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Make your Sunday supper special with my one-pot dinner Corned Beef Recipe! Complete with corned beef simmered to tender perfection and vegetables that aren’t overcooked to mush, this super-simple dinner is done with barely any hands-on time at all!
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Corned Beef and Cabbage
One of my favorite things to do is to go to the grocery store and pick up something I’ve never tried to make before. So a while back when I went to shop around Saint Patrick’s Day and found mountains of corned beef ready to cook, I knew I had to try making it in a new way – from scratch on the stove!
Let me tell you, I’ll never be buying pre-cooked corned beef again. Not only was making my own way easier than I ever could have expected, but it was fun, inventive, and so deliciously tender and flavorful. Honestly, I felt a little bit wronged by all the corned beef I’d had in the past.
But the best was yet to come! Wanting to make use of all that flavored broth left in the pot, I threw in a few flavor-soaking veggies and let them cook. And boom- I had a full dinner complete with meat and vegetables, all done in one pot. It’s become one of my favorite Sunday dinner ideas!
What makes this corned beef recipe great
- It’s a full meal in one pot!
- Uses only easy ingredients
- Great for leftovers
- Veggie-packed
Corned Beef and Potatoes Ingredients
- Corned Beef Brisket (with spice packet!): You’ll find corned beef brisket sold in a brine with a sauce packet included. Keep that packet; it’s got all the pickling spices in it!
- Water: You’ll need to add plenty of water to fully immerse the brisket. The amount depends on the size of your pot!
- Bay Leaves: Bay leaves are critical to a good corned beef. Use plenty, as the flavor will infuse into the water used to simmer the meat.
- Dark Beer (substitution available): Dark beer is my favorite for corned beef, as it has an incredible depth of flavor. You can also use beef broth or beef stock, if you’d like to avoid any included alcohol (it will not boil off!).
- Red Potatoes: Red potatoes soften quickly, making them perfect for boiling in the leftover broth from corned beef. They act as a flavor sponge, soaking up all that delicious broth!
- Carrots: Carrots are always a great option for adding to a corned beef. They soften nicely and have a delicate sweetness that tastes great with the pickling spices.
- Cabbage: You can’t serve corned beef without cabbage! I prefer green cabbage, but red cabbage will taste delicious, too. Make sure to cut it into nice thick slices using a sharp knife.
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper can be added to the vegetables before simmering them. It adds just that little extra oomph to the flavor that the broth will bring in.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme is the perfect garnish! If you don’t have any, that’s okay; it’ll still taste great.
How to Make Corned Beef with Cabbage
- First, pour out any leftover liquid from the corned beef. Place the corned beef in a large pot or dutch oven, then sprinkle it with the contents of the spice packet, and add in the bay leaves. Optional: Sear the beef in a large pan before adding to the pot.
- Pour in the beer or beef broth, then enough water to cover the brisket entirely- I used about 6 cups, but the amount will depend on your pot!
- Turn the burner to high heat, and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, then let it simmer for about 45-50 minutes per pound of meat, until fork-tender. Mine was a three pound brisket and took 2 hours and 30 minutes. Don’t sweat overcooking it, it’ll just get more tender!
- Once fork-tender, remove the beef from the pot and set on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest until you’re ready to slice it.
- While the corned beef rests, season the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage with salt and pepper, then carefully add them to the pot of broth. I like to cut the carrots and potatoes into thick slices, and the cabbage into large cubes.
- Place the lid back on, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. If you want, you can stagger when you add the vegetables, as cabbage cooks faster than the potatoes and carrots.
- Slice the beef against the grain, then serve with vegetables with a garnish of thyme. Enjoy!
And remember, serving it with Horseradish Sauce is a must!
Homemade Corned Beef Recipe Tips
- It’s hard to over-cook corned beef! Don’t fuss too much about pulling it out of the pot right on time; it’ll only get more tender as it keeps cooking.
- You can always add even more pickling spices if you want! Great additions include whole mustard seeds, garlic cloves, black peppercorns, whole coriander seeds, and a sliced onion.
- For extra flavor, set a cast iron skillet over high heat and add a small amount of vegetable oil, then sear the beef before adding it to the pot. This will boost the flavor that extra little bit!
Storing and Reheating Corned Beef
To store corned beef, slice or shred the beef fully and then store it in an airtight container with a little of the broth. This will help keep it nice and moist in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze cooked corned beef! I prefer to store the slices in a flat container and add some broth to ensure they don’t get freezer-burned. Then seal tightly and store for up to 3 months.
To thaw, place the frozen corned beef in the fridge overnight or place in a pan and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, warm it up into an incredible Hot Beef Sandwich!
FAQ
Yes! That liquid is brine that has a lot of dissolved fat in it. The brine has done its job, and can be poured out. If it gets added to the pot, it not only adds too much extra salt, but the fat can solidify into nasty clumps.
After cooking the corned beef, you can use the broth to boil vegetables of choice. If you’d like, you can then reduce the broth down to about half of its original volume, then use it for soups and stews to take advantage of all that flavor! Just make sure to strain it first.
Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes
- Irish Mashed Potatoes – mashed potatoes loaded with onions and cabbage? It doesn’t get better than this!
- Bailey’s Fudge – This Bailey’s flavored homemade fudge is not only super easy, but it’s so indulgent, you’ll want to make it for every occasion!
- Beef Chuck Roast – One of my very favorite chuck roasts, and most reader-loved, too!
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast – Make the best use of your dutch oven with another incredibly tender, fall-apart roast!
- Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Recipe
Corned Beef Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound Corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 6 cups Water
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4 cups Dark beer or beef broth
- 5 large Red potatoes halved
- 3 large Carrots peeled and halved
- ½ head Cabbage cut into wedges
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place: Place the corned beef in a large pot. Sprinkle the spice packet that your corned beef came with inside of the pot. Toss in your bay leaves.3-4 pound Corned beef brisket, 2 Bay leaves
- Pour: Pour in beer (or beef broth) over the corned beef and enough water to cover completely. (I used 6 cups of water)4 cups Dark beer, 6 cups Water
- Boil: Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45-50 minutes per pound, until fork-tender (about 2-3 hours).
- Remove: Once the corned beef is fork-tender, remove it from the pot and set aside on a plate. Cover your corned beef with foil and let it rest.
- Season: In a large bowl season your carrots, cabbage, and potatoes with salt and pepper.3 large Carrots, ½ head Cabbage, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Pepper, 5 large Red potatoes
- Boil: Toss in the seasoned veggies, and place the lid back on. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Slice: Carefully slice the corned beef brisket against the grain.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh thyme (optional). Serve soft vegetables and sliced corned beef on a plate, and enjoy!1 tablespoon Fresh thyme
Video
Notes
- It’s hard to over-cook corned beef! Don’t fuss too much about pulling it out of the pot right on time; it’ll only get more tender as it keeps cooking.
- You can always add even more pickling spices if you want! Great additions include whole mustard seeds, garlic cloves, black peppercorns, whole coriander seeds, and a sliced onion.
- For extra flavor, set a cast iron skillet over high heat and add a small amount of vegetable oil, then sear the beef before adding it to the pot. This will boost the flavor that extra little bit!
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