Easy Slow Cooker And Crockpot Recipes: Recipe For Perfect Crock Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage

If you're in the market for a St. Patrick's Day traditional dinner that is so easy to make, this is the recipe for you!  Except for getting the vegetables peeled and chopped, it couldn't be easier.

Most of the recipes say to cook the corned beef dinner for 8 hours but I usually cook this one for 12.  It just seems to make the meat more dinner and less stringy but let your own culinary expertise guide you as to cooking times. 

If you are so inclined, you can also make your own corned beef from a beef roast.  I will save that technique for another day.  I also do not use any salt in this recipe because corned beef is by virtue of the brine very salty already.  I also use low-sodium broth if I opt for that instead of water.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium onion, chunked
• 5- 6 Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, skin on or peeled, chunked
• 5-6 carrots, peeled, chunked
• 1 small head of cabbage, cored, cut into wedges
• 2-1/2 to 3 pound corned beef brisket, fat trimmed off, rinsed, patted dry
• Water or broth to cover (although stout beer adds a nice flavor – some folks add apple juice and the juice of an orange)
• Seasoning packet that comes with the corned beef or see below for spices

• Ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 8  whole allspice
• 2 bay  leaves (remove after cooking)
• Ground ginger
• Brown sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Place the vegetable ingredients in the crockpot and top with the corned beef brisket.
2. Cover with water or other substitute liquid to cover at least the vegetables. Stir in the spice packet or the alternative spices. Top with the corned beef brisket.
3. Place the cabbage wedges alongside the beef or if not enough room, arrange on top.
4. Baste the cabbage after 4-6 hours with the broth.
5. Cook as above (8-12 hours) and then remove cabbage, potatoes, carrots to plate and keep warm. Remove corned beef brisket and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Slice across the grain. Use the remaining corned beef for sandwiches such as Reubens.

Some folks like this sauce served with the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 2-3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

PREPARATION:

1. Whip the cream until it stands up in peaks.
2. Fold in horseradish. 

Serve with the corned beef. 

Some say corned beef is an American concoction based on an old Irish recipe. Whoever had the idea, corned beef has been around since about 800 AD. The style of brining the meat was used in Ireland and later in England to keep meat from spoiling and it became the most popular meat available during the wars as rations.

More trivia - there is truly nothing 'corned' about corned beef.  It was given this name because of the rock salt kernels that it was packed in to brine it.  Thus the name 'corned' from kernels.