Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Corned beef and cabbage is an easy one-pot meal! A brined beef brisket is simmered with pickling spice until fork tender. To maintain an ideal texture, the veggies are cooked separately. If you own a pressure cooker, try this Instant Pot corned beef dinner. It’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
With leftover corned beef from this recipe, make CORNED BEEF SLIDERS!
THE ORIGINS OF CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
Did you know the tradition of serving corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day did not originate in Ireland? Yes, it’s strange, but true! This tradition began in the 19th century with Irish-American immigrants.
In Ireland, Irish bacon is a traditional dish for St. Patrick’s Day. However, when poor Irish immigrants arrived in the United States, they discovered corned beef was an affordable cut of meat with a similar taste to Irish bacon. They paired corned beef and cabbage together for a frugal yet delicious meal!
MORE ST. PATRICK’S DAY FOOD
- GUINNESS SHEPHERD’S PIE
- ST. PATRICK’S DAY JELLO CUPS
- MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- MINT BROWNIES WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE INGREDIENTS
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this traditional Irish-American recipe! It’s the perfect dinner for busy families. Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious one-pot meal:
- Corned beef brisket with spice packet
- White boiler onions
- Garlic cloves
- Small head of green cabbage
- Baby carrots
- Tiny potatoes
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Black peppercorns
- Fresh dill (for garnishing)
PICKLING SPICES
If the brined brisket doesn’t come with a spice packet, or if the amount provided is too skimpy, use this combination of spices for a savory homemade blend. Another option: Buy a jar of pickling spice and use 2 tablespoons for this recipe.
- Bay leaves
- Mustard seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Allspice berries (whole)
- Crushed red pepper
INSTANT POT CORNED BEEF
A pressure cooker makes meal prep quick and easy! For this traditional dinner, an Instant Pot or Mealthy MultiPot slices off an hour of cooking time compared to a Dutch oven. The beef comes out tender, flaky and juicy.
EASY CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE RECIPE
Follow these quick easy steps for making this delicious Instant Pot recipe.
- STEP 1: Add peeled onions and garlic cloves to inner steel pot of the pressure cooker.
- STEP 2: Place the steam rack over onions and garlic. Add water and apple cider vinegar to the pot. Place beef on the trivet, fat side down.
- STEP 3: Sprinkle spices over the top of the meat.
- STEP 4: With tongs, turn over beef so the fat cap faces up.
RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
The steps below can be easily adapted for any pressure cooker brand! Continue with these directions for cooking your meat and veggies.
- INSTANT POT USERS – STEP 1: Seal the lid. Select HIGH PRESSURE. Cook 1.5 hours. (Allow an additional 15 minutes for pressure to build.) Follow manufacture’s guide for quick release (about 5 minutes).
- MEALTHY MULTIPOT USERS – STEP 1: Seal the lid. Set steam vent to SEALING. Press PRESSURE COOK + HIGH PRESSURE. Cook 90 minutes. Quick release remaining pressure: set steam vent to VENTING.
- STEP 2: Carefully unlock and remove lid. Lift trivet. Transfer corned beef to a platter and cover. Discard bay leaves and onions. Strain liquid to remove solids. Return 2 cups of liquid to the pot.
- STEP 3: Add carrots, potatoes and cabbage to the pot. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Seal lid.
- STEP 4: Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Quick release pressure.
HOW TO SERVE CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
- Slice brisket against the grain in 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices.
- Drizzle reserved juices over the top to keep meat juicy.
- If desired, drizzle melted butter over the veggies.
- Sprinkle meat and veggies with freshly-chopped dill.
- Serve with a side of whole-grain mustard.
EXPERT TIPS & RECIPE FAQ
- WHAT IS CORNED BEEF? A beef brisket brined and cured with chunks of rock salt, called corns, and pickling spices. Due to the brining process, the cooked meat stays pink. For quick easy meals, purchase pre-brined corned beef!
- THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POINT CUT AND FLAT CUT BRISKET: The point cut is triangular in shape and has ribbons of fat. It’s the perfect cut for flavorful, juicy, shredded meat! Flat cut brisket is oblong in shape with a layer of fat on one side. Leaner than the point cut, it’s the perfect choice for sliced corned beef.
- WHAT IS THE BEST PRESSURE COOKER FOR THIS RECIPE? As a food blogger and recipe creator, I have the opportunity to try out all the best appliances. My pressure cooker of choice is the Mealthy MultiPot 2.0.
- WHITE BOILER ONIONS: They’re cooked with the meat to provide flavor. However, when cooking ends, they’re deeply infused with spices and are therefore discarded. If you’d like onions with your meal, cook an additional batch with the veggies. A great substitute: frozen pearl onions.
- HOW TO PEEL BOILER ONIONS: Trim off root ends. Drop in boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer to cold water. Slip off peel.
- DO YOU HAVE TO RINSE CORNED BEEF BEFORE COOKING? No, there’s no need to rinse the meat before adding it to the pressure cooker. A rinsed corned beef brisket will be stripped of excess salt, resulting in a milder flavor when cooked.
- HOW TO USE GUINNESS BEER IN THIS RECIPE: Skip the apple cider vinegar. Instead, for the cooking liquid, add 11.2-ounces draught beer (one bottle) and 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot. Don’t use stout beer as it will make the meat taste bitter!
- HOW TO MAKE CORNED BEEF LEANER? Choose a flat cut brisket. After cooking, slice off fat and discard it.
