This Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is cooked right on the stove top, yielding the most tender corned beef and perfectly seasoned cabbage, carrots, and red potatoes.
Eat the corned beef all by itself (a perfectly reasonable option) or with yellow mustard, or try out my Creamy Horseradish Sauce. The horseradish sauce is zingy just like yellow mustard, but it's also creamy and herbaceous. Honestly, it's a match made in heaven with corned beef.
This is my tried and true St. Patrick's day feast. I'm only 5% Irish via Ancestry DNA results, but I'm 100% here for this food. This recipe is so good you'll want to make it any time of year, and that's why you'll see this post was actually made in August. I scored a 4 lb corned beef brisket for less than $8 in the off season!
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Is it better to boil or slow cook corned beef?
While both methods result in tender corned beef, simmering in a pot for around 3+ hours is the more traditional method. Corned beef turns out the most tender when cooked over a low heat for a longer period of time. Simmering it in water also helps to remove a little bit of the curing salt (while we discard the water when it comes time to eat, it seasons the vegetables perfectly).
Slow cooker recipes can also turn out great, but can sometimes make the corned beef overly tender - meaning it shreds and doesn't slice. I personally really enjoy the process of adding to the pot on the stove as the afternoon goes on.
Should I Use the Seasoning Packet that Comes with the Corned Beef?
Yes, you should! Some people are afraid of the seasoning packet, but it gives the corned beef a little extra oomph. It also helps flavor the water for the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. The typical ingredients in the packet are mustard seeds, peppercorns, coriander seeