Recipe: eatsimplefood.com/slow-cooked...
This delicious and easy slow cooker / crockpot corned beef brisket recipe with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes will change your game plan for an easy dinner to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (or any day!).
What is Corned Beef and How Do You Cook It In The Crockpot?
Corned beef is a beef brisket that has been brined (marinated in salt and water with pickling spices). It is usually available in grocery stores around St. Patrick's Day.
Beef brisket is a tough piece of meat that breaks down into tender goodness with low and slow cooking - also known as braising.
It generally takes around 7-9 hours on low to cook corned beef brisket in a crockpot. Brisket can be cooked on high for a shorter period of time but it has a greater chance of drying out at a higher heat.
Is Corned Beef Cooked Fat Side Up Or Down In The Crockpot?
Corned Beef Brisket should be placed in the crockpot / pot with the fat side up. The fat insulates and protects the meat and helps the corned beef from drying out as it cooks.
Brisket should have a thin layer of fat on the top. Sometimes the fat is super thick and needs to be trimmed. Fat gives flavor but too much of it can also make a greasy sauce.
I generally trim the fat off of corned beef brisket if it is over ¼" thick. The fat can also be easily taken off the top with a butter knife after it's done cooking.
Crockpot Corned Beef Brisket Cooking Tips:
The brisket is really tender when it's fully cooked. It's gonna be hard to slice the meat intact. The corned beef will stay together better if it is cooled before slicing.
Want some more tang? Use sauerkraut instead of cabbage and throw it in the crockpot at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients. Bonus: the sauerkraut doesn't take up a lot of space in the crockpot with the corned beef.
Corned Beef Brisket FAQS
Does corned beef need to be covered with water in the slow cooker?
Nope! But it does need to have liquid half way up the meat. If it's completely covered it will end up boiled. Not the end of the world, but just not necessary.
Do you use the liquid in the corned beef package?
Yup. That's the pickling spice and you definitely want all that flavor in there when you cook it!
How do you know when slow cooker corned beef brisket is done?
It takes 7-9 hours on low to cook corned beef in the crockpot. It will be fork tender when it's done. Crockpots cook at different heats, even on low, check it at hours 7 and 8.
How long do you cook corned beef in the crockpot / slow cooker?
Cook it for 7-9 hours on low.
Should I use water or chicken broth to cover the corned beef?
It's hard to say because some corned beef briskets have an uber salty pickling liquid or spices. Use water if you are sensitive to salt and add salt to taste later.
Why is corned beef pink?
Corned beef can be either pink when fully cooked or grey / brown. There is one key difference in that the cooked Corned Beef that is pink in color has the addition of nitrates - either sodium nitrate or saltpeter (potassium nitrate).
The nitrate additions cures the corned beef and changes the color of the meat to pink and also gives corned beef its flavor. The lack of curing the corned beef with nitrates leaves the corned beef the regular ole color of cooked beef.
Want To Cook Corned Beef On The Stovetop?
• Cool - no problem! Add the brisket and any pickling spice packet or pickling juices with the fat side up.
• Cover corned beef brisket nearly to the top of the meat with water. Broth will be too salty.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook covered around 2 hours.
• Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage and cook covered ~ 30-40 minutes or until tender.
Serves 6
Ingredients
4 lb lean corned beef w/ pickling spice packet or juice
1 onion, sliced (optional)
4 medium carrots, cut in 1 ½" chunks
1 ½ lb whole baby potatoes or roughly chunked potatoes
4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth - use water if sensitive to salt.
1 medium head cabbage, chunked
Instructions
• In a 6 quart crock-pot add the onion, potatoes, and carrots.
• Nestle in the corned beef w/ pickling spice - fat side up.
• Pour the water or chicken broth over the top. If the broth does not almost cover the brisket, add enough water to come ~ ½ way up the beef.
• Cook on low for 7-9 hours or until fork tender.
• Add the cabbage to the crockpot around hour 6-7 (2 hours before serving) and continue cooking. Sometimes there is not enough room for the cabbage to fit in the crockpot and it can get crazy frustrating trying to shove it all in. If this is the case, bring a large pot of water to a boil, throw in the cabbage, and cook for ~ 7-9 minutes or until it has shrunk. Strain and add to crockpot.
• Remove the brisket, let cool, and slice across the grain.
• Add a big cup full or two of strained veggies on your plate and add the sliced corned beef.
• Add salt to taste. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Beckie