This Corned Beef and Cabbage Slow Cooker recipe packs all of the deliciousness of corned beef into a meal that cooks itself.

Tender Corned Beef and cabbage, carrots, & potatoes all cooked to perfection in the Crock Pot make for an effortless meal.

Talk about a stroke of good fortune on St. Patrick’s Day or any day of the year!

©SpendWithPennies.com

The Best Recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage!

I’m often asked “What is the best recipe for corned beef and cabbage?” and I have to admit that I’m partial to this slow cooker recipe! Making this crock pot Corned Beef & Cabbage recipe, it so easy that it practically cooks itself.

  • It is best cooked in a 6QT slow cooker (or larger) as it really fills the crockpot.
  • Add the potatoes a few hours into the cooking process, so that they cook for about 5-6 hours, this will keep them from getting mushy.
  • Add the cabbage 2 hours before you plan to serve the meal.

Low and Slow Cooked Corned Beef

If you’ve never made crockpot corned beef before, it’s actually easy to make. Keep in mind that in mind, corned beef (and beef brisket in general) is a tough cut of meat and it benefits from a long low and slow cooking time.

Quickly check the corned beef with a fork to see if it is tender. If it is tough, it likely hasn’t cooked for long enough; leave it in the slow cooker and give it a little more time.

Important Note

After slow cooking corned beef, be sure to allow the corned beef to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Once rested, cut against the grain for corned beef that is juicier and fork tender.

How to Cook Corned Beef to Make it Tender

  • Low & Slow: Brisket is a tough cut of meat, and to get the very best results, it should be cooked low and slow.  In this recipe, I use the slow cooker and I make sure to use the low setting.
  • Give it time: This goes back to “slow”… this recipe calls for 8-10 hours and mine usually takes closer to 10.  If your corned beef is tough, there’s a good chance it didn’t cook long enough.
  • Rest your meat: As with most meats, allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
  • Cut across the grain: Brisket has long fibrous strands so it is very important to cut across the grain.  In fact, this is one of the most important parts of this recipe!!

What Spices go on Corned Beef?

Corned Beef is beef brisket that has been cured and brined.  When sold, it often comes already seasoned or with a seasoning packet.  The seasonings include beautifully fragrant spices such as whole allspice, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander, to name a few.  If your corned beef doesn’t have a spice packet, you can add a couple of tablespoons of pickling spices, a few peppercorns, and a bay leaf.  Bundle them up in cheesecloth and toss them into the slow cooker.

St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to enjoy an easy crock pot Corned Beef and Cabbage. Using a slow cooker makes this meal almost effortless!

This recipe creates a one of a kind, delicious dinner that your family will love! Since it’s already a complete meal, we most often serve it with 30 Minute Dinner Rolls or Easy Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits and a simple side salad.

Don’t eat this just on St. Patrick’s day, it’s wonderfully cozy all year round! This easy corned beef and cabbage recipe contains a complete meal all in one, tender corned beef, potatoes, sweet carrots and cabbage.

More St. Patrick's Day Favorites

4.99 from 1286 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Corned Beef and Cabbage Slow Cooker Recipe

This Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe packs all of the deliciousness of corned beef into a meal that cooks itself. Talk about a stroke of good fortune on St. Patrick’s Day or any day of the year!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 corned beef brisket 3-4 pounds
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 ½ – 3 cups water
  • 2 pounds potatoes peeled & quartered
  • 2 large carrots chopped
  • 1 small head of cabbage cut into wedges

Instructions 

  • Chop onion into large chunks and place in the bottom of a 6 qt slow cooker. Top with corned beef and seasoning packet.
  • Pour water into slow cooker until it just about covers the corned beef. Add garlic and bay leaves.
  • Cook on low 8-10 hours.
  • After the initial 3 hours, add potatoes and carrots to the slow cooker.
  • Two hours before serving, add cabbage wedges to the slow cooker.
  • Remove corned beef from slow cooker and let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

Video

Notes

Once cooked your corned beef should be tender (mine usually cooks closer to the 10 hour time).  Appliances can vary, if your corned beef is not tender, it likely needs to cook longer.
It is essential to cut your corned beef across the grain.
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
4.99 from 1286 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 592 | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 2817mg | Potassium: 1653mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3545IU | Vitamin C: 136.9mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 9.5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner
Cuisine American

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

Slow Cooker Corned Beef on a plate with a title
Slow Cooker Corned Beef with a title

Categories:

, , , , , ,

Recipes you'll love

About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

latest & greatest

Leave a Reply

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

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I just found your recipe recently and made it today….the best corned beef I have ever cooked! The bit of left over meat will make great sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.
    The meat was juicy and tender.
    Thanks for the great recipe, I will be making this again.

  2. I’ve made this recipe twice and keep wondering why I don’t make it more often. It’s super easy and off the charts in deliciousness. A friend suggested rinsing the meat before you put it in the crock pot or it could be too salty. I’ve followed that tip and the meat is perfect.5 stars

  3. My corner beef turned out absolutely delicious! Eight hour’s on low, it was moist and the best I tasted in a long time!! Move over old recipes, there’s a new one in town!! Thanks again and I’ll be waiting for more recipes…
    Darryl5 stars

    1. Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Darryl! I can’t wait for you to try more!