Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Crispy Roasted Vegetables

Overhead view of sliced slow cooker corned beef with crispy garlic top served with cabbage, carrots, and red potatoes.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Crispy Roasted Vegetables

Fork-tender slow cooker corned beef cooked on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, served with crispy oven-roasted potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. No waterlogged vegetables. An optional garlic topping crisps up under the broiler.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Irish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings

Calories 467kcal

Author Gary White

Ingredients

For the Corned Beef

4 lb. corned beef brisket (with spice packet)
1 cup chicken broth
1 onion diced (or roughly chopped)
6 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf

For the Roasted Vegetables

1.5 lbs. baby potatoes quartered
1 lb. baby carrots left whole
1 small head green cabbage cored and sliced like shredded collards
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Kosher salt divided
black pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
onion powder to taste

For the Crispy Garlic Top (Optional)

2 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. ground black pepper
reserved spice packet from the corned beef

Instructions

Prep the Slow Cooker

Open the corned beef packaging and set the spice packet aside.
If making the optional crispy garlic topping: In a small bowl, mix the garlic paste, black pepper, and the reserved spice packet. Spread the mixture in a thin, even layer over the fat cap of the brisket.
Place the diced onion, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf in the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth.
Place the corned beef in the slow cooker, fat cap facing up. Cover with the lid.

The Set-and-Forget Cook

Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Do not use the high setting. The brisket is done when a fork slides in and out with no resistance.

Roasting the Vegetables

About 1 hour before the brisket is done, preheat your oven to 425°F.
Toss the quartered potatoes and whole baby carrots with olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Spread in a single layer on one half of a large sheet pan.
Toss the sliced cabbage with a drizzle of olive oil and the same seasoning blend. Pile on the other half of the sheet pan.
Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes. Remove the cabbage. Return the potatoes and carrots to the oven for another 15 minutes (45 minutes total) until crispy and golden.

The Crispy Garlic Finish

Remove the fork-tender brisket from the slow cooker and place it fat cap up on a foil-lined sheet pan.
Broil on high, bottom rack, for 5 to 10 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy. Skip this step if you did not apply the garlic topping.

Rest and Slice

Let the corned beef rest for 10 minutes.
Slice against the grain. This is what gives you tender, clean slices instead of chewy, stringy ones.
Serve alongside the roasted vegetables. Spoon slow cooker broth over the meat if you like.

Video

Notes

The "LOW Only" Rule: Never use the HIGH setting on your slow cooker for brisket. High heat boils the cooking liquid and tightens the meat fibers, resulting in tough, chewy corned beef. Plan for 8 to 10 hours on LOW for a 4 lb brisket.
The Veggie Upgrade: Do not put the vegetables in the slow cooker, or they will turn into waterlogged mush. Tossing them in olive oil and roasting them separately at 425°F is the secret to this recipe.
The Roasting Timeline: Potatoes and carrots need surface contact to caramelize, so keep them in a strict single layer. Cabbage needs to steam on the inside and crisp on the outside, so keep it piled. Pull the cabbage at the 30-minute mark to prevent burning, but let the roots go the full 45 minutes.
The Garlic Top Logistics: It is usually easiest to place the brisket into the slow cooker insert first, and then spread the garlic/spice paste over the fat cap so you don't mess up the coating while transferring the heavy meat. The final 5-to-10 minute oven broil is what creates the crust.
Slice Against the Grain: Always look at the lines running across the brisket and cut perpendicular to them. This is the absolute easiest way to guarantee a tender, pull-apart bite.
Gluten-Free Check: While the meat and vegetables are naturally gluten-free, some brands use thickeners or additives in their included spice packets. If you are cooking for a gluten allergy, always verify the packet label or substitute with your own pickling spice blend.
Why diced onions? In a 10-hour slow cooker braise, diced onions practically melt into the cooking liquid, giving you a much richer, more flavorful broth than large slices.

Nutrition