The Instant Pot corned beef is perfectly cooked to a wonderful, fall-apart, tender texture. The vegetables cook separately from the beef in the cooking liquid, which seasons them perfectly. And the POTATOES. They are smothered in plenty of salted Irish butter and mixed with a generous amount of fresh chopped parsley. They are, I think, the star of this meal- I could eat them with every meal of every day. Best of all, this recipe makes a lot. Which is great for a crowd, and even better when you have leftovers you can use for corned beef hash!
What is corned beef, anyway?
To be honest, I’ve always been kind of put off by the name “corned beef,” even though it’s one of my favorite things to eat ever. It’s a beef brisket that has been cured with salt, and actually doesn’t involve corn at all. In the UK, it’s traditionally cured with large grain rock salt, also called “corns” (in old English, the word “corn” described any small hard particle or grain). Because the beef has already been cured with salt, this is one of the few from-scratch recipes to which you don’t have to add ANY extra salt. Corned beef also usually comes with a seasoning packet, so it’s especially easy to prep.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Corned Beef + the seasoning packet – most corned beef comes with a seasoning packet, but you can make your own corned beef seasoning if you want.Cabbage – basic green cabbage here, nothing fancy and not red cabbage.CarrotsPotatoes – I used red, but any kind will do.Garlic and Onion – this helps flavor everything but both can be omitted if you want.Fresh ParsleyButter
How to make Corned Beef and Cabbage in an Instant Pot
First, you’ll add the corned beef to your pressure cooker with some garlic, the seasoning packet, and water. It will cook at high pressure for 70 minutes, until it’s perfectly tender. When you remove the beef from the instant pot, place it in a bowl and add LOTS of the cooking liquid to it. Corned beef has a tendency to dry out, so it’s important to store it in the cooking liquid, both while you wait to serve it and for the leftovers. You’ll also want to spoon some of the liquid on top when serving. Then, add the veggies to the pressure cooker in the remaining liquid (about 2 cups) and cook at high pressure for only 3 minutes. Once the veggies are done, you’re almost ready to eat. But there is one more extremely important step. Usually, all of the veggies are served as they are. And they are delicious- the seasoning from the cooking liquid penetrates every bite. But I’m an overachiever, and I love butter. So I mixed the potatoes with a generous amount of salted Irish butter and fresh chopped parsley (which are key ingredients to traditional Irish boiled potatoes). I don’t think I’m ever making boiled potatoes any other way again- WOW they are good.
How to store leftovers
Save that cooking liquid! You can use it to make hash with the leftovers, and it’s also important to keep the leftovers in so it doesn’t dry out. Store the potatoes separately. Everything will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.
How to make corned beef and cabbage in your slow cooker
To make this in your slow cooker, add corned beef, spice packet, garlic, onions, potatoes, and carrots to the slow cooker. Cook on high for four hours or low for 8 hours. Add the cabbage on top and continue cooking for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until cabbage is tender. Proceed as instructed in the recipe for the potatoes, making sure to reserve some cooking liquid for serving.
How to make it on the stovetop
To make this on your stovetop, simmer corned beef in a large covered pot with the spice packet, garlic, onions, and water for 2 hours. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and carrots to the pot on top of the brisket and simmer for 30 more minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. Proceed as instructed in the recipe for the potatoes, making sure to reserve some cooking liquid for serving.
What size Instant Pot to use for corned beef and cabbage
I made this recipe in my 6 quart Instant Pot. It should work the same in an 8 quart, but you may need to cut the ingredients in half for a 3 quart mini.
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