Classic Corned Beef & Cabbage
⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes • 🍳 Cook Time: 2 hrs 45 min
Corned beef and cabbage is the St. Patrick's Day dish. The one that fills the whole house with that unmistakable savory, spiced aroma the second it hits the pot. This version keeps everything approachable. No specialty ingredients, no fuss. Just a beautifully briny brisket, tender vegetables, and a pot of braising liquid that tastes like it's been going all day (because it has, and that is the whole point).
Tender sliced corned beef with cabbage wedges, potatoes, and carrots - all braised low and slow in one pot.
Here's the thing about corned beef and cabbage: it doesn't need much help. The brisket comes pre-brined and seasoned with a spice packet that already has everything going for it - cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, the whole aromatic lineup. Your actual job is mostly just patience. Low heat, a covered pot, and about three hours of the kitchen smelling absolutely incredible while you get on with your day.
I do want to talk about the flat cut versus the point cut, because this one matters. The flat cut is leaner, slices cleanly, and looks gorgeous fanned out on a platter. The point cut has more fat marbling and is arguably more flavorful, but it can be harder to slice neatly and tends to fall apart more. For a St. Paddy's Day spread where presentation counts, flat cut is my pick every time - but honestly, either will taste great.
The vegetable timing is where a lot of recipes quietly go wrong. Cabbage only needs about 15 minutes in the pot, while potatoes and carrots need closer to 30. Add everything at once and you will end up with mushy cabbage and perfectly cooked everything else, which is… not ideal. Stagger them, let each vegetable finish at its best, and you'll end up with a plate that looks and tastes like someone actually thought it through - because you did.
One last thing: do not throw out that braising liquid. Strain it, let it cool, and refrigerate or freeze it. It is deeply savory, gently spiced, and makes an extraordinary base for potato soup, lentils, or anywhere you'd use a good broth. Waste not, especially when what's left is genuinely this good.
🍽️ Servings: 6 • 🔥 Calories/Serving: ~420 • 💪 Protein/Serving: ~38g
Ingredients
3 lb flat-cut corned beef brisket (with spice packet included)
1 yellow onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
6 cups water (or low-sodium beef broth for extra depth)
1½ lb baby potatoes, or small Yukon Golds halved
4 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ tsp black pepper
For Serving
2-3 tbsp whole grain or Dijon mustard
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional but lovely)
Flaky sea salt, to finish
Steps
Step 1
Remove the corned beef from its packaging and give it a quick rinse under cold water - this dials back some of the surface brine and keeps the finished dish from tasting overly salty. Pat it dry with paper towels and place it fat-side up in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Scatter the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and the included spice packet around the beef.
Step 2
Pour in the water or broth - enough to just cover the brisket. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface in the first few minutes. This is worth doing; it keeps the braising liquid cleaner and the final flavor clearer. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and let it cook low and slow for 2 to 2½ hours. This is not a recipe where you can rush things along. The low, steady heat is doing real work here.
Step 3
After about 2 hours, check the beef - it should be getting noticeably tender but not yet falling apart. Nestle the potatoes and carrots into the braising liquid around the brisket. They'll absorb all that savory, spiced broth as they cook, which is honestly one of the best parts of this whole recipe. Cover and continue simmering for about 20 minutes.
Step 4
Tuck the cabbage wedges into the pot, gently pressing them down into the liquid. They cook fast - about 12 to 15 minutes is all you need to get them tender and silky without going soft and sad. Keep the lid on and let everything finish together.
Step 5
Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 full minutes before you touch it. This is the step people skip, and it's the step that makes slicing go smoothly. Locate the grain (it runs lengthwise through the brisket), then slice across it - perpendicular to those lines - into pieces about ¼-inch thick. Slicing with the grain gives you stringy, chewy bites. Against it? Tender, clean slices every time.
Step 6
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a serving platter or wide bowl and toss them with the butter and a few cracks of black pepper while the beef rests. Arrange the sliced corned beef alongside and finish with a scattering of fresh parsley and a pinch of flaky salt if you have it. Set out the mustard on the side - it's the classic accompaniment and it genuinely makes the dish. Don't skip it.
Make it your own!
🍺 Beer braise: Swap 2 cups of the water for a bottle of Guinness or any dark stout. It gives the braising liquid a deeper, malt-forward richness that really leans into the spirit of the holiday.
⏰ Slow cooker version: Place the beef, aromatics, spice packet, and liquid in a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots in the last 2 hours, and the cabbage in the last 45 minutes.
🥔 Add more veg: Turnips and parsnips are wonderful here - they soak up the brine beautifully. Add them at the same time as the potatoes and carrots.
🧈 Buttered cabbage upgrade: Pull the cabbage out a few minutes early, melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat, and finish the wedges cut-side down for a minute or two to get a little caramelized color. Completely worth the extra pan.
🫙 Save the broth: Strain the leftover braising liquid and refrigerate or freeze it. It makes an unbelievably flavorful base for potato soup, lentils, or anything you'd use a good stock for. Do not pour it down the drain.
Try it with…
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