Savory Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage

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There is nothing better than Corned Beef and Cabbage made in a Dutch oven slow-cooked in beer enjoyed on St. Patrick’s Day with a green beer on the side, yum! As a descendant of Irish immigrants, my mom always made sure we indulged in this traditional Irish dish at least once a year around March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day.

The key to this delicious recipe is the slow cooking process. This process turns what would normally be a tough piece of meat into a tender, moist, and delicious treat. 

Not only is this Irish comfort food savory and tender but the aroma that fills the kitchen when cooking is divine. 

Why You’ll Love Corned Beef and Cabbage

St. Patrick’s Day Special: Corned Beef and Cabbage is a traditional Irish dish served in March around St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a delicious, savory, and complete meal the whole family should love.

Easy to Make: This recipe is an easy, 2-step cooking method, one-pot meal. In the first step, the corned beef is boiled in water, beer, and seasonings on the stovetop for a few hours. The second step involved baking the vegetables and corn beef in the oven for an additional hour. This 2 step process ensures you have tender but not mushy vegetables and delicious, fork-tender beef. It’s the best way to make corned beef and worth every bite.

One Pot Meal: Most corned beef and cabbage recipes are a one-pot meal, vegetables included. Easily made in a large Dutch oven, a slow cooker, or an instant pot.

What You’ll Need for this Easy Corned Beef Recipe

• Corned Beef Roast: Corned beef is a flat-cut beef brisket that is already cured and brined in salt and spices making it a very tender meat. It’s easy to find in the grocery store. It usually comes with a convenient season packet made up of coriander, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and other herbs and spices.
• Beer: I used an amber beer. A dark Guinness beer is more traditional, but I’m not a dark beer fan. It can have a strong aftertaste. I would suggest using the beer you like.
• Vegetables: This recipe uses sliced green cabbage and smaller potatoes like baby potatoes, red potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes. Peeled and cut carrots, fresh garlic, and one whole sliced onion. 
• Seasonings: Pre-packaged corn beef comes with a spice package and has been brined with spices. Fresh rosemary is so good in this dish, but it is optional. Adding bay leaves is also optional.

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-4 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet
• 1 12 oz beer
• 2 cups of water
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head of cabbage, cut into small wedges
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 5 medium potatoes, quartered
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, bay leaves-optional
• Optional: whole grain mustard and horseradish sauce for serving

How To Make the Best Corned Beef and Cabbage

• Step One: Remove corned beef brisket and seasoning packet from the package. Blot excessive slime from corn beef. 
• Step Two: In a large Dutch oven, place the corned beef with fat side up, in the Dutch oven. Pour the beer and water around the corned beef. Note: The liquid should just come to the bottom of the top fat layer. Sprinkle seasoning packet on top, fresh crushed black pepper, smashed garlic cloves, and rosemary. Over medium-high heat, bring the corned beef brisket in the Dutch oven to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and cover with a tight lid.
• Step Three: Allow the corned beef to simmer gently for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until it is fork-tender. Check periodically to ensure the liquid is simmering gently; adjust the heat as needed. Chop the vegetables.

• Step Four: Heat the oven to 350. Place the corned beef on a plate. Discard 1/2 the cooking liquid in the Dutch oven. Make a platform out of the chopped carrots and onions on the bottom of the Dutch oven. Place the corned beef on top of the carrot-onion platform. Nestle the cabbage wedges and potatoes around the corned beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on top of vegetables and corned beef roast.
• Step Five: Put the lid back on the Dutch oven and place it in the oven. Bake for at least an hour or until the vegetables are fork-tender. Note: Cooking time will vary according to the size of the corned beef.

• Step Six: Once done, remove the corned beef brisket from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. Slicing against the grain, cut into slices to your desired thickness.
• Arrange the sliced corned beef on a platter, surrounded by the cooked cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. 

