Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (2024)

This recipe for slow cooker corned beef delivers a moist, tender, flavor-packed piece of beef. So easy you just dump, set, and cook!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (1)

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Why You’ll Love This

Slow cooker corned beef makes this meal easy and delicious at any time of the year. But since St. Patrick’s day is right around the corner,grab one on your next shopping trip and be prepared!

This crockpot corned beef recipe delivers a moist, tender, flavor-packed piece of beef brisket. So easy you just dump, set, and cook!

Toss in some cabbage for the famous corned beef and cabbage dish. It’s that easy!

Some of our other favorite slow cooker recipes to make are Chex Mix recipe, Crockpot Manicotti, Roast Chicken in Crock Pot, and Slow Cooker Lentil Soup.

Ingredients

  • Corned Beef – This slow cooker corned beef recipe uses flat-cut corned beef, also known as corned beef brisket.
  • Liquids – Guinness Stout and beef stock.
  • Seasonings – You will be using the seasoning packet (pickling spice) that comes with the corned beef. Plus garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (2)

I have made corned beef in the oven, and it’s great, but the ease of the slow cooker usually wins out.

Low and slow cooking is the method for beef brisket. It’s a tough cut of meat and needs to be cooked properly for tender, juicy results.

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Always allow the meat to rest once cooked.

What is Corned Beef?

Corned beefis beef brisket that has been cured and brined. It usually comes already seasoned and/or with a seasoning packet.

There are two types of beef cut for corned beef brisket the flat cut and the point cut.

The flat is more readily available, tends to be leaner, and cuts more evenly. The point cut tends to be more marbled, less meat, and not uniform in size.

Brisket is a tough cut of meat and needs a low and slow cooking time to become tender and juicy.

If yours didn’t comeseasoned,simply mix together1/2 tsp mustard seeds,two bay leaves, eight allspice berries,1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.

How to Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Add the brined corned beef, fat side up, to the slow cooker or crock pot.

Sprinkle the spice packet, minced garlic, bay leaves, and pepper. Rub the spices around on top of the brisket.

Pour the beer and beef stock around the meat.

Set the slow cooker or crock pot to low and cook for 9 – 10 hours or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees F.

You can use a digital meat thermometer to test the temperature.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (3)

Gently remove the brisket to a cutting board or platter and tent it with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (4)

Once rested, thinly slice against the grain or shred. You won’t believe how amazing and fork tender this comes out!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (5)

How to Serve

Serve with potatoes and carrots or steamed cabbage. See the tips below for adding these vegetables to the slow cooker.

Add a side of stone ground mustard.

You can also make some scrumptious Reuben sandwiches or any other sandwiches that tickle your fancy.

This tender meat will work however you decide to serve it.

Leftovers

And don’t worry about leftovers, either. If it doesn’t get wolfed down totally on the first day, there are always ways of finishing it off the next morning.

Use your leftover corned beef for a delicious corned beef hash. This is a great dish that’ll make for a great weekend!

Tips

  • We highly recommend the Guinness stout beer, but if you prefer, you can use additional beef broth. Just add 12 ounces of beef stock plus the 1 cup of stock.
  • Because the brine is salty, we don’t find adding salt to the slow cooker corned beef necessary.
  • If you would like to add potatoes (quartered) and carrots (cut into 1″ pieces) do so after the first three hours of cooking. Don’t add at the very beginning. They can become mushy.
  • If you would like to add cabbage, do so during the last 2 hours of cooking.
  • Brisket has long fibrousstrands, so after allowing the meat to rest, cut across the grain for serving. This is important for tender meat.

FAQs

Storing

Let the corned beef cool to room temperature, place it in an air-tight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freezing

Place in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

Spicy Shredded Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

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Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (9)

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe

This recipe for slow cooker corned beef delivers a moist, tender, flavor-packed piece of beef. So easy you just dump, set, and cook!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Beef, Dinner, Main

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 9 hours hours

Resting Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 9 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 476kcal

Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs corned beef brisket
  • 12 oz Guinness Stout
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper fresh ground

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Place the corned beef brisket (fat side up), in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the seasoning packet ( comes in the corned beef package), garlic, bay leaves, and pepper over the meat. Rub the seasonings gently over the top.

    3 lbs corned beef brisket, 2 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • Pour the Guinnessand beef stock into the slow cooker. Not over the meat.

    12 oz Guinness Stout, 1 cup beef stock

  • Cover and cook on LOW for 9-10 hours.

  • Gently remove the corned beef from the slow cooker to a cutting board or platter and tent with aluminum foil for 15 minutes.

  • Slice against the grain and serve.

Notes

We prefer the flat cut to the point cut. The flat cut is leaner and lends to more even slicing.

If you would like to add potatoes (quartered) and carrots (cut into 1″ pieces) do so after the first three hours of cooking.

