Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
An Irish American tradition!
The reason why this dish became associated with Saint Patrick's Day is linked with Irish immigrants who arrived in New York in the late 19th century. Irish people eat bacon and cabbage rather than corned beef and cabbage.
Corned beef brisket was cooked by the Jewish settlers who lived alongside the Irish in the poorer quarters of New York City. The Irish soon adopted this kosher cut of beef to pair with cabbage and potatoes. The Irish had found their perfect substitute for traditional Irish bacon.
A new Irish American tradition was born!
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 large onion cut into wedges
- 3 pounds baby red potatoes halved
- 4 cups water
- 4 pounds corned beef brisket
- 1 corned beef seasoning packet
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 small head of cabbage cored and cut into large wedges
- ⅛ teaspoon salt optional
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Place the carrots, onion, and potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot.
Do not add the cabbage wedges at this stage. It only gets added at the very end of the cooking process.
Add the water to the veggies.
Season the broth with salt and pepper as desired. Use a small amount of each since there is plenty of flavoring in the seasoning packet that accompanies the corned beef.
Lay the corned beef on top of the bed of vegetables with the fat side facing up.
Pour the apple cider vinegar over the meat. Sprinkle the meat with the contents of the spice packet.
Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
Remove the lid and place the cabbage wedges into the crockpot to the side of the corned beef brisket. Re-cover the crockpot and continue cooking for another hour or until the cabbage is tender and the meat is fork tender.
Total cooking time for a 3 to 4 lbs brisket in a 6-quart crockpot is usually 8 to 10 hours on slow.
Keep the slow cooker on low for the duration of this recipe. The brisket has more time to cook using low and slow heat. This method helps keep the meat tender and juicy. If you are in a rush it should take about 5 to 6 hours on the high setting, but it's not the preferred method.