Craving the best corned beef recipe? Whether you go the crockpot route or use your oven, this tender, flavor-packed dish with cabbage, carrots, and roasted potatoes is pure comfort food magic — and way easier than it looks. St. Patrick’s Day is just the excuse, but honestly, this one’s good any time of year.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This isn’t your average “dump it in a pot and hope for the best” situation. We’re searing the beef first for serious flavor, building a savory mustard-broth, and cooking everything low and slow until it’s fall-apart tender. The crockpot corned beef version basically runs itself — set it in the morning and come home to a kitchen that smells absolutely incredible. Prefer the oven? The corned beef and cabbage oven recipe method works just as beautifully and gives you a little more control.
Either way, this is a full, beautiful platter meal. Think hearty sliced brisket, buttery sautéed cabbage, sweet carrots, and crispy roasted red potatoes — all finished with fresh herbs and a zesty homemade horseradish sauce. It’s the kind of dinner that gets quiet at the table because everyone’s too busy eating.
The Most Comforting Best Corned Beef Recipe (Crockpot or Oven)
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Large skillet
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Dutch oven
- Oven
Ingredients
The Beef & Broth
- 4 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 2 tablespoons oil for searing
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
Aromatics
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 large onion cut into wedges
- 20 peppercorns
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Vegetables
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and cut
- 0.5 cup butter
- 1 large head green cabbage cut into wedges
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
To Serve
- 2 pounds red potatoes roasted
- 1 batch horseradish sauce
- parsley and chives for garnish
Instructions
- Sear the corned beef in a hot skillet with oil for 2–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to crockpot fat side up.
- Deglaze the skillet with beef broth and mustard, scraping up browned bits. Pour over the beef.
- Add garlic, onion, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, and spice packet. Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours.
- Add carrots during the last 1–2 hours of cooking.
- Sauté cabbage in butter with salt for about 10 minutes, then add to crockpot and cook 30–60 minutes more.
- Roast potatoes separately in the oven until crispy.
- Rest beef for 10 minutes, slice against the grain, and serve with vegetables and garnish.
Notes
Ingredients
The Beef & Broth
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Corned beef brisket (flat or point cut), with spice packet | 4 pounds |
| Oil (for searing) | 2 tablespoons |
| Beef broth* | 1½ cups |
| Whole grain mustard | 3 tablespoons |
Aromatics
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Garlic cloves, smashed and peeled | 6 cloves |
| Large onion, sliced into wedges | 1 large |
| Whole peppercorns (or fresh cracked pepper to taste) | 15–20 |
| Fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 tsp dried thyme) | 8–10 sprigs |
| Bay leaves | 2 |
Vegetables
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Carrots, peeled and quartered (8–10 carrots) | 2 pounds |
| Butter | ½ cup (1 stick) |
| Green cabbage, sliced into wedges | 1 large head |
| Kosher salt | 1 teaspoon |
To Serve
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Roasted Red Potatoes (2 lbs red potatoes) | 1 batch |
| Horseradish Sauce | 1 batch |
| Parsley and/or chives, chopped | For garnish |
*I always make my broth with 1½ cups water mixed with 1½ teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. It’s a game changer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sear That Brisket (Don’t Skip This!)
Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for at least 2 full minutes — you want it genuinely hot. Open your package of corned beef, drain the brine into the sink, and pat it dry. No need to rinse it.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil; it should shimmer the second it hits the pan. Lay the corned beef in and sear for 2–4 minutes until golden brown, then flip and sear the other side for another 2–3 minutes. That crust is where the flavor lives, friends.
Place the seared corned beef fat side up into your crockpot — but don’t you dare put that skillet in the sink yet. We’re using it.
Step 2: Build the Broth
In a glass measuring cup, whisk together 1½ cups beef broth and 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard. Pour that into the hot skillet you seared the beef in, turn the heat to medium-high, and let it bubble while you scrape up all those gorgeous browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Those browned bits = flavor gold. Pour the whole mixture over the corned beef in the crockpot.
