This incredibly easy slow cooker corned beef is tender and flavorful. Finish it by broiling for a perfectly crisp top. Add carrots and potatoes for a complete meal, or enjoy simply as delicious corned beef and cabbage.
We've been developing recipes for a while now and I find myself only wanting to share things these days when I feel I'm contributing some new to the world of online recipes. Well, here's something that I'm absolutely in love with! Slow cooker corned beef is nothing new, but adding the crispy top is a game-changer!
Why This Recipe Works
- If you've never cooked corned beef with a crispy top, then this recipe is about to blow you away. It adds a complex level of flavor that is easy to do and delicious to eat!
- With just a few minutes of prep time, it sure is nice to have dinner almost ready when you get home from being out all day. Then take just a few minutes of hands-on time before serving to add the finishing touches.
- By cooking the beef slow-and-low, it allows the time needed for the brisket to become fork-tender and ridiculously juicy. There's a reason why all the BBQ pitmasters do it this way. It is the way!
How To Make Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Add contents of seasoning packet, black pepper, and minced garlic to a small bowl...
...and mix to combine.
Add broth, onion, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs to the slow cooker. Then place the brisket on top with the fat side up. Spread the spice blend evenly over the fat of the brisket, making sure that very little falls off into the broth. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
After 6 hours have passed, remove onions, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf.
Slide the brisket to one side of the cooker and add cabbage to the broth, pressing down as much as you can, but not disturbing the seasonings on top of the brisket. Continue cooking on LOW for 1 more hour.
Meanwhile... preheat the oven to 425F degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and carrots with oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley. Spread out evenly in a single layer onto a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes.
Once the cabbage has cooked, carefully remove the brisket...
...and transfer to a baking sheet.
After carrots and potatoes are cooked, add them to the slow cooker...
...mix with the cabbage, and switch to the WARM setting.
Switch the oven to 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 very close eye on it.
Remove from oven and allow brisket to rest for 10 minutes. Then carefully slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Expert Tips
- There are a few reasons why I recommend cooking the potatoes and carrots separately. The main reason is that they will keep their texture and not become mushy. But also, there's just not enough space in a slow cooker to cook all 4 things properly.
- To enjoy the best eating experience, I suggest slicing the corned beef, rather than shredding it. When you shred the brisket, you end up with long and stringy pieces of meat that can be tough to chew. But slicing the beef across the grain makes it very easy to chew.
- No matter the size of your brisket, I recommend cooking it on low for a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 9 hours.
FAQ
- Do I have to finish it by broiling, or can I just slow cook? While finishing the corned beef under the broiler will give you a better final result, it is not an absolute must that you do it. But I highly recommend it.
- How would I change the recipe if I want to cook the carrots and potatoes in the slow cooker at the same time? The real challenge in cooking the potatoes and carrots at the same time is that you really don't have space inside the slow cooker to fit everything while still achieving the same results. So, if you don't have time to roast the carrots and potatoes, I would recommend just skipping them and adding cabbage as the only vegetable.
- Where do you get the seasoning packet? The seasoning packet will be included in the packaging with your corned beef. Traditionally, it's a mixture of coriander seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes - although they can differ.
- How long does this keep? After cooking, corned beef may be refrigerated for about 3 to 4 days and frozen for about 2 to 3 months
- Can I use beer as the liquid? Absolutely. Simply sub 1 cup of beer for the 1 cup of chicken broth.
- How do I know when the corned beef is cooked through? Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145°F, but it will become more tender by cooking it longer. The beef may also still appear to be pink once it's done cooking due to the curing salt called Prague powder.
- Can I cook this on high? You can, but the meat will be chewier, so I do not recommend it. If you must cook it on high, cook it for a minimum of 4 ½ hours.
More Recipes You May Like
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Southern-Style Instant Pot Cabbage
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Pressure Cooker Pot Roast
★ Did you make this slow cooker corned beef? Please give it a star rating below! ★
Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Ingredients
- seasoning packet included with corned beef
- 1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. garlic 3 large cloves minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 lb. corned beef brisket
- 1 head of cabbage roughly chopped
- 1.5 lbs. baby potatoes red or gold, quartered
- 1 lb. baby carrots
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 1 Tbsp. parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Add contents of seasoning packet, black pepper, and minced garlic to a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Add broth, onion, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs to the slow cooker. Then place the brisket on top with the fat side up. Spread the spice blend evenly over the fat of the brisket, making sure that very little falls off into the broth. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- After 6 hours have passed, remove onions, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Slide the brisket to one side of the cooker and add cabbage to the broth, pressing down as much as you can, but not disturbing the seasonings on top of the brisket. Continue cooking on LOW for 1 more hour.
- Meanwhile... preheat the oven to 425F degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and carrots with oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley. Spread out evenly in a single layer onto a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes.
- Once the cabbage has cooked, carefully remove the brisket and transefer to a baking sheet.
- After carrots and potatoes are cooked, add them to the slow cooker, mix with the cabbage, and switch to the WARM setting.
- Switch the oven to 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 very close eye on it.
- Remove from oven and allow brisket to rest for 10 minutes. Then carefully slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Notes
Expert Tips
- There are a few reasons why I recommend cooking the potatoes and carrots separately. The main reason is that they will keep their texture and not become mushy. But also, there's just not enough space in a slow cooker to cook all 4 things properly.
- To enjoy the best eating experience, I suggest slicing the corned beef, rather than shredding it. When you shred the brisket, you end up with long and stringy pieces of meat that can be tough to chew. But slicing the beef across the grain makes it very easy to chew.
- No matter the size of your brisket, I recommend cooking it on low for a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 9 hours.
FAQ
- Do I have to finish it by broiling, or can I just slow cook? While finishing the corned beef under the broiler will give you a better final result, it is not an absolute must that you do it. But I highly recommend it.
- How would I change the recipe if I want to cook the carrots and potatoes in the slow cooker at the same time? The real challenge in cooking the potatoes and carrots at the same time is that you really don't have space inside the slow cooker to fit everything while still achieving the same results. So, if you don't have time to roast the carrots and potatoes, I would recommend just skipping them and adding cabbage as the only vegetable.
- Where do you get the seasoning packet? The seasoning packet will be included in the packaging with your corned beef. Traditionally, it's a mixture of coriander seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes - although they can differ.
- How long does this keep? After cooking, corned beef may be refrigerated for about 3 to 4 days and frozen for about 2 to 3 months
- Can I use beer as the liquid? Absolutely. Simply sub 1 cup of beer for the 1 cup of chicken broth.
- How do I know when the corned beef is cooked through? Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145°F, but it will become more tender by cooking it longer. The beef may also still appear to be pink once it's done cooking due to the curing salt called Prague powder.
- Can I cook this on high? You can, but the meat will be chewier, so I do not recommend it. If you must cook it on high, cook it for a minimum of 4 ½ hours.
Nutrition
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Beth Sachs
Such a tender and flavourful recipe. The corned beef is melt in the mouth delicious!
Shashi
This is such a perfect recipe for St Pattys! This must smell wonderful when ready!
Kalu Lor
Saving this recipe for my next family dinner. I love that the cooking is done in a slow cooker, so I have time to do other things. Love it.
Aimee Mars
That spice blend on top is out of this world!! Look how tender and juicy the meat looks too. I can't wait to try this recipe. I've only made it in the Instant Pot, but I bet the slow-cooked version is way better.