cabbage about 1 hour before the cook time is over, though.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 5 to 6 pound flat cut corned beef (with pickling spices)
- 4 to 6 small potatoes, halved if they are larger than 2 inches (I like to use red "new" potatoes or something like Yukon Gold.)
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
- 2 ribs of celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice (optional)
- 2 to 4 cups beef broth
- 1 medium head cabbage, cut into 1 inch wedges
Instructions
- Place the potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the corned beef to the slow cooker on top of the vegetables with the fat side up. I also add any juices from the package to the slow cooker as well for extra flavor. Add the packet of pickling spices that came with the corned beef. If you like lots of flavor, add an additional 2 tablespoons of an all-purpose pickling spice.
- Add enough beef broth to just barely reach the top of the corned beef. I usually use about 3 cups but it will vary based on the size of your slow cooker and the size of your corned beef. Cover and cook on low for about 9 hours.
- About an hour before serving, add the cut cabbage into 1 inch wedges and add it to the broth around the brisket. Cover and cook for about an hour or until the cabbage has reached your desired tenderness.
- Once done cooking, remove the brisket from the slow cooker and remove the fat layer, if desired. Shred or slice the beef against the grain and serve with spicy mustard or a horseradish sauce along with the cabbage and other vegetables.
Notes
Absolutely the best recipe
I have been cooking corned beef and cabbage for 60 years. This recipe is the best I have ever made. Still savoring the leftovers. I have vowed to make this more often than once a year on St. Pat’s!
Big Hit! Delicious!!
Did all in your instructions and turned out tough and dog would not eat 👎
Hi Stacey I’m getting ready to make your corned beef and cabbage and have one question…aren’t the veggies mushy if cooked as long as the beef? Ty Colleen from Pa
They do get pretty soft, but you can ad them in later, if you’d like.
Hi Stacey, I have made this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day for the last 2 years!! And you are correct, it’s on the menu again this year!! Thanks for posting it. God Bless you and yours Greg
Thanks, Greg! Enjoy!
FYI Just had to comment because of the rinsing of the beef..I’m 80 years old and have been making this in one way or the other for nearly 60 years. Last year it was all ready to go and I filled my plate and sat down, took a bite and nearly barfed. It was pure salt…(says this salt lover!) I read the info on the packaging and it said to rinse and I’ve never seen that or done it. It was ghastly and I had purchased an extra for the freezer. I threw the cooked one away and gave away the unopened one, warning her of the salt content. I never asked if she used it. I’ll probably never buy another because the yuck factor has stuck with me. Just a warning.
Thanks for the info. Different brands likely have different salt content.
Like others, I added a bottle of Dark Stout with two cups of beef broth. Slow cooked 3 hrs on high and then 4 hrs on low. My wife and I agreed, the best CB we ever tasted! You hear that a lot but this is the real deal!!!!
I’m so glad to hear it turned out great for y’all!
Hi Stacey,
I am making this for my family tomorrow. I plan on prepping the ingredients tonight, then putting everything in the slow cooker in the morning. We like a lot of carrots, so we are gonna use extra of the whole carrots instead of baby ones. I also got some mixed pickling spice for added flavor. We are big flavor peeps! I am excited to see how this turns out!
Hope it turned out great for you!!
Absolutely delish! Would love to use the leftovers in hash – do you have a recipe for that?
Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it! I don’t have a corned beef hash recipe, but I need to, don’t I? 🙂
I followed the recipe except I did not have celery. I’m not sure how anyone ever has leftovers. It was so good there was no corned beef left for sandwiches. ???? I think I will be making this again very soon with a larger piece of meat.
Love hearing that! So glad to hear y’all enjoyed it!!
Best corned beef and cabbage I’ve ever made! Super tender and juicy. I left it in the crockpot for 10 hours, and roasted my potatoes in the oven instead. So good, I completely forgot to serve the rye bread and butter. No one even missed it!
Awesome! So glad to hear y’all enjoyed it, Karen! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Can I cook this on high in my crock pot and if so, for now long?
Yes, on high for about 6 hours should do the trick.
Well Stacey, I am giving this a go today. I will let you know how it goes. I just love your recipes!
This is a first time making corned beef for me so….we will see!
Thanks, Beverly! Sure hope you enjoyed it!
This is a delicious recipe! Only addition is a bottle of Guiness Lager; it takes it over the top!
Thanks for the tip, Kelly! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I agree! I use a can of beer in my recipe for corned beef as well!
It certainly adds some great flavor.
Hi Stacey, I have never cooked corned beef, but I think I would like this recipe. My husband and I do not like spices in anything so if I make this can I omit all the spices and pickling juices?
You can certainly leave that out, but I’m afraid you might have a bland piece of meat. These spices don’t add heat, just flavor.
Turned oit very good. This i will b making again
Glad you enjoyed it!!
I’ve just printed a few of your recipes and will make the meatloaf tomorrow night. can you please tell me which
plug in widget you use for your ability to print out the recipes. I like the format. Thanks!
Thanks, Rita! I hope you’ll enjoy them! I use Easy Recipe Plus for my recipes.
I grew up in Newfoundland, Canada and we make the same meal but we add rutabagas and call it Jiggs Dinner. It was a great meal to make for fishermen who only had one pot on hand on their boat to cook. Thank you for sharing!
That sounds great! I love rutabagas!
Hi Stacey!
We’re making this today though the meat came marinated in the pickling spices, etc. Looking forward to dinner already.
I’ll let you know how it turns out,
Pam Hoffman
EverydaySpacer.com
Please do! I hope you enjoy it!
It was great! I’ll look around for more good recipes.
Thank you,
Pam
Trying for the first time today!
Come back and let me know how it turned out. 🙂
All ingredients ready to go for tomorrow. I also add rutabagas to mine. I have never cooked this in a crock pot so I am a little nervous.
I hope it turned out well!
Hey, Stacey!
I’m making this today! (Going to fix some good old cornbread in my iron skillet to have with it!)
I know it’s going to be tasty! All your recipes are!!
I’m planning on making your chocolate silk pie soon. It looks heavenly in your picture!
Happy Saint Paddy’s Day! (A little bit early!)
Thanks, Sabrina! You are so sweet. I hope you enjoy it! We sure did!
Love Southern Bite!
Thanks, Janice!
My grandmother, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States when she was 15 years old in the early 1900s, would have agreed with you about the origins. Potatoes and cabbage are definitely Irish, but they seldom had meat of any kind. When they did, it was often mutton.
I’m glad to know I was heading in the right direction. Thanks, Margy!
This sounds so good and easy! Love slow cooker meals. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your cookbook!!!
Thanks, Mary! It is delicious and super-easy! You should give it a try. : )
This was the best Corned beef I have ever made. Instead of using beef broth, I used 2 bottles of Guinness. I did not rinse the meat and I did not add extra spice and it was perfect, great flavor and not too salty. Crackpot, for 9 hours in 2 bottles of Guinness with the seasoning packet and onions. With about 3.5 hours left I added colored carrots cut in half and red potatoes uncut if they were small. With an hour remaining I added 2/4 of a cabbage.
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear y’all enjoyed it!!