Step 3: Add the Aromatics
Smash 6 garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife, peel them, and toss them in. Add your onion wedges, 15–20 whole peppercorns, the fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 bay leaves — tuck them into the liquid so they really get to mingle.
If your corned beef came with a spice packet, sprinkle it over everything now. (More on spice packets in the tips section below!) Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6–7 hours.
Step 4: Add the Carrots
When there’s about 1–2 hours left on the clock, it’s carrot time. Peel them, slice each carrot into thirds, and cut any thick pieces in half lengthwise. Honestly, I like them on the bigger side — they hold up better and taste amazing. Don’t stress about making them perfect.
Add the carrots right on top of the beef, pop the lid back on, and let them cook for another 1–2 hours.
Step 5: Sauté the Cabbage
This is the step that makes your crockpot corned beef and cabbage actually delicious instead of just… soggy. Slice the cabbage in half, cut out the core, and cut into large wedges.
Melt ½ cup butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ALL the cabbage — yes, it looks like way too much, just shove it all in. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until slightly wilted. You want it just starting to soften, not fully cooked yet.
Add the cabbage on top of the carrots in the crockpot and continue cooking on low for another 30–60 minutes. It’ll soak up all that savory corned beef broth and become absolutely magical.
Step 6: Roast the Potatoes
While everything finishes up in the crockpot, roast your potatoes in the oven. Potatoes do NOT belong in the crockpot — and I say that from experience. (Sure, you can add them with the carrots for 2–3 hours, but prepare yourself for gray, mushy, sad potatoes. You’ve been warned.)
Make a batch of crispy roasted red potatoes and thank yourself later.
Step 7: Rest, Slice, and Serve
Remove the corned beef to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes — don’t rush this part, it makes a huge difference. Slice against the grain into thick, gorgeous slices.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cabbage to a colander and let it drain briefly. Then build your platter: carrots first, then cabbage, then the sliced corned beef. Add the roasted potatoes, and garnish everything with chopped parsley and chives.
Leave the onions, garlic, thyme stems, and bay leaves behind in the crockpot — they’ve done their job flavoring the broth and aren’t really worth eating at this point.
Serve with a big dollop of homemade horseradish sauce and some Irish soda bread on the side. Seriously, don’t skip either. Both come together in minutes and take this meal over the top.
Oven Instructions (Corned Beef and Cabbage Oven Recipe)
Prefer to use your oven? No problem — the corned beef and cabbage oven recipe method is just as hands-off and gives you incredibly tender results.
Here’s how:
Sear the meat in a large oven-safe Dutch oven, then remove to a plate. Add the beef broth and mustard to the Dutch oven and scrape up the browned bits. Return the meat to the pot and add garlic, onion, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, and the spice packet. Cover and roast at 300°F for about 2 hours.
Add the sliced carrots, cover, and cook for 1 more hour. Add the sautéed cabbage and cook another 30–60 minutes. You’re looking for the meat to hit about 200°F on a meat thermometer — that’s when it’s perfectly tender. Easy as that.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Results
On spice packets: Every brand of corned beef has a different spice blend, and that’s totally fine. If yours feels a little light on seasoning, you can add extra spices yourself — the typical blend includes peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, bay leaves, anise, dill seeds, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper. If you want to add a warm note, a tiny pinch of cloves works beautifully. Just go easy — a little goes a long way.
Fat side up always: Placing the brisket fat side up in the crockpot lets the fat slowly baste the meat as it renders down. More flavor, more moisture. Always do this.
Don’t skip the sear: I know it’s tempting to just dump everything in the crockpot raw, but that golden crust adds a depth of flavor that you simply can’t replicate otherwise. It only takes about 5 minutes and it’s 100% worth it.
Variations to Try
Make it a sheet pan meal: For a twist on the corned beef crock pot version, you can finish the cabbage and carrots on a sheet pan in the oven at 425°F for 15 minutes to get some caramelized edges. So good.
Add Guinness: Swap half the beef broth for a bottle of Guinness stout. It deepens the flavor and adds a subtle malty richness that pairs perfectly with the corned beef.
