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Slow Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage + VIDEO

Slow cooker corned beef and cabbage is a simple yet tasty classic Irish-American dish. It’s simple to make, using only a few ingredients. A popular St. Patrick’s Day recipe, this easy and hearty crockpot corned beed is a good recipe to serve year-round. Instructions to make this tasty corned beef in the Instant Pot are also included. 

close up shot of corned beef & cabbage with potatoes, carrots, and onion on a white platter

INGREDIENTS CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE

There are only 5 ingredients in this slow cooker or Instant Pot corned beef & cabbage recipe. 

  • Corned beef brisket with spice packet
  • Cabbage
  • Onions
  • Carrots
  • Water
  • Seasonings: parsley, salt, pepper

collage of ingredients for corned beef & cabbage in the slow cooker

How To Make Corned Beef & Cabbage In The Crock-Pot

Slow Cooker

  1. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion to bottom of slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon parsley.
  2. Add corned beef brisket on top. Pour water on top of all the food. Sprinkle spice packet and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of parsley on top the meat.
  3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.
  4. Add cabbage and cook an additional 30-40 minutes or until cabbage is tender to your liking.

Instant Pot

Option 1:

  1. Add trivet or wire rack to electric pressure cooker and place corned beef brisket on top, fat side UP.
  2. Add enough water to cover the corned beef. Approximately 6 cups.
  3. Add onion and spice packet on top of corned beef.
  4. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and cook 35 minutes per pound of corned beef. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.
  5. Remove corned beef and add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots on trivet. Add lid, close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.

Option 2:

  1. Place the corned beef directly in the bottom of the Instant Pot, fat side UP. Add enough water to cover the corned beef, approximately 4 cups.
  2. Add spice packet and onion on top of corned beef.
  3. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and cook 35 minutes per pound of corned beef. When cooking time is complete, quick release pressure.
  4. Open pressure cooker and add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots on top of corned beef. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.
overhead shot of uncooked corned beef with potatoes, carrots, and onion in a black slow cooker

BEFORE

What Is Corned Beef

Corned beef  is beef brisket that’s cured in a seasoned brine. When cooked, the corned beef will have a dull, gray color on the outside. Don’t worry, this is normal. This means it’s cooked. When you slice the corned beef, the inside should have the normal pink coloring that you’re used to. The pink coloring in corned beef comes from the beef being cured in either saltpeter or sodium nitrates.

overhead shot of cooked corned beef with potatoes, carrots, and onion in a black slow cooker with uncooked cabbage wedges on top

add cabbage

Traditional Irish Food?

I recently read an article about the history of corned beef and cabbage that referred to it “as Irish as spaghetti and meatballs”. In short, the story goes that back in the day in Ireland, a common dish to serve for dinner was pork and potatoes. When the Irish immigrated to America, the working class Irish-Americans started eating corned beef rather than pork because it was more affordable. From there a new tradition was born and pork and potatoes was replaced with corned beef and cabbage. It’s Irish American!

overhead shot of cooked corned beef with potatoes, carrots, and onion in a black slow cooker with cooked cabbage wedges on top

AFTER (with cooked cabbage)

What Type Of Potatoes To Use

Use your preferred potato! I used peeled, russet potatoes. I suggest you cut russet potatoes in larger chunks than you normally would; this will help them not turn to mush when they cook. Waxy potatoes like red or yellow work well too. The potatoes are combined with the carrots and onion and placed at the bottom of the slow cooker.  If you over-cook them, they might turn a bit soft but if they’re in the bottom of the slow cooker they should be okay as long at they’re left undisturbed. Omit the potatoes for a low-carb corned beef & cabbage soup.

close up shot of cooked corned beef on a white platter

Long Cooking Time

Corned beef is a tough cut of beef so it needs to cook a little longer than other cuts. Every appliance is different. How long it takes to cook your corned beef will depend on how your appliance heats and how large or thick your meat is. You’ll know the corned beef is done when a knife pierces through the meat easily.

