This pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage may be the most tender and flavorful you will ever eat. In this recipe, the garlic and seasonings melt into the marbling layer and then crisp up after a quick broil (either with an air fryer lid or the oven) for an irresistible taste!
St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. I make it a point to have pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage every year. This will be the eighth year I've made pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage. It was literally the first thing I ever cooked in my Instant Pot (after it sat in the box for two months post-Christmas). Well, my life was never the same. Who knew that a few years later, I would have written hundreds of Instant Pot
recipes?!
Why This Recipe Works
- The high heat and pressure break down the tough fibers in the corned beef, making it tender and flavorful.
- Mixing the pickling spices with garlic paste and using them to directly season the brisket's fat layer adds more flavor depth rather than adding them to the cooking liquid.
- Using a pressure cooker saves time and effort.
Is corned beef Irish or not?
There are varying accounts of the history of corned beef in America. The dish has an interesting history dating back to the 17th century. Ireland was a poor country with a predominantly Catholic population at the time. Because beef was a luxury available only to the wealthy, Irish peasants had to find alternative ways to prepare their meals. They began salt-curing beef, which allowed it to be stored for extended periods of time without spoiling. Cabbage was also a popular side dish in Ireland, often served alongside corned beef. When Irish immigrants arrived in America in the nineteenth century, they continued to prepare the dish as a way to connect with their ancestors.
However, this article from Smithsonian Magazine explains that the early Irish immigrants to America began eating Kosher beef once they reached the states, something they did not do in Ireland. Who knows which is right?
Ingredients You'll Need
As for the spice packet... It will be included with your corned beef when you buy it and is essentially a pickling spice blend and will vary by brand. They are most commonly made up of peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and dill seeds.
What You'll Need to Prep
How to Make Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
And This Is The Amazing Result
Expert Tips
- Run cold water over the corned beef brisket to thoroughly rinse to get rid of extra salt.
- Thinly slice the brisket across the grain.
- Leftover corned beef can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 2 to 3 months.
- To give the meat a different flavor, substitute a bottle of beer for the chicken broth. But I would never use water.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. This will help with the tenderness of the beef. I recommend a full natural release (which will take around 30 minutes), but in a pinch for time, you could release the pressure after 10-15 minutes.
- In the pictures of this post, I've demonstrated two different ways of cooking vegetables. It really comes down to personal preference, both ways are great.
FAQs
Which cut should I use, point or flat? They both will work just fine. I think I prefer the flat cut because they slice more evenly.
Can I use a frozen corned beef brisket for this recipe? It is best to thaw your brisket first. This will ensure that it cooks evenly, not to mention rinsing it beforehand.
Do I need to soak the corned beef before cooking it in a pressure cooker? There's no need to soak the brisket before cooking it, but you will want to rinse it thoroughly under cold water to wash away the salty brining liquid.
Are you using the prepackaged, pre-seasoned corned beef brisket, or are you using a plain brisket? For this recipe, we are using pre-seasoned briskets.
Do I have to allow pressure to release naturally? Can't I just do a quick release? I find that a quick pressure release causes meat texture to change – becoming tough and chewy. According to this article by The Kitchn, you should use a natural release when cooking meat, dried beans and legumes, rice, soup, and other foods that are mostly liquid.
More Instant Pot Entrée Recipes
- Pot Roast
- Baby Back Ribs
- Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Pulled Pork
- Pickle Chicken
- Ham with Apple Cider and Brown Sugar
★ Did you make this Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage?
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Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 4 lb. corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
- 2 Tbsp. garlic paste
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 8 thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 head of cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 lb. carrots peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1-2 lbs. baby red or gold potatoes quartered
Instructions
Method 2 - Luscious with Crispy Top (Modern)
- Mix the spice packet, black pepper, and garlic paste in a small bowl. Spread the garlic/spice blend evenly over the fat layer of the brisket.
- Place the onions, thyme, bay leaves, and chicken broth in the pressure cooker. Then place the trivet on top.
- Place the brisket on top of the trivet, lock the lid, and cook for 75 minutes at high pressure. When the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally, which may take about 30 minutes.
- Switch to an air fryer lid and broil the brisket at 400 F degrees for 10 minutes. Then remove the brisket from the pot, cover it with foil to keep it warm, and allow it to rest.
