Crock Pot Corned Beef

beef recipe is everything you need for fall-apart tender corned beef, with real flavor from the homemade corned beef spices.

Today, my friends, I'm going to show you how to make a delicious Slow Cooker Corned Beef. Corned beef typically becomes a sought after recipe around St. Patrick's Day, but that's a shame because we love corned beef any time of the year.

I like to grab a few of them from the butcher, prep them in several different ways, then freeze it in batches. Or I'll just freeze the corn beef briskets whole for preparing later on.

Featured Reader Comment

From Devon: "This is such a great recipe! The beef; tender and flavorful. The gravy; rich, deliciousness, like I want to put this on everything. Cabbage; yes please, the flavor profile from this is incredible. Corned beef haters of my household have been converted - I highly recommend this recipe!"

Crock Pot Corned Beef Ingredients

• Corned Beef Seasonings: Mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, allspice berries, cardamom seeds, celery seeds, whole cloves, red pepper flakes, ground ginger, bay leaves
• For the Corned Beef: Corned beef brisket, onion, garlic, yellow potatoes, carrots, cabbage (optional), beef broth or dark beer
• For the Gravy (optional): Butter and flour

How to Make Crock Pot Corned Beef

Make the corned beef seasonings:

Heat a small pan to medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, allspice berries, cardamom seeds, celery seeds, and whole cloves. Lightly toast them in the dry pan for 1 minute, stirring to let the spices bloom

Grind the spices:

Transfer to a food processor or spice grinder along with the red pepper flakes, ground ginger, and bay leaves. Process to a coarse blend or your preferred consistency

Prepare the base:

Trim fat from the corned beef and rinse. Set onion, potatoes, carrots, and garlic into the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the brisket over them

Season and add liquid:

Add seasoning blend. Pour in beef broth or dark beer, then water to just cover the brisket

Cook:

Set the slow cooker to high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours

Add cabbage:

During the last hour, add cabbage for a crisp finish or two hours for tenderness

Finish and slice:

When brisket is tender, remove with vegetables and slice against the grain

Make the gravy (optional):

Strain 1 cup of cooking liquid. Melt butter, add flour, stir constantly for 5 minutes until slightly darkened. Whisk in liquid and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper

Serve:

Drizzle gravy over beef and vegetables

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Braising Liquid Options

Dark beer with water or beef stock is great for slow cooker corned beef recipes. Sometimes I use only beer, depending on how much flavor I'm looking for. Sometimes I will split the mixture 50/50 with dark beer and water, though I almost always use a whole bottle of beer. Beef stock is a great option for imparting flavor, though some people prefer using only water. Another option is to include a bit of vinegar into the mix for a bit of tangy flavor. I encourage you to experiment with different liquid combinations to see where your preferences fall. One consideration for your choice of braising liquid, however, is whether or not you will be making gravy afterward.

Best Vegetables for Corned Beef

Adding vegetables to your slow cooker corned beef is not required. I find that they add a lot of extra flavor to the finished corned beef, and also impart flavor to a finished gravy, if you're making one. I've used potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic for this recipe. However, other vegetables are a strong addition, such as celery, rutabaga, celery root, golden beets and more. Don't forget the cabbage! When I cook with potatoes like this, I will pluck them out and serve them alongside the sliced corned beef. It would be the same for most root vegetables. Everything else can be strained out.

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Sauce and Glaze Options

I usually like to make a gravy for serving, but you can either skip the gravy or make an additional sauce to go along with your gravy. Mustard is always a tasty option, like a whole grain mustard or even a mustard sauce. As mentioned, mustard is a strong flavor compliment to corned beef, so just a squeeze or a drizzle can go a long way. Consider a homemade spicy beer mustard, or a spicy honey mustard.

How to Choose the Best Corned Beef Brisket Cut

You have 3 options with any brisket. They are: Flat Cut: This is the thicker, leaner portion of the brisket. Point Cut: Aka, the deckle. This cut is thinner with more marbling that sits on top of the flat, the larger, leaner bottom section. Whole Brisket: For hungry people! Includes both the point and flat cuts.

How Long do you Cook Corned Beef in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot?

Cook a corned beef for 5-6 hours in the slow cooker on high, or 8-10 hours on low. Check it after 5 hours, depending on size of the brisket. Your times may vary a bit.

How Do You Know When the Corned Beef is Done?

You'll be able to tell the corned beef is done cooking by the tenderness. It will almost shred with a fork. However, for food safety, the best way to know is to measure with a meat thermometer. It should register 145 degrees F internally.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What is the best cut of corned beef to use?

The flat cut is leaner and easier to slice, while the point cut is more marbled and flavorful. Whole brisket includes both cuts.

→ Can I use beer instead of broth for cooking?

Yes, dark beer like Guinness adds rich flavor. You can also mix beer with beef broth or water for balance.

→ How do I know when corned beef is done?

It’s done when fork-tender and registers 145°F internally. Check after 5 hours on high or 8 on low.

→ Do I have to add vegetables to the slow cooker?

No, but adding carrots, potatoes, and onions enhances the flavor of both the meat and optional gravy.

→ When should I add cabbage?

Add cabbage during the last 1–2 hours of cooking—1 hour for crisp texture or 2 hours for more tenderness.

→ What sauces go well with corned beef?

Gravy from the cooking liquid is classic, but whole grain mustard or mustard-based glazes also pair well.