Cozy Slow Cooker Corned Beef Cabbage (Printable)

Tender brisket simmers with root vegetables for a classic Irish-American comfort meal

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 (3–4 lb) corned beef brisket with spice packet

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium head green cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
03 - 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
04 - 6 small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered
05 - 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
06 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Liquids & Seasonings

07 - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
08 - 2 cups water
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 8 whole black peppercorns
11 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse the corned beef under cold water to remove excess brine. Place it fat side up in the slow cooker.
02 - Sprinkle the contents of the spice packet (and mustard, if using) over the brisket.
03 - Add onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and peppercorns around and on top of the meat.
04 - Pour beef broth and water over the ingredients.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
06 - Add cabbage wedges during the last 2 hours of cooking.
07 - Carefully remove the corned beef; let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain.
08 - Serve the corned beef with vegetables, spooning some broth over for extra flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The meat becomes so tender you can cut it with nothing more than a gentle push of your fork
  • Whole vegetables absorb all that spiced beef broth until they're practically melting
02 -
  • Corned beef continues to cook and firm up as it rests, so remove it when it feels slightly more tender than you want the final result
  • Slicing against the grain is the difference between tender bites and chewy ones, so look for the muscle fibers running in one direction and cut perpendicular to them
03 -
  • Butter stirred into the broth right before serving makes everything taste restaurant quality
  • Letting the meat rest isn't optional, it's what keeps it juicy instead of dry