- If you don't have an air fryer lid, transfer the brisket to a baking sheet. Turn the oven to its HIGH BROIL setting. Place brisket on the bottom rack of the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot your broiler gets and how crispy you prefer your corned beef. Once the moisture cooks off, it will begin to toast very quickly, so keep a close eye on it. Once the brisket has reached your preferred char level, set it aside and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Always slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Pour liquid into a separate container using a fine mesh strainer, then return to the pot. Discard the aromatics. Add carrots and potatoes to the pot, then top with cabbage. Do not mix; you want the carrots and potatoes submerged, but the cabbage steams fine. Lock the lid and cook for 0 (zero) minutes at high pressure. If your cooker will not allow you to set it to 0, 1 minutes works just as well. Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure and mix well. Note: You could opt to roast the vegetables in the oven while the brisket cooks in the pressure cooker.
Method 1 - Lean (Vintage)
- Place brisket in Instant Pot (fat side down) with broth, onions, garlic, thyme, and seasoning packet.
- Lock lid and cook at high pressure for 75 minutes.
- Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally (about 40 minutes). Then remove brisket from pot, cover with foil to keep warm, and allow to rest.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, pour liquid into separate container, then return to pot. Discard the aromatics.
- Add carrots, potatoes, and salt to pot, then top with cabbage wedges. Lock lid and cook for 0 (zero) minutes at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure.
- Do not stir, but carefully remove each cabbage wedge individually onto your serving dishes, followed by other veggies.
- When it’s time to serve, be sure to cut the brisket across the grain to keep it from becoming chewy. Serve together and enjoy!
Video
Notes
EXPERT TIPS
- Run cold water over the corned beef brisket to thoroughly rinse to remove extra salt.
- Thinly slice the brisket across the grain.
- Leftover corned beef can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 2 to 3 months.
- To give the meat a different flavor, substitute a bottle of beer for the chicken broth. But I would never use water.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. This will help with the tenderness of the beef. I recommend a full natural release (which will take around 30 minutes), but in a pinch for time, you could release the pressure after 10-15 minutes.
- In the pictures of this post, I've demonstrated two different ways of cooking vegetables. It really comes down to personal preference, both ways are great.
FAQs
Which cut should I use, point or flat? They both will work just fine. I think I prefer the flat cut because they slice more evenly. Can I use a frozen corned beef brisket for this recipe? It is best to thaw your brisket first. This will ensure that it cooks evenly, not to mention rinsing it beforehand. Do I need to soak the corned beef before cooking it in a pressure cooker? There's no need to the brisket before cooking it, but you will want to rinse it thoroughly under cold water to wash away the salty brining liquid. Are you using the prepackaged, pre-seasoned corned beef brisket, or are you using a plain brisket? For this recipe, we are using pre-seasoned briskets. Do I have to allow pressure to release naturally? Can't I just do a quick release? A quick pressure release causes meat texture to change – becoming tough and chewy. According to this article by The Kitchn, you should use a natural release when cooking meat, dried beans and legumes, rice, soup, and other primarily liquid foods. Is zero minutes really correct for the veggies? Yes. They will cook as the pressure cooker is coming up to pressure. Once the pressure cooker beeps, it will be fully cooked and tender but not mushy.Nutrition
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Vanessa Carter
DELICIOUS!!! This meal tasted so much better than when I used my slow cooker and it had WAY MORE FLAVOR. It was also so much easier than any other method I have used in the past. The meat was fork tender and veggies cooked to perfection. Hands down the best corned beef and cabbage I've ever had.
Chef Gary
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Alexandria Stailey
I never remove the fat!
Molly smith
I never remove the fat.
Wendy
I'll be trying this too. I love me some Corned Beef and Cabbage. Thanks for the tips and recipes. I purchased me a Electric Pressure Cooker about 4 months ago and LOVE IT!
Chef Gary
Yeah, this is one of my favorites. For sure!
NeeNee
Can't wait to do tHis in my Instant Pot. I don't even think m going to wait for St Paddy's Day. Which cut do you use, point or flat?
Chef Gary
I’ve done it with both. I prefer the flat.
Racquel Martinez
Absolutely loved this method. I have cooked corn beef and cabbage for years in the oven, stove top and in the slow cooker but hands down this is my favorite method. Meat was so tasty and fork tender and vegetables were just right. Thank you much.
Charles
Do you cook this for 60 minutes on the manual high or low setting?
Chef Gary
High pressure.
Marie
I just purchased Instant pot can’t wait to do my corn beef and cabbage
Judd Adams
Cooking it right now, the IP just beeped saying the 60 minutes has started :-). My only question is on the NPR for the meat, do you keep it in warming mode or just turn it off? Looking forward to dinner tonight.
Chef Gary
Keep it on warm. Hope you enjoy it!
