Crock Pot Corned Beef Brisket is the perfect dinner for busy families, it's a one-pot dish that takes just minutes of prep time and can be left to simmer all day. The end result is an incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful corned beef brisket that'll leave your mouth watering.
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- Crockpot corned beef brisket
- Ingredients you’ll need
- Creative variations to try
- Step-by-step instructions
- Watch and learn: recipe video
- Essential tools for this recipe
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
- Deb's tips for the best corned beef
- How to store leftovers
- More recipes you’ll love
- Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- Crock Pot Corned Beef Brisket
Crockpot corned beef brisket
The slow cooker does all the work, so you can come home to a delicious meal on busy weeknights or holidays like St. Patrick's Day! The beef brisket turns out juicy and tender every time that you make, so it's a no-fail recipe. Even if you've never cooked brisket before!
Ingredients you’ll need
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Creative variations to try
- If you want to add more flavor to the cooking liquid, add a bay leaf, mustard seeds, or dill seed.
- You can place some garlic cloves on top of the vegetables if you like a garlic flavor in your main courses.
- Swap out the water with Guinness Beer, ginger ale or beef or chicken broth to add even more flavor.
- Swap the potatoes for cauliflower to reduce the carbs. Using brussels sprouts instead of cabbage is also terrific!
Step-by-step instructions
This is an overview of the instructions for the beef brisket recipe. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Lay the onion slices on the bottom to create an ‘onion bed’.
- Place corned beef brisket on the top of the onions with the fat side up and season with the spice packet.
- Arrange the potatoes and carrots around the outside of the corned beef, add the cabbage wedges, and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the water and reserved brine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, 8-10 hours if you want fall apart tender.
Option - Do you prefer cabbage to be more firm? Add the cabbage wedges when there is two hours left to cook. Personally I prefer the cabbage to be super tender!
Watch and learn: recipe video
Click the photo below to watch how easy it is to make this traditional St. Patrick's Day Recipe!
Don't have time to watch the whole video? Check out the YouTube short here!
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Essential tools for this recipe
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
Corned beef refers to the curing process. The brisket is brined in a mixture of garlic, brown sugar, salt, garlic, and pickling spices.
I recommend cooking with the fat cap up, as it will add moisture and fat to your beef while it cooks to keep it tender.
I prefer it in the crock pot, because slow cooking always results in tender and juicy beef!
The flat cut is lean and consistently the same thickness. The point cut refers to the end of the brisket and is typically thicker and fattier.
I discard the cooking liquid. Though it seems like it would be great as a soup base, it's very salty!
This is the easiest way to tenderize meat connective tissue. The result is tender meat every time! The bonus is the sides cook right alongside the meat.
Deb's tips for the best corned beef
If you prefer the cabbage to be more firm, add it to the crockpot for the last two hours of cooking. Personally, I add it in the beginning. I like the cabbage to be tender.
- Cut your potatoes and carrots into similar-sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Leftover corned beef should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer - Leftover cooked corned beef can be frozen. I don't recommend freezing the vegetables. They will lose their texture and get watery when they thaw.
Reheat - Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm all the way through.
More recipes you’ll love
- If you need another easy crock pot beef recipe, give this Slow Cooker Roast Beef recipe a try. It's filled with tender meat, that packs a tasty french onion soup base. Plus, it makes excellent leftovers the next day.
- One of my favorite slow cooker recipes to make when I need a simple family-friendly dinner is this Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy. It's so easy, and even the picky eaters in your house will love this recipe.
- Check this out for a whole list of Crockpot Steak Recipes!
Perfect pairings: what to serve with
What did you think? Isn't this the BEST corned beef you've ever tried. It's always so tender and delicious! Leave me a comment below, OK?!!
Crock Pot Corned Beef Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 3-4 pound flat corned beef brisket (with seasoning packet and brine*)
- 5 large red potatoes peeled and cut into 2” pieces
- 4 large carrots peeled and cut into 2” pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 head cabbage outside leaves removed, cut into 6 sections
- 1-½ cups water
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Spray a 6 quart (or larger) crock pot with cooking spray.
- Lay the onion slices on the bottom to create an ‘onion bed’. Place the corned beef brisket on top of the onions with the fat side up.
- Sprinkle the seasoning packet all over the top of the corned beef.
- Arrange the potatoes and carrots around the outside of the corned beef, as much as possible. If some are laying on the top, this is ok.
- Add the cabbage sections on top of the entire dish, then salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour in the water and reserved brine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- When the roast is done, remove it from the crockpot. Place it on a cutting board covered with foil. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. It will be that much more juicy and tender!
Liz says
If l use beer in the corn beef recipe how much should l use ?
Debra Clark says
I haven't used beef, but if I did, I would replace the amount of water with beer. Enjoy Liz. Just thinking about it makes me hungry for corned beef!