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A casserole dish filled with slow-cooker corned beef and cabbage
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5 from 4 votes

Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Deliciously tender slow-cooked beef brisket with potatoes, carrots, onion and cabbage.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time7 hours
Total Time7 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: cabbage, corned beef, slow-cooker
Servings: 10
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Tricia

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Slow-Cooker

Ingredients

For the Corned Beef:

  • 4 pound flat-cut corned beef brisket, with spice packet *
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
  • 6 small onions, peeled but left whole
  • 1 ½ pounds small red potatoes, do not peel
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • ½ small green cabbage (about 1 pound)

For the Mustard Sauce:

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Rinse the corned beef in cold water. Trim any excess fat leaving about ¼-inch.
  • Add water to the slow cooker and turn on high. Add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, black pepper and brown sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Carefully place the corned beef into the slow cooker, fat side up. The roast should be covered by the water. Sprinkle the pickling spices over the beef. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
  • Remove the lid from the slow-cooker and carefully add the onions, potatoes and carrots, placing them between the beef and the side of the slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking on high for 3 more hours.
  • Cut the cabbage through the core into 4 (2-inch thick) wedges. Leave the core intact so the wedges don’t fall apart during cooking. Place the cabbage wedges on top of the corned beef and vegetables. The slow cooker will be full at this point. Cover and continue cooking for another 1 to 2 hours, or until the corned beef and vegetable are tender.
  • The corned beef should be cooked for a total of 6 to 7 hours on high, or 8 to 9 hours on low, depending on the thickness of the brisket.
  • Remove the brisket from the slow cooker to a cutting board, and tent with foil. Allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
  • Slice the brisket thin, against the grain, and place on a serving platter. Remove the vegetables from the slow cooker using a slotted spoon and arrange on the platter around the corned beef. Drizzle the vegetables with melted butter, if desired.
  • Serve with plenty of fresh ground black pepper, a hunk of bread and a dollop of creamy mustard sauce.

To prepare the mustard sauce:

  • Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and serve with the corned beef and cabbage.

Notes

* Add 1 tablespoon pickling spice if your corned beef did not come with a spice packet.
  • Select a brisket that is a first-cut, or flat-cut, not the point cut.
  • Mustard sauce adapted from Taste of Home
  • You'll need a 6 quart slow-cooker to accommodate this recipe. Cut the recipe in half if needed.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 2298mg | Potassium: 1128mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4227IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 4mg