Judd Adams
It was excellent and am making it again today - thanks for posting such an excellent set of recipes. Next on the list is to try the Ratatouille Frittata. Just received our mandoline slicer and am hoping not to slice my finger tips off 🙂
Irish Pat
about how many people will this serve?thanks
Chef Gary
I think that will depend on how large your brisket is. I usually estimate about 1/2 pound per person.
Ed
Receipe says 75 min see people cooking 60
Gary
We’ve adjusted the cook time since originally posting the recipe because we found that larger pieces needed 75 minutes to be fully tender. We tested it and found that smaller pieces will not overcook in 75, so it’s a win win.
Danielle Cantone
Hello, can’t wait to try this recipe today.. I only have a 3 pound flat cut. Do I adjust the cooking time or leave it in for 75 mins? Also, do I have to cook it flat side down, all off my IP recipes always say fat side up to keep the meat juicy.
Gary
I think 75 should still be okay. You can cook it flat side up if you like, but I prefer the other. There's no worry about it being juicy. It will be either way!
Gary
When we first posted this recipe, the recipe said 60. But we've since modified it to 75. That 15 minutes made a LOT of difference.
Marilee Kinsella
I just bought a 4lb flat cut. Never did anything like this in my Multicooker, so I’ll start with your recipe. The only change I have to make is sub Brussels sprouts for the cabbage, because I don’t have any ? thanks for the recipe.
Marilee Kinsella
I think this recipe is going to be worth homemade broth, so I just took some out to defrost. Can’t wait ?
Chef Gary
Please let us know how it comes out! We love it!
Marilee Kinsella
Nice recipe, thanks! The flavors were spot on. I left out the Brussels sprouts this time because I needed them for something else. I also ran the potatoes and carrots under the broiler for a few minutes. We ate it for a couple days and made great Reuben sandwiches last night. Wish I could post my pics ?
Carole Audley
5 starrs...thumbs up....best corn beef & cabbage I have ever cooked...This recipe is so easy & very time saving. Thank you for making cooking such a joy😃
Chef Gary
Ooo... Brussels sprouts is a fantastic idea! Now I think I'm gonna cook this YET AGAIN. Hope my wife doesn't mind. Lol...
Sharon
Can I use 2 corned beef pieces? I also have to increase the amount of veggies. Cooking for 10 in a 6qt IP
Chef Gary
I think that should be just fine. Just make sure you add enough stock to cover both pieces.
Lisa
I have 8lb of corned beef in my IP LUX, It's the 8 or 10 qt, biggest one.. I hippie they come out tender.
David Jensen
I'm going to try this St. Patrice day. Sounds good, do you add spices to top of corned beef our to the broth?
Chef Gary
I would add the spices to the broth. Hope you enjoy it!
Wayne Ennist
I am cooking a 7 pound corned Breton a stove top pressure cooker. Will 1 hour and a half be ok? And still 3 minutes for the vegetables? Going to start today in an hour.
Gary
For a brisket that large, I would probably do 90 minutes with a NPR. Sorry couldn't get back to you sooner, crazy busy weekend. How did it turn out?
Wayne
I did 90 minutes but should have cooled it right away. I waited 20 minutes them cooled it. It was overdone but delicious. I use Guinness and O’Doughls so the vegetables taste delicious as well. Cooked them for 3 minutes and cooled them immediately. Thank you for the help. Going to eat someone else’s corned beef and cabbage tomorrow.
Karen
I made this today. The meat is delicious and perfectly done. The veggies were a bit over cooked for our liking,but now we know. I don’t have an Instant Pot, just a plain stove-top pressure cooker that I’ve used for years. I never tried corned beef in it before, but I’ll make it like this from now on. So tender and juicy. Thank you.
Chef Gary
Glad you enjoyed it!
Joanna Sawyer
Would this work in a 3qt instant pot? Just bought a 3 qt duo plus. I bought a 3 lb corned beef, but could cut it smaller?
Chef Gary
You might be able to cut it into two pieces then stack them. Just make sure that it's covered by the broth. Good luck! Let us know how it comes out.
Ashley
It turned out delicious! Only complaint(totally my fault) was the veggies got too mushy because I didn’t quick release right away because I didn’t hear the beep when it finished cooking. Thanks for the great recipe!
Ashley
For a 5lb corned beef how much time should I add?
Chef Gary
I would keep the cook time the same.
Megan M
Thinking of adding some beer to the broth...
Cyndi
We followed your recipe exactly today to make this dish for the first time for St. Patty's day. The meat is delicious! I tossed in a dash of apple cider vinegar and a chopped slice of bacon to the cabbage cooking.....so far so good...5 more minutes! Thanks chef
Douglas
Followed your recipe to a tee, turned out very good, thanks for the recipe, will use again. It'd be nice to find a way to enhance the flavor level or is all Irish food on the bland side?