How To Serve Corned Beef and Cabbage

• Arrange the sliced corned beef on a platter, surrounded by the cooked cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. 
• Serve the meal family-style
• Serve whole grain mustard and horseradish sauce on the side for added flavor.
• Corned beef and Swiss cheese sandwiches with sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, and mustard on rye bread are delicious.
• Make corn beef hash which is corned beef, onions, and potatoes all shredded and mixed. This is usually made with leftovers.

Recipe Tips

Cooked corn beef is best if cooked with the fat side up. This ensures the fat will seep into the meat while cooking. Plus, you can shave off a few calories by cutting the fat off after it’s cooked.

I prefer making corned beef in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, but the crock pot method is easy and convenient when making this during the week.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

Q: Can I cook this Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe in the crockpot?

A: Absolutely! I would cook the corned beef in the crockpot first for about 5 hours on low. Remove the beef from the crockpot and add the cut vegetables to the juice. Cook the vegetables for about 1.5 hours on high or until tender. While the vegetables are cooking, bake the corned beef in the oven on 300. This will brown the top and ensure tenderness. If you cook everything together in the crockpot from the start, the cabbage will disappear and everything including the meat will be mushy. 

Q: Why do you bake the corned beef after it’s boiled?

A: When I first started out cooking corned beef, I followed several recipes that strictly used the boiled method. The corned beef always turned out tough and the veggies were mushy. The best method I’ve found is this 2 step method, boiling the beef and then baking the beef again along with the veggies for an hour or so to produce the best results.

Q: Do you have to use beer in this recipe?

A: No, using beef broth instead of beer is just as good. Use the same amount of broth as you would beer. You can also use the same about as water if you don’t have broth or beer.

How To Store Leftover Corn Beef and Cabbage

The easiest way to store leftovers is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also wrap the corned beef in foil.

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Savory Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

Savory Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe boiled and then baked to perfection.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Irish

Servings 4

Calories 885 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 pound corned beef brisket with spice packet
• 12 oz beer light or dark
• 2 cup water
• 1 large onion quartered
• 3 large carrots peeled and cut into 4ths
• 4 cloves garlic minced into large pieces
• 1 head green cabbage cut into small quarters
• 5 potatoes, small to medium cut in half – yukon gold or red potatoes
• 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

 

• Step One: Remove corned beef brisket and seasoning packet from the package. Blot excessive slime from corn beef. 
  3 pound corned beef brisket with spice packet
• Step Two: In a large Dutch oven, place the corned beef with fat side up, in the Dutch oven. Pour the beer and water around the corned beef. Note: The liquid should just come to the bottom of the top fat layer. Sprinkle seasoning packet on top, fresh crushed black pepper, smashed garlic cloves, and rosemary. Over medium-high heat, bring the corned beef brisket in the Dutch oven to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and cover with a tight lid.
  12 oz beer, 2 cup water, 4 cloves garlic, 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Step Three: Allow the corned beef to simmer gently for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until it is fork-tender. Check periodically to ensure the liquid is simmering gently; adjust the heat as needed. Chop the vegetables
• Step Four: Heat the oven to 350. Place the corned beef on a plate. Discard 1/2 the cooking liquid in the Dutch oven. Make a platform out of the chopped carrots and onions on the bottom of the Dutch oven. Place the corned beef on top of the carrot-onion platform. Nestle the cabbage wedges and potatoes around the corned beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on top of vegetables and corned beef roast.
  1 large onion, 3 large carrots, 5 potatoes, small to medium, 1 head green cabbage
• Step Five: Put the lid back on the Dutch oven and place in the oven. Bake for at least an hour or until the vegetables are fork tender. Note: Cooking time will vary according to the size of the corned beef.
• Step Six: Once done, remove the corned beef brisket from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. Slicing against the grain, cut into slices to your desired thickness.

Notes

 Note: The liquid should just come to the bottom of the top fat layer.

 Note: Cooking time will vary according to the size of the corned beef.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 885kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 72gFat: 70gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 89mgPotassium: 649mgFiber: 8gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 9246IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Corned Beef and Cabbage, St. Patrick’s Day

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