Cabbage can be added during the last two hours of cooking.

Storing and Freezing – Let the corned beef cool completely, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 2840mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 61.5mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 3.9mg

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should corned beef be fully submerged in slow cooker? ›

You can add seasonings other than salt, like black peppercorns and bay leaves. Keep the brisket submerged at all times as well since it's the water actually transferring heat into the meat and cooking it. Letting the top become exposed will dry out the meat and slow down the cooking process, leading to uneven doneness.

How do you know when corned beef is done in slow cooker? ›

Please note that crock pot cooking times may vary greatly depending upon brand and style. It is important to check the meat with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached at least 160°F for food safety; for optimal tenderness, cook to an internal temperature of 190°F. For best results, monitor at regular intervals.

How many hours does it take to cook corned beef? ›

For a two to three-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. For a three to five-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. STOVE: Place brisket fat-side up in a large pot and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer, allowing about 1 hour per pound.

Can you overcook slow cooked corned beef? ›

You can overcook corned beef in a Crock-Pot if it's cooked for too long at too high of a temperature. Overcooked corned beef can taste tough and stringy. It's best to follow the recommended cook time and temperature within the recipe.

What happens if you don t rinse corned beef before cooking? ›

1. Not Rinsing the Meat Before Cooking. If you cook the meat straight from the plastic packaging or pulled the meat right away from the brine solution in the fridge without rinsing, you just might be in for a saltier meal than you bargained for.

What is the secret to best corned beef? ›

Because corned beef comes from brisket, a tough cut of meat. You need its connective tissue to break down so you can have tender results. Some like to braise their corned beef in an all-water liquid, with various spices and salt; others add beer to the mix to further tenderize the meat.

Is it better to cook corned beef on high or low? ›

Turn the crock pot to the low setting and let the slow cooker corned beef cook for 8 to 10 hours. This extended cooking time makes the meat tender, juicy and flavorful.

Is it better to slow cook on low or high? ›

Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting.

Does corned beef get more tender the longer it is cooked? ›

Information. Corned beef is made from one of several less tender cuts of beef like the brisket, rump, or round. Therefore, it requires long, moist cooking. Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145 °F, with a three minute rest time, but cooking it longer will make it fork-tender.

Do you use the liquid in the corned beef package? ›

Place the brined corned beef in a large pot or Dutch oven along with the liquid and spices that accompanied it in the package. Pour in enough water to cover the beef, then bring the water to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pot.

Why is my slow cooked corned beef tough? ›

Not cooking the meat long enough.

Brisket, the cut typically used for corned beef, is a naturally tough cut of meat. Cooking this beef is a process that can't be rushed. Even when the meat is cooked through, it needs more time to transform the chewy bite into one that's deliciously tender.

What cooking method is best for corned beef? ›

The USDA recommends simmering corned beef on the stovetop for 1 hour per pound of meat. If you're cooking yours in the oven, plan for 3 to 3 1/2 hours for a 2 1/2- to 3-pound cut.

How many people will a 4 pound corned beef feed? ›

When buying a brisket for corned beef, plan on about 3/4 pounds per person, or up to one pound per person if you want to make sure there are leftovers for things like sandwiches and hash.

How many people will a 6 lb corned beef serve? ›

A decent sized brisket of about five pounds will generally fit in a 6 quart unit. If you prefer the rounds, you can usually get two of them to fit in a large slow cooker. Each 2-5lb. package of corned beef, when cooked and trimmed, will serve 4-6 people.

How do you know if corned beef is overdone? ›

And while brisket can take a much higher temperature than a steak can, it too can be overcooked. If all the collagen turns to gelatin, that's good, but if all the gelatin cooks out of the corned beef, you'll just have a crumbly, dried out piece of salted beef.

Should corned beef be fully submerged in water? ›

Yes, it does. Yes, corned beef should be covered with water in a slow cooker. This is important to ensure that the meat stays moist and tender during the cooking process. It is also important to ensure that the water level is high enough to fully submerge the meat, as this will ensure that it cooks evenly.

Is corned beef supposed to be submerged in water? ›

Yes, corned beef should be submerged in water when cooking it in a slow cooker. This is important for several reasons: Moisture and tenderness: Submerging the corned beef in water helps to keep the meat moist and tender during the slow cooking process [1].

Should corned beef be covered with liquid when cooking? ›

To start, place your corned beef brisket in a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and cover the brisket with water. You'll want to add several tablespoons of pickling spices, or DIY your own spice blend by adding bay leaves, black peppercorns, whole allspice berries and cloves.

Should brisket be submerged in slow cooker? ›

Place the seasoned beef brisket into the slow cooker, making sure it is submerged in the liquid mixture. Add a little extra salt to taste, if desired. Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low heat setting for approximately 8-10 hours, or until the beef brisket is tender and easily pulls apart.

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