Reina
The seasoning packets are never enough, which is why it's bland. If you buy a bottle of pickling spice and shake it liberally over the fatty side of the meat, then cook fat side up, it makes a world of difference.
Marie
I tried out the recipe and it turned out amazing! Although I would like to add that you have mentioned 15 minutes as the preparation time. But cutting all those vegetables took me a little more time than that. But that may be because i'm slower than most cooks.
Jeanne
I was very happy to see a recipe with a cooking time with a natural release which I think is better for meat. I have a 3 qt. mini and used a smaller cut of corned beef and a little less veggies etc but worked perfectly.
Chef Gary
Thanks Jeanne! Very glad it worked on a scaled-down version too! And yes... natural pressure release is the ONLY way to do meat, IMO.
Carolynne
Oh my goodness! My hubby LOVED this? Thankyou for this wonderful recipe! I’d best leave that pressure cooker on the counter as well be having this more than just on St Patty’s Day.
Easy Peasy and delish❤️
Chef Gary
Thanks Carolynne! Sounds like your husband and I had the same reaction to this. It’s sooo good!
JanJasMommy
Turned out great in the Ninja Foodie! Thank you!!
Carol H Mandel
This was absolutely perfect. I have one question...I usually cook my corned beef in beer but something in the back of my mind said no beer (carbonated liquid) in a pressure cooker. Is that true? Irregardless, I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Gary
There's no truth the carbonated thing, that I know of. There are plenty of recipes that use beer. Glad you liked the corned beef!
Beverly Eide
The instructions say 75 Min for the meat but some of the comments say 60 Min, Clarification please?
Gary
We've adjusted the cook time since originally posting the recipe because we found that larger pieces needed 75 minutes to be fully tender. We tested it and found that smaller pieces will not overcook in 75, so it's a win win.
Beverly Eide
I plan to try this soon but I will be adding parsnips.
DIANE
I love this recipe! Do you put the meat on the trivet or just in the pot?
Gary
No trivet; place it straight in the pot.
David
I cooked my four-pound brisket for 75 minutes in my stovetop pressure cooker then let it release pressure on its own, about 15 minutes. It's moist and tender alright, but its bordering on mushy and not very flavorful. Maybe it's my brisket. Bought it on sale at Aldi. As for the flavor of the broth, I'm not inclined to want to cook my vegetables in it.
Gary
Personally, I do not prefer meats from Aldi. I find that I am often disappointed.
Ann
This is the best corned beef, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower I've ever made! I got a 2 1/2 lb from Aldi's. The only thing I changed was the potatoes & I replaced 12 oz of the broth with a bock beer.
Stephanie Larsen
This was easy to follow and it turned out so good! The brisket was my favorite by far! Thanks for the wonderful recipe
Lisa
Are you using the prepackaged, preseasoned corned beef brisket or are you using a plain brisket?? I saw a recipe that requires you to brine a plain brisket for 2 weeks then cook it. Can I follow that recipe then cook in the instant pot or does the instant pot brine it for you with this recipe? Thanks!!
Gary
For this recipe, we are using pre-seasoned briskets. So I think your idea will work. Let us know!
Diane Lesher
This was second time I made this recipe.I give it 5 stars.It was awesome! Thank you.
Gary
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nina
My Nesco pro says to put roasts on the rack instead of the bottom of the cooker. Is that ok?
Gary
Yes, that should be okay.
Jon Richards
The NPR of 40 minutes seems excessively long. I would think that all the pressure would be gone after 10 - 15 minutes.
Gary White
The more liquid in the pot, the longer it takes to come to pressure, the more pressure is built up, the longer it takes for the pressure to release.
Nina
I left the rack in and the corned beef was very tender and moist. Best tasting corned beef I've ever made! five stars*****
Michael Konrad Lechner
I made two of these today -- one in an Instant Pot and one in a standard stovetop pressure cooker (PC).
It was my first head-to-head competition!
The stovetop pressure cooker came up to pressure 12 minutes faster and dropped to ambient much quicker too.
That worked out well as I could cook the veggies in the stovetop PC while the IP continued the natural depressurization.
Great recipe! I did get the corned beefs from my butcher rather than a supermarket brand.
Grace
This was very tasty, good texture & color, albeit a bit salty. I used beer & chicken broth, so maybe my fault.
