Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

By Sarah DiGregorio

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: LIza Jernow.
Total Time
8 hours 15 minutes
Rating
4(1,272)
Notes
Read community notes

Corned beef — brisket cured in brine — is beloved for its big, salty, aromatic flavor. It needs to be braised or simmered for a long time to become tender and sliceable, making it an ideal slow cooker dish. Get a corned beef made from flat-cut brisket, if you can, as it will be easier to slice into neat, uniform slabs. (The point cut has more striations of fat and may fall apart when sliced.) Corned beef is often braised in beer, and you could certainly do that, but a slightly sweet wine, like a semi-dry Riesling, balances the beef’s saltiness. Finish with a simple honey-mustard glaze and a quick trip under the broiler. Serve this satisfying one-pot meal with mustard and enjoy with beer. (Here are pressure cooker and classic versions of corned beef and cabbage.)

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3 to 3½-pound ready-to-cook corned beef, preferably flat-cut
  • 1¼cups semi-dry white wine, such as Riesling
  • 1pound red or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 2 to 3large carrots (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • ½small head green or savoy cabbage (about 1 pound), core left intact, cut into 4 wedges
  • 3tablespoons Dijon mustard, plus more for serving
  • 2tablespoons honey
  • Flaky sea salt, if necessary
  • Black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

972 calories; 56 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 27 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 60 grams protein; 4699 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Remove the corned beef from its packaging in the sink and reserve the spice packet. Rinse the beef well under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. (If you don’t rinse off the brine, the meat will be too salty.) If there is a substantial fat cap on top of the beef, place the beef on a cutting board and trim most of it, if you’d like. (The fat will not completely render away during cooking.) Be sure to leave at least a thin layer of fat on top, about ⅛- to ¼-inch thick, to keep the meat moist.

  2. Step 2

    Transfer the corned beef into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker with the fat cap facing up. Add the wine and the spices from the packet. Cook on high for 4 hours.

  3. Step 3

    Reduce the heat to low. Baste the beef with the cooking liquid. Drop the potatoes and carrots into the liquid surrounding the beef. Lay the cabbage wedges on top. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until the vegetables and beef are tender. (A paring knife should slip easily into the beef, though the meat shouldn’t be falling apart.)

  4. Step 4

    Heat the broiler to high. Stir together the mustard and honey in a small bowl. Using tongs, remove the corned beef from the slow cooker and put it on a foil-lined sheet pan. Spread the honey-mustard all over the top and sides of the beef and place it under the broiler. Cook until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes in spots, about 3 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Let the corned beef rest for 5 to 10 minutes then slice it against the grain into ½-inch slabs. Place the beef slices on the serving platter alongside the vegetables and drizzle everything with a little bit of the cooking liquid. Taste the vegetables, and season them with flaky sea salt, if necessary. (The beef will not need to be seasoned with salt.) Season the beef and vegetables to taste with black pepper. Serve with Dijon mustard.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,272 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Jo

I have always used 2 whole cloves, 10 whole black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds. This was my part Irish mother’s recipe.

Mary Ann

I would substitute the wine with Guinness Beer. I’ve braised my corn beef with it for years, adds amazing flavor. I also dislike boiled vegetables, so I roast a combination of carrots, Brussels sprouts and small red potatoes on a separate sheet pan in the oven.

Norm

What if there is no spice pack included? What spices should be used instead?

Sharon Manson Singer

I put my cabbage in at the 'only two more hours' point. The cabbage was cooked and quite savoury.

Jude

An incomplete list of pickling spices in prior post: 1 tablespoon allspice berries 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon black or brown mustard seeds 1 tablespoon cloves 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional) 2 teaspoons ground dried ginger 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 2 bay leaves (dried and crumbled) 1 cinnamon stick (smashed or crumbled)

Cathy

I thought the cabbage and carrots were pretty overdone. I’m making a note to reduce the time from 4 hours on low to 2 hours on low.

CC

A great recipe, my family loved the meat and the vegetables. I did the 4 hours on high the day before, then did 5 hours on low with the vegetables on the day of. Everything was perfect. I did not do the glaze.

Jeff

I find McCormick pickling spice works well.

vinga

Use Guinness. Skip glaze. Low for 8 hr adding veg at 4.

Sharon Manson Singer

My corned beef was great. I ensured that there was enough water to come up the side of the brisket. Mine was an eight hour crock pot on low and truly delicious. I just served it for brunch.

sumwug

I don’t see any reason to add honey to this recipe and make a glaze. Totally unnecessary added sweetener. Otherwise, it’s delicious. I confess that I roasted our carrots and potatoes separately in butter, but served the cabbage and corned beef with the juices and good mustard, and it was all a treat. Generally, added sweeteners detract from a savory dish’s flavors, erasing nuances. This is one.

