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Slow Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage

This Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage is a great all-in-one meal. It’s easy, flavorful, and amazingly fork-tender – perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any family gathering.

corned beef and cabbage in a tray.
This classic Corned Beef and Cabbage has become a favorite in our house, and we love how easy it is.

Why This Recipe Stands Out

Corned Beef and Cabbage is a classic, hearty, stick-to-your-bones kind of meal. Here’s why we love making this traditional Irish dish:

  • Slow Cooker: We love slow cooker meals that make dinner easy and stress-free, especially when they’re a one-pot, complete meal like this one is.
  • Ultra Flavorful: The low-and-slow method the Crockpot uses to cook the corned beef brings out amazing flavors and makes for a super tender cut of meat.
  • Easy: This recipe is so easy to make – even down to the spices. Just throw everything in the Crockpot and let it do its magic!
  • Beef: If you’ve spent any time around here, you’ll know we love hearty beef recipes that leave you sitting back in your seat, blissfully satisfied. Corned beef, especially, makes for an amazing meal!

What Is Corned Beef?

Corned Beef is beef brisket that has gone through the preservation process. The meat is preserved by adding pink curing salt (which gives it its vibrant color) and different spices. This process also leaves corned beef super tender and flavorful making it the star of popular dishes like Reuben Sandwiches and this slow cooker corned beef.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Cabbage being cut.
  • Corned Beef – Look for a 4 lb. fresh corned beef brisket, trimmed, with its own separate little spice pack.
  • Carrots – As usual, we think easier is better. So we like using baby carrots instead of slicing big carrots.
  • Cabbage – We find one head of fresh cabbage is perfect for this corned beef. Although it may seem like a lot of cabbage, it cooks down to a fraction of the original volume.
  • Potatoes – Try getting fingerling potatoes or baby red/gold potatoes. Their small size and inherent tenderness will let you skip any peeling and excess slicing.
  • Beer – You’ll need one 6 oz. can of beer; almost any type should work here.

Substitutions And Variations

Take a look at these simple substitutions for Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage:

  • Cabbage: Although green cabbage is more traditional, you could absolutely swap it with red cabbage with equally delicious results.
  • Parsnips: If you like parsnips, feel free to add these to your corned beef for an added boost of flavor.
  • Beef: If you aren’t a fan of corned beef, but sill want to get in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit, try replacing the corned beef with beef brisket. Take a look at this Easy Slow Cooker Smoked Brisket recipe for some tips and tricks on making it.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

  1. Place carrots and onion in the bottom of slow cooker; place corned beef on top.
  2. Add beef broth, beer, garlic, peppercorns, and the seasoning packet to the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 10 hours.
  4. Add potatoes and cabbage and cook for another 2 hours. Enjoy!

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Believe it or not, there are a few ways you can actually make the prep for this meal even easier than it already is. Check out these simple prep-ahead strategies:

  • Slice Veggies: Feel free to slice the cabbage and onions several days in advance. Just store them in separate containers in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Halve Potatoes: If you want to cut your potatoes ahead of time, a simple trick is to submerge them in a bowl of water and keep it in the fridge. Just note that it’s best to do this only 1 day in advance.
  • Load Slow Cooker – Sometimes we like to just throw everything in the slow cooker the night before and keep it in the fridge. That way, we just need to take it out and plug it in the next morning. (Just don’t add the potatoes or cabbage as those go in later).
slow cooker corned beef and cabbage in a tray close up.

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage

Potatoes

Bread

Desserts

Commonly Asked Questions

How long does slow cooker corned beef and cabbage keep?

Corned beef and cabbage will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days. After that, you can throw it in the freezer and it will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

Can I cook this on high for a shorter amount of time?

While you technically can cook corned beef on high for less time, we highly recommend the full 10-12 hours on low. It makes such a huge difference in the intensity of the flavors and the tenderness of the beef.

Why do you wait to add the potatoes and cabbage till later?

Both potatoes and cabbage cook much faster than the other ingredients. So, if we were to put them in right away with everything else, they would get mushy and partially disintegrate. So, we toss them in with 2 hours left so they end up tender but firm.

Why do you put beer in corned beef and cabbage?

Beer does a really good job of tenderizing the brisket (which can be a tougher cut of meat if not cooked right). It also adds an amazing depth of flavor. Don’t worry about the alcohol; it completely cooks out.

How do you know when corned beef is done in the slow cooker?

If you have a meat thermometer, you’ll know it’s done when the internal temperature reaches at least 145 F. Otherwise, the best way to tell that it’s ready is when it’s fork tender. Note that corned beef will still be pink after it’s cooked due to the brine.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

corned beef and cabbage in a tray.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

4.91 from 42 ratings
This Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage is a great all-in-one meal. It's easy, flavorful, and amazingly fork-tender – perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any family gathering.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • ½ lb baby carrots
  • 1 whole onion, peeled and sliced thin
  • 4 lb corned beef brisket, trimmed, with spice pack
  • 4 cups beef broth, regular or low sodium
  • 6 oz beer
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 TB whole peppercorns
  • 7 whole fingerling potatoes or baby red/gold potatoes, halved
  • 1 head cabbage, sliced

Instructions

  • In a large slow cooker, place baby carrots and onion into the bottom. Place corned beef on the veggies.
  • Pour in the beef broth over the meat/veggies. Add the beer, garlic, and peppercorns. Sprinkle on the contents of spice pack that came with your corned beef.
  • Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Then add potatoes and cabbage; submerge them in the liquid as fully as possible, and cook 2 more hours on low, for a total of 12 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Equipment

Notes

  • The 12-hour cook time will result in a corned beef that is fork-tender and can easily be pulled apart. If you prefer a firmer texture that you can slice, cook for a total of 9 hours instead of 12. 
  • Ensure that all ingredients are submerged in liquid so even the cabbage gains incredible flavor.
  • Don’t forget: add the potatoes and cabbage only during your last 2 hours of cooking; this is important to prevent them from becoming mushy and too overdone.
  • For an amazingly delicious St. Patrick’s Day dessert, check out this Bailey’s Irish Cream Cake.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you! 
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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 2603mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3223IU | Vitamin C: 92mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Method: Slow Cooker

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