Mary Bain
I made this for the first time in my electric pressure cooker. I have another brand than an Instant Pot. We had guests for St. Patrick’s Day and this meal was a great hit. Thank you for sharing. Even my husband, who is not a big fan of corned beef, are with gusto. 🥰
Donald MaMannis
This is the best corned beef that I have made. Yummm
Mary
This recipe was awesome! I did a lot of cabbage so I had to give the vegetables an additional 3 minutes. I didn’t strain the broth before adding the vegetables to it to cook because I like the texture of the onions, et.. I simple removed the basil leaves then squished the cooked garlic before adding the vegetables. The meat was super tender & everything was extremely flavorful. Thanks for the great recipe...it’s a keeper!
Joanne
Made this for a little late because I got held up so I was not able to have it for dinner tonight when I made it. I made corned beef and cabbage last year using a different recipe and this one is far better. My corned beef was small, maybe 2 1/2 pounds but I still used all the ingredients as directed. I did not have tyme sprigs so I just put some looseleaf on top with the spices and the bay leaves. It really added an additional flavor that I enjoyed. So all I had were a few bites of everything and it was delicious. I couldn’t believe how long it took for the steam to release after cooking the vegetables! Looking forward to having this for dinner tomorrow.
ELENA SIMONI
The BEST Corned Beef I have ever had or made!
Super easy! Not making it any other way anymore. Made it in my old fashioned pressure cooker.
John
Corned beef was very tender and had so much flavor!
Nicole
The meat came out really tender but there was the part about adding the veggies and cabbage. It said set timer to 0 minutes ?? I don’t think that was correct??
Gary White
Hi Nicole. Yes, zero minutes is correct. The liquid will begin to boil before the pressure cooker comes up to pressure. This will be enough to fully cook the veggies. They will be tender, but not mushy.
Rebecca
Delicious!
Damian Chango
I have the instant pot duo plus. 4 cups is entirely too much water. I did a corned beef brisket last month's, with a full 12 oz beer, and had vapor and beer leaking out all over the place, even overflowing the overflow reservoir.
Gary White
Beer and chicken broth are not interchangeable. We make this often in a 6qt Instant Pot Duo using 4 cups of broth. We have never had a problem with liquid leaking out.
Donnalee Dodson
I made this last night and it was superb! Great tips and good directions and video. I'm going to try and convert it for my mini instant pot now.
Alexis
I got a 6lb corned beef, how long should I pressure cook for?
Gary White
I would do 90 minutes with a natural release. Hope you like it!
AJ
Awesome! I have yet to make a positive comment using my IP but U definitely get STARS in my book. Thank U for sharing your recipe 👍
Gary White
Glad you enjoyed it!
Jodie
I made this for St. Patrick’s day today and it was outstanding! My husband raved about it and said it was the best corned beef and cabbage he’s ever had. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing!
Bobbie
Perfect every time I make it. This is my go-to recipe for St Paddy’s Day.
Jon
Hi,
I'm John living in Dublin Ireland all my life,
What I'm going to tell you is you are wrong saying that corned beef wasn't a thing Irish people ate before emigrating to America,
Irish produced a salted beef around the Middle Ages that was the "forerunner of what today is known as Irish corned beef" and in the 17th century, the English named the Irish salted beef "corned beef".
Elcee
Fantastic results! Thank you for all the great recipes you have shared. Like your other recipes, this did not disappoint. I cooked the corned beef for 85 minutes only because my IP tends to undercook every recipe ever tried. The veggies came out perfect using 0 minutes. I used the luscious method and it definitely lived up to the method name!
Terri
This dinner was so good! Followed recipe as it is and the family loved it. Thanks for sharing! 🍀
Eve
Grey thinks about creating a meal the way I do, and I appreciate how he organizes things and makes them simple. Not only is he a good chef, he is a genuine TEACHER answering the "whys" and "what is the reason for doing this?". I also love the lack of laziness - what I mean is why not switch from pressure cooker to crisper top? it isn't more messy. I have used , and will use, this delicious recipe. As an old lady who still loves her giant Viking gas oven/stove, I have made a sincere effort to go with my new friend the Duo-Crisp Instant pot.
(I am not paid for this endorsemant!@!@)It has paid off; the tenderness of the meats, the elegance of the vegetables....less time, (I love messing around in my kitchen,). PS : you can still mess around in your kitchen cutting up stuff and getting them into bowls for the "instant" results_ - this is best for a successful instant pot creation - get everything ready a head of time.
Grey is great! Thank you. Learn so much. -Eve
Debra
Oh my goodness! This was fabulous! It just melted in your mouth! I have saved the recipe for future use. Thank you so much for sharing.
Lisa
It was a great recipe.