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Crock Pot Corned Beef Recipe
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4.95 from 20 votes

Crock Pot Corned Beef Recipe (+ Cabbage)

This slow cooker corned beef recipe is everything you need for fall-apart tender corned beef, with real flavor from the homemade corned beef spices.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: corned beef, slow cooker
Servings: 6
Calories: 677kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

CORNED BEEF SEASONINGS

  • 1 tablespoon  mustard seeds  (Use yellow or a combination of yellow and brown)
  • 1 tablespoon  black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon  coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon  allspice berries
  • 1/2 teaspoon  cardamom seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon  celery seeds
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon  red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon  ground ginger
  • 2 bay leaves

FOR THE CORNED BEEF

  • 3-5 pound corned beef brisket
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced
  • 6-8 small yellow potatoes (about 1 pound)
  • 4 medium carrots peeled and sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 cups beef broth (or use a dark beer, like Guiness, stout or porter)
  • Water to cover
  • 1/2 head cabbage cut into 4 wedges (optional)

FOR THE GRAVY (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

MAKE THE CORNED BEEF SEASONINGS

  • Heat a small pan to medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, allspice berries, cardamom seeds, celery seeds, and whole cloves. Lightly toast them in the dry pan for 1 minute, shaking/stirring a bit, to let the spices bloom.
  • Transfer to a food processor/spice grinder along with the red pepper flakes, ground ginger and bay leaves. Process to a coarse blend, or to your preferred consistency. Use as desired.

MAKE THE CORNED BEEF

  • Trim the fat from the corned beef and rinse it thoroughly.
  • Set the onion, potatoes, carrots, and garlic into the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the corned beef brisket over them.
  • Add in your seasoning blend. I use the accompanying spice packet + the homemade corned beef spice blend. Use half of the blend for milder spice flavor.
  • Pour in the beef broth (or dark beer), then pour in enough water to just cover the brisket. I like to leave a bit of space on top for the spice blend to stick.
  • Turn on the slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on HIGH, or 8-10 hours on LOW. Your cooking times will vary depending on the size of the corned beef brisket.
  • Add the cabbage (if using) during the last hour for crisp cabbage, or during the last 2 hours for tender cabbage.
  • When the brisket is very tender, remove it and set it onto a tray, along with the potatoes and carrots. Slice the corned beef against the grain.

FOR THE GRAVY

  • Strain out about a cup of the cooking liquid and discard the rest.
  • Melt the butter in a pan then add the flour. Stir constantly over medium heat until the roux darkens a bit, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the reserved liquid until it thickens up. You can add more or less to your preferred thickness. Season it with salt and pepper, as desired.
  • Drizzle the gravy over the corned beef and cabbage (potatoes, carrots) and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 677kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 2876mg | Potassium: 1677mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 112.9mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 11.4mg