FAQs & Tips

  • Whole30 compatible corned beef is usually available at Costco. If there’s ever a question, about whether or not your corned beef is compliant, check the ingredients against the the whole30 additives sheet to be sure.
  • To serve, let the beef cool & then slice against the grain. Your corned beef may be so tender that it’s falling apart when you take it out the slow cooker. If this is the case and you cannot slice it, serve it shredded instead!
  • I used a 6-quart slow cooker (or Instant Pot).

overhead shot of corned beef & cabbage with potatoes, carrots, and onion on a white platter

St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

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close up shot of corned beef & cabbage with potatoes, carrots, and onion on a white platter

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Slow cooker corned beef and cabbage is a simple yet tasty classic Irish-American dish. Particularly eaten on St. Patrick’s Day, this easy and hearty crockpot recipe can also be served year-round. Instructions to make this tasty corned beef recipe in the Instant Pot are also included.

  • Total Time: 5 hours 10 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 23 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
  • 1 small head green cabbage, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices or chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, chopped or cut in half (depending on size)
  • 4 medium size carrots, peeled & chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley, divided in 2
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Slow Cooker

  1. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion to bottom of slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon parsley.
  2. Add corned beef brisket on top. Pour water on top of all the food. Sprinkle spice packet and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of parsley on top the meat.
  3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10. The last 30-40 minutes of cooking time, add the cabbage.

Instant Pot

Option 1:

  1. Add trivet or wire rack to electric pressure cooker and place corned beef brisket on top, fat side UP.
  2. Add enough water to cover the corned beef. Approximately 6 cups.
  3. Add onion and spice packet on top of corned beef.
  4. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and cook 35 minutes per pound of corned beef. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.
  5. Remove corned beef and add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots on trivet. Add lid, close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.

Option 2:

  1. Place the corned beef directly in the bottom of the Instant Pot, fat side UP. Add enough water to cover the corned beef, approximately 4 cups.
  2. Add spice packet and onion on top of corned beef.
  3. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and cook 35 minutes per pound of corned beef. When cooking time is complete, quick release pressure.
  4. Open pressure cooker and add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots on top of corned beef. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.

Notes

Slice against the grain before serving.

Your corned beef may be so tender that falling apart. If this is the case, serve it shredded.

  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 572
  • Sugar: 6.8 g
  • Fat: 34.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 10.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.5 g
  • Fiber: 6.6 g
  • Protein: 37.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 122.5 mg

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive money if you make a purchase using one of the links. For more about my disclosure policy see here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.

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Slow Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage + VIDEO
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Michael

Wednesday 5th of January 2022

Is there a way to print recipes from this site without printing the ads as well? Really, ads have gotten out of control here and so many other sites.

Deb

Saturday 7th of March 2020

Where did you get corned beef that would be Whole 30 approved (without chemicals and sugar)?

Fit SlowCooker Queen

Saturday 7th of March 2020

Costco!

Cris

Thursday 7th of March 2019

Wouldn't the potatoes and carrots be mushy if cooked on low for 13 hours? Should I put them in five hours tell beef is fully cooked ?

Rebecca

Sunday 18th of March 2018

I am confused on the cook time in the slow cooker. The instructions say to cook on low for 8-12 hours, or to cook on high for 4-6 hours. However in the comments, you seem to say to cook on high for 8 hours. Can you please clarify? I've been cooking it on low for the past 4 hours and I'm not sure if I should keep it on low for 4 more hours or switch to high. Thanks!

Fit SlowCooker Queen

Sunday 18th of March 2018

The recipe box was updated to reflect what it should be now. Keep it on low ? for another 4 hours.

Becky

Saturday 17th of March 2018

When you cook the chopped cabbage because it is chopped,there is no core to keep it together, so does it get mixed together with the other veggies? Also should the liquid you put in cover the brisket completely?

Fit SlowCooker Queen

Saturday 17th of March 2018

Yes the cabbage will mix in with the veggies a bit. No, the water won't cover the brisket completely. Enjoy!