Best Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe with Roasted Potatoes and Horseradish Sauce Recipe
This classic Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe offers tender, flavorful corned beef brisket slow-cooked with aromatic spices and paired with sautéed cabbage, roasted red potatoes, and a zesty horseradish sauce. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or anytime comfort meal, the beef is seared for a caramelized crust then slow-cooked in a crock pot or oven with garlic, onions, and herbs, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth experience. The dish is beautifully presented with separately cooked vegetables and garnished with fresh parsley and chives for a satisfying and traditional Irish feast.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
Scale
Corned Beef and Broth
- 4 pounds corned beef brisket (flat or point cut, with spice packet)
- 2 tablespoons oil (for searing)
- 1 & 1/2 cups beef broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 6 cloves garlic (smashed and left whole)
- 1 large onion (sliced into wedges)
- 15–20 whole peppercorns (or fresh cracked pepper to taste)
- 8–10 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 bay leaves
- Spice packet from corned beef (if included)
Vegetables and Garnishes
- 2 pounds carrots (peeled and quartered, 8–10 carrots)
- 1 large head green cabbage (sliced into wedges)
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 batch roasted red potatoes (about 2 pounds red potatoes)
- Parsley and/or chives (for garnish)
For Serving
- 1 batch horseradish sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- Irish soda bread (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the Skillet and Sear the Beef: Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for at least 2 minutes. Drain the brine from the corned beef package but do not rinse the meat. If there is a spice packet, save it for later. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the hot skillet, swirl to coat, then add the drained corned beef. Sear for 2-4 minutes on one side until golden brown, then flip and sear the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to Crock Pot and Prepare Broth Mixture: Place the seared corned beef fat side up into the crock pot. In a measuring cup, combine 1 and 1/2 cups beef broth with 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard. Add this mixture to the skillet and over medium-high heat, let it bubble while scraping up the browned bits. Pour the broth-mustard mixture over the beef in the crock pot.
- Add Aromatics and Seasonings: Add smashed whole garlic cloves, onion wedges, peppercorns, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and the spice packet to the crock pot. Tuck herbs into the liquid to distribute flavors evenly.
- Slow Cook the Beef: Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours until the beef begins to become tender.
- Prepare and Add Carrots: Peel carrots and cut into thirds, slicing larger pieces in half lengthwise. Add carrots on top of the beef in the crock pot. Cover and cook for another 1-2 hours, allowing the carrots to become tender and absorb flavors.
- Prepare and Sauté Cabbage: Slice the cabbage into large wedges after removing the core. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add all cabbage wedges, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is slightly wilted but still crisp.
- Add Cabbage and Continue Cooking: Place the sautéed cabbage over the carrots in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for an additional 30-60 minutes until the cabbage softens and absorbs beef flavors.
- Roast Red Potatoes: While the cabbage cooks, roast 2 pounds red potatoes in the oven until crispy and golden. Avoid cooking potatoes in the crock pot to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Rest and Slice the Beef: Remove the corned beef from the crock pot, letting it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Then slice against the grain into serving pieces.
- Assemble the Platter: Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer cabbage to a colander to drain slightly, then place cabbage and carrots separately on a large serving platter. Arrange sliced corned beef alongside the vegetables. Add roasted potatoes to the platter. Discard the cooking liquid, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and herb stems or use the onions and garlic if desired.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the platter with chopped parsley and chives. Serve with homemade horseradish sauce and optionally Irish soda bread for a complete traditional meal.
- Oven Cooking Option: Sear the corned beef in a large oven-safe Dutch oven, remove and set aside. Add beef broth and mustard to the pot and scrape up browned bits. Return the beef, add garlic, onion, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, and spice packet. Cover and roast at 300°F for 2 hours.
- Add Carrots and Continue Roasting: Add sliced carrots, cover and roast for 1 hour. Then add sautéed cabbage, cover, and roast an additional 30-60 minutes until meat registers about 200°F internal temperature.
Notes
- Do not rinse the corned beef; rinsing washes away flavor.
- Searing the beef adds enhanced flavor and a caramelized crust.
- Potatoes taste best when roasted separately in the oven instead of cooked in the crock pot.
- If your corned beef came with a spice packet, use it; if not, the spices are usually already in the brine.
- Let the meat rest before slicing to retain juices and tenderness.
- Whole garlic and onions added during cooking are mainly for flavoring the broth and become very soft—feel free to omit or discard after cooking.
- Sautéing the cabbage before adding to the crock pot improves texture and flavor absorption.
- Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your crock pot or oven; check meat tenderness and adjust accordingly.
- Serve with horseradish sauce and Irish soda bread for an authentic Irish meal.
Keywords: corned beef recipe, corned beef and cabbage, St. Patrick's Day recipe, slow cooker corned beef, Irish dinner, roasted potatoes, horseradish sauce
