Corned Beef and Cabbage

For St. Patrick’s Day I was really looking forward to trying Corned Beef and Cabbage for the first time. My parents would always make it and St. Patrick’s Day was the only time I could get it. There are a lot of different recipes online and in cookbooks that you can try. I decided to use my slow cooker because I wanted a no-fuss meal. Plus, when you use the slow cooker, the meat is guaranteed to be tender and fall apart – yum!! I also used a combination of chicken stock and beer rather than water to infuse even more flavor into the meat while it cooks. When looking to buy your meat, I recommend purchasing a “flat cut” of corned beef. This cut is thinner and it’s less fatty. In the slow cooker, you don’t have to worry about it being tough – it will fall apart with a fork and be perfectly tender.

The great thing about this recipe is that the measurements are not exact. Feel free to add more or fewer vegetables and seasonings depending on what you prefer. Don’t worry – you won’t ruin it because all of the flavors will combine and infuse with the meat nicely.

One thing that I will say about slow cookers, however, is that you need to be careful when cooking vegetables. Overcooking the veggies is really easy to do and mushy veggies are a sure-fire way to have a disappointing and soggy meal. Every slow cooker is different, so I recommend checking your veggies at least halfway through. If it seems like they are cooking fast, add the cabbage sooner. You can always keep the slow cooker on warm if dinner is ready before you’re ready to eat!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did on St. Patrick’s Day!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

1 Corned Beef – flat cut (I used Vienna brand - buy any size that will feed your family!)
1 large box of stock, chicken or beef (about 4 cups, enough to partially cover the meat)
1 bottle of beer, optional
Pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
4 Bay leaves
4 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3-4 Carrots
1 Onion, cut into large chunks
10 Red Potatoes, halved
½ to 1 head Cabbage, cut into wedges

Place the corned beef in your slow cooker and add the spice packet (if one came with your corned beef, mine did not). Add the stock, beer, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add potatoes, onions, and carrot. Cook on low 2 hours. Add the cabbage and cook on low 1 hour. When everything is finished cooking, remove the Corned Beef and let it rest 5 minutes. Slice with a knife or chunk apart with a fork. Serve with juices and vegetables - enjoy!

I also like to serve Corned Beef and Cabbage in a bowl because I like all of the juices - however you prefer, it will be delicious!