- HOW TO SLICE CORNED BEEF? For meat that’s not tough and chewy, slice the beef against the grain rather than parallel with the muscle fibers. Cutting perpendicular to the grain shortens the tough fibers and locks in juices. Your corned beef will be tender and easy to chew.
- WHAT TO SERVE WITH CORNED BEEF? A mix of root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, and leafy veggies like cabbage, brussels sprouts, or spinach. Try corned beef with SOUR CREAM MASHED POTATOES!
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Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Total Time: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
This corned beef and cabbage recipe is beautifully tender and delicious! Made in a pressure cooker (i.e., an Instant Pot or Mealthy MultiPot), this is a quick and easy St. Patrick’s Day dinner!
Ingredients
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
- 3.5 pound corned beef brisket, with spice packet
- 1/2 pound white boiler onions (or 1 pound – see notes below), trimmed and peeled
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 head of green cabbage (small), cut into wedges
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 1/2 pounds tiny potatoes
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (for garnishing)
PICKLING SPICES – If a spice packet is not included with the corned beef brisket, OR if the amount of spices provided are way too frugal! (Another option: buy a jar of pickling spices and use 2 tablespoons for this recipe. )
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice berries (whole)
Instructions
- Add onions and garlic to inner pot of pressure cooker. Place the steam rack inside the pot. Add water and apple cider vinegar. Place the beef brisket on trivet, fat side down. Sprinkle spices over the top of the meat. With tongs, turn over beef so the fat cap faces up.
- INSTANT POT USERS: Seal the lid. Select HIGH PRESSURE. Cook 1.5 hours. (Allow an additional 15 minutes for pressure to build.) Follow manufacture’s guide for quick release (about 5 minutes).
- MEALTHY MULTIPOT USERS: Seal the lid. Set steam vent to SEALING. Press PRESSURE COOK + HIGH PRESSURE. Cook 90 minutes. Quick release remaining pressure: set steam vent to VENTING.
- Carefully unlock and remove lid. Lift trivet. Transfer corned beef to a platter and cover. Discard bay leaves and onions. Strain liquid to remove solids. Return 2 cups of liquid to the pot.
- Add carrots, potatoes and cabbage to the pot. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Seal lid. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Quick release pressure.
- When ready to serve, slice meat against the grain in 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices. Drizzle warm juices over the beef. If desired, drizzle melted butter over the veggies. Sprinkled freshly-chopped dill over the meat and veggies.
Notes
WHITE BOILER ONIONS: A half pound of onions is cooked with the meat to give it flavor. At the end of the cooking cycle, these onions are heavily infused with spices and are therefore discarded. However, if you’d like to enjoy onions with this meal, cook another half pound of onions with the veggies.
SUBSTITUTE FOR BOILER ONIONS: Frozen pearl onions.
RECIPE FAQ
- WHAT IS CORNED BEEF? A beef brisket brined and cured with chunks of rock salt, called corns, and pickling spices. Due to the brining process, the cooked meat stays pink. For quick easy meals, purchase pre-brined corned beef!
- DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POINT CUT AND FLAT CUT BRISKET? The point cut is triangular in shape and has ribbons of fat. It’s the perfect cut for flavorful, juicy, shredded meat! Flat cut brisket is oblong in shape with a layer of fat on one side. Leaner than the point cut, it’s the perfect choice for sliced corned beef.
- DO YOU HAVE TO RINSE CORNED BEEF BEFORE COOKING? No, there’s no need to rinse the meat before adding it to the pressure cooker. A rinsed corned beef brisket will be stripped of excess salt, resulting in a milder flavor when cooked.
- HOW TO USE GUINNESS BEER IN THIS RECIPE: Skip the apple cider vinegar. Instead, for the cooking liquid, add 12-ounces draught beer and 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot. Don’t use stout beer as it will make the meat taste bitter!
- HOW TO MAKE CORNED BEEF LEANER? Choose a flat cut brisket. After cooking, slice off fat and discard it.
- HOW TO SLICE CORNED BEEF? For meat that’s not tough and chewy, slice the beef against the grain rather than parallel with the muscle fibers. Cutting perpendicular to the grain shortens the tough fibers and locks in juices. Your corned beef will be tender and easy to chew.
- WHAT TO SERVE WITH CORNED BEEF? A mix of root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, and leafy veggies like cabbage, brussels sprouts, or spinach.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Irish American
INSTANT POT CORNED BEEF > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
What festive meal will you serve your family on St. Patrick’s Day? Will it be this corned beef and cabbage dinner? Share your thoughts below!
I m often asked What is the best recipe for corned beef and cabbage? and I have to admit that I m partial to this slow cooker recipe!
That’s a really pretty platter of corned beef. I want to dive in!
This is the prettiest corned beef and cabbage dish I have ever seen. I love all the colors making this the most perfect way to celebrate St. Patricks day.
This is just the recipe I need for the weekend – it is bright, inviting and I am sure tastes incredible! Yum.
Beautiful pictures. My mother loves corned beef and cabbage. I can hardly wait to show her your post so she can make it!
I had no idea that corned beef and cabbage didn’t originate in Ireland! This makes the most tender and flavorful corned beef ever!
This corned beef looks so tender and delicious. I can’t wait to try it in my Instant Pot. My husband loves cabbage, so he will be so excited.
First time trying this and we loved it. Oh so delicious. Will be making this over and over again.
that meat looks so juicy and tasty….yum!
Corned beef is something totally different here in the UK, but this looks so much better. I can’t wait to try it.
This is delicious and easy, and corned beef is the perfect dish to celebrate St.Patrick’s Day.