Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Incredible flavor and amazingly tender meat are what you’ll get with this easy Slow-Cooker Corned Beef recipe that includes potatoes, carrots, onion, and cabbage. Perfect for St, Patrick’s Day and beyond, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it recipe that gives you a delicious comfort food meal with hardly any effort!

I love making one-pot meals in my slow cooker, mainly because they’re dump-and-go recipes that don’t require additional fuss, dishes, or work on my part. They’re great for busy days, meal planning, and crowd-feeding. This corned beef recipe is no exception.

You can have the ingredients in your slow cooker with minimal prep work and then just let it cook all day for a flavor-packed fall-off-the-fork corned beef meal that your friends and family will rave about. Plus, this recipe has the veggies cooking and the meat, so it’s truly a one-pot meal!

Love corned beef but don’t want to use a slow cooker? Try my easy Pressure Cooker Corned Beef And Cabbage recipe or my traditional oven-baked Corned Beef And Cabbage recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It uses just 6 ingredients
• It’s budget-friendly
• It requires very minimal prep work
• No special cooking skills are needed
• It’s a dump-and-go recipe
• It’s perfect for St, Patrick’s Day celebrations

Ingredients Needed

Corned Beef – use either a flat-cut or point-cut brisket
Seasoning Packet – this usually comes with the corned beef brisket
Potatoes – I use baby potatoes because they will hold up to the long cooking time
Carrots – I use baby carrots
Onion – I used a yellow onion, cut into large chunks
Cabbage – use a small head of green cabbage, cut into wedges
Chicken Stock – I use unsalted because the corned beef is already salt-cured. You can also substitute beef stock, beer, or even water for the chicken stock.

How To Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Note: this is a summary of the steps. Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

STEP 1: Add the carrots and potatoes to your slow cooker first.
STEP 2: Place the onion and cabbage wedges around the edges of the slow cooker.
STEP 3: Place the corned beef in the middle.
STEP 4: Sprinkle the seasoning over the corned beef.
STEP 5: Pour the chicken stock into the slow cooker.
STEP 6: Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
STEP 7: Remove the corned beef from the slow cooker when tender and slice or shred it.
STEP 8: Serve with the cooked vegetables.

What Is Corned Beef?

It’s a beef brisket cured in a salty brine and is known as corned beef. There is no corn involved, though! The term corned refers to the shape of the salt pellets used in the curing process when it was dry-cured centuries ago and the name has endured. Today, the beef briskets are salt-cured with a liquid brine.

Should I Rinse The Corned Beef Before Cooking?

I do this to remove any excess salt. Rinse the brisket under cold water before adding it to the slow cooker. Note: I also use unsalted chicken broth because the corned beef is already salty enough.

Can I Slow Cook This On High To Save Time?

I would not. The low and slow cooking time of 8-9 hours helps the corned beef brisket become melt-in-your-mouth tender. It gives the meat and its tissues time to break down and become flavorful. If you shorten the cooking time, the corned beef may be tougher in texture.

How To Slice Corned Beef

Make the most of this juicy and delicious brisket by slicing it correctly. Once you’ve removed it from the slow cooker, set it on a cutting board or platter and let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. This gives the juices time to redistribute. When ready to slice, use a sharp knife to cut against the grain, which means to cut in the opposite direction of how the meat fibers run. Slicing the brisket this way helps the meat become even more tender, once served because you’ve helped break up the fibers a little more by going against the grain.

What To Serve With Corned Beef

Since this is a one-pot meal full of meat and vegetables, you might consider serving some sort of bread with it. I love sourdough bread with it or my easy golden cornbread.

If you’re serving this for St. Patrick’s Day, consider making my St. Patrick’s Day Poke Cake or my impressive St. Patrick’s Day Green Ombre Cake. And of course, my Irish Apple Cake is always a hit. Be sure and serve some Irish Coffee for the adults!

Storage

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or even on the stovetop in a skillet with a splash of water. Sliced corned beef makes great sandwiches, too!

More Easy Slow-Cooker Beef Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Slow Cooker Cube Steak Chili
Slow Cooker Stir Fry Beef
Slow Cooker Taco Steak Bites with Queso
Slow Cooker Beef Ramen