Birdie

I’m surprised by the comments about this dish turning out poorly! For years I’ve made my corned beef by slowly cooking in the oven. This year, I wanted to break free and decided to give the crockpot version a try. My husband said it was the best he’s ever had. I did not change a single thing. The meat was tender and delicious. And oh my god, the glaze. Do not skip the glaze. It’s a delightful addition, and I even made extra for a little drizzle.

Sandy

Turned out perfectly! The cabbage was wonderful and not over cooked as it's positioned on top and only for the last 4-hours. I had not tried it with wine before and enjoyed the lighter flavor which did not over power the flavor of the dish. I did add some an additional carrot, a bit more wine & a 1/2 cup of leftover both with 1/2 of a parsnip I needed to use up. Just great no other changes. Wonderful!

Patti Smith

Napa cabbage with corned beef is a revelation. It is tender and soft unlike standard cabbage. It is also less bitter. I cut one Napa cabbage into quarter longitudinally. It cooks a lot faster than standard cabbage so don't walk away from it. If you overcook it, it will fall apart.

Sheryl Santos

This was so good. My slow cooker could have fit the entire head of savoy cabbage so I wish I used all of it plus added more carrots. I agree with others - the potatoes could be added 90 minutes to 2 hours left during the low-temp phase. I skipped adding flaky salt, everything was so savory perfectly.

Marianne

I just made this yesterday and it was great. My corned beef didn't come with a spice pack so I googled a recipe and used what I had at home: peppercorns, bay leaves, ground mustard and coriander. Also the wine in my fridge which was more of a sauvignon blanc. The honey mustard glaze was really easy and tasty. My husband, who never usually likes corned beef because of childhood memories of overly salty meat, said it was one of the best things I've ever made (in 38 years, to be accurate).

SB28

I doubled the carrots and added more potatoes (because this is too high a ratio of meat to veg), and they were fine, but my cabbage never got fully cooked. I had to microwave it ... and it was still hard. I think, because I added vegetables, it needed a lot more liquid. If I try it again, I'll put the cabbage around and under the meat with the other veg. The meat was very tender, and I did like the glaze (I have glazed corned beef after stewing it before). Leftovers made a lovely soup.

SWD

It was great overall, but the meat was a little overdone. It may depend on the brand of slow cooker you have. I’d reduce the time on high to 3 hours, then add veggies and cook on low for four hours. I loved the wine broth, but also agree with the person who suggested using beer instead. I will try that next time and see which I like better.

Marie

The beef is very tasty, but the honey mustard glaze didn't work for us. It introduced a sweetness that just seemed out of place.

Julie

Made 2x. (Needed two pieces)Once with wine, once with beer. Preferences were evenly split. I prepared the bulk of the veggies separately. Those in the pot were seriously overdone.

robin phelan

Made this today. Followed the recipe closely. Used Pino Grigio because that’s what I had. Skipped the glaze. 5 hours on high meat only followed by 2 on low with veggies. My husband said it was the best corned beef he ever had. Will make again.

cfh

Great recipe. This ended multiple failures with corned beef. We mostly followed the recipe except we didn’t do the glaze and put the veggies in with 2 hours to go. The corned beef was delicious. Best ever! Veggies perfectly done. Made a dipping sauce of Dijon, mayonnaise, honey and horse radish for the corned beef. The is now our go-to recipe.

cfh

We made this after years of total fails making corned beef. This was not just a winner but totally amazing. Followed the recipe to a T (mostly) except for the glaze. Made a dipping sauce of Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and honey plus some creamed horseradish. Superb. IMO it does not need the glaze. We did 2 hours for the veggies and they were perfect. This is now our go-to corned beef recipe.

allison

The glaze is the best part! Don’t skip it.

John M

The dish came out perfectly.. however the cabbage came out kinda greyish.

Josy

Cooked the corn beef in crockpot with beer, broth, and water for 6 1/2 hours on high. Delicious.

Marie

I substituted the Riesling for a Sauvignon Blanc instead and happy I did, TONS of flavor. Plus with the addition of the honey mustard, it would have been too sweet for our liking. The broiling at the end was perfect. I’d only done boiled corned beef and cabbage before and the slow cooker broil produced a better beef!

slow.roller

Added some while peppercorns and some coriander to the pool and when adding the cabbage, I sprinkled some salt over the wedges after basting them. For the honey mustard, I gave it some kick with cayenne and chili powder. 🤌🏽

Denise

I added an onion. Whar a delicious addition!

EVD

Onions, of course! Bay leaves! Crock Pot is perfect for this...

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