Make it spicier: Add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a whole dried chili to the crockpot for a little kick.
Troubleshooting
My corned beef is tough: It just needs more time. This is a low-and-slow dish — if it’s tough, cover it back up and give it another hour. It’ll get there.
Cabbage is too watery: Make sure to drain it in a colander before adding to the platter. Sautéing it first (instead of adding it raw) also helps keep it from getting waterlogged.
Too salty: Corned beef is inherently salty from the brining process. Don’t add extra salt to the broth and make sure you’re using low-sodium or homemade beef broth if you’re salt-sensitive.
Storage Instructions
| Storage Method | How Long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (airtight container) | 3–4 days | Store beef and veggies separately if possible |
| Freezer (beef only) | Up to 3 months | Freeze sliced beef in broth to keep it moist |
| Cabbage and carrots (fridge) | 2–3 days | Best eaten fresh; can get soft after storage |
Reheating Tips
Reheat sliced corned beef in a skillet with a splash of broth over medium-low heat — this keeps it moist and tender instead of drying out. The microwave works in a pinch, just cover it with a damp paper towel. Leftover veggies can be reheated in a pan with a little butter.
No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Leftover corned beef makes incredible corned beef hash the next morning — just dice it up and pan-fry with the leftover potatoes. You can also use it for Reuben sandwiches, corned beef tacos, or stir it into a creamy soup. And the leftover broth? Strain it and use it as a deeply flavorful base for soup or stew. Don’t waste a drop of it.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving, Approx.)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~520 kcal |
| Protein | ~38g |
| Fat | ~32g |
| Saturated Fat | ~14g |
| Carbohydrates | ~18g |
| Fiber | ~4g |
| Sodium | ~1,450mg |
| Cholesterol | ~145mg |
Nutritional values are approximate and will vary based on specific brands and portions.
Corned Beef Recipe FAQs
Do I need to rinse the corned beef before cooking?
Nope, no rinsing required! Just drain the brine and pat it dry. Rinsing can actually wash away some of the flavor from the surface of the meat, and since we’re searing it anyway, you want that surface as dry as possible for a good crust.
Can I cook this on high in the crockpot to save time?
You can, but I really don’t recommend it for the best corned beef recipe experience. Low and slow is what transforms this tough cut into melt-in-your-mouth perfection. On high, you’re looking at about 4–5 hours, but the texture won’t be quite as tender. If you’re short on time, the corned beef and cabbage oven recipe method at 300°F is actually a bit faster and still gives great results.
What cut of corned beef is better — flat or point?
Both work great! The flat cut is leaner and slices more neatly, making it better for presentation. The point cut has more fat marbling, which means more flavor and an even juicier result. I honestly love both. For the crockpot corned beef and cabbage version, either cut will come out beautifully tender.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! This is actually one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to mingle. Cook it the day before, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of broth and it’ll be just as good — maybe even better.
What should I serve with corned beef besides cabbage and potatoes?
Horseradish sauce and Irish soda bread are the classics for a reason — don’t skip them. For something refreshing on the side, a cool drink like a Kool-Aid slushie is a fun contrast to all the richness. If you’re feeding a crowd and want to round out the menu, something lighter like chicken Caesar wraps works well as a starter or side option.
Let’s Do This!
If you’ve been on the fence about making corned beef, this is your sign. Whether you go with the crockpot corned beef and cabbage route or the corned beef and cabbage oven recipe method, you truly cannot go wrong. It’s the kind of meal that fills your home with the most incredible smell and lands on the table looking like you really went for it — even though the slow cooker did most of the work.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Drop a comment below with your thoughts, any tweaks you made, or questions you have. And if you loved this recipe, please save it to Pinterest so others can find it too — it genuinely helps more than you know. Happy cooking! 🍀
Looking for more cozy dinner ideas? Try this creamy chicken and corn pasta with bacon for your next weeknight dinner — it’s just as comforting and comes together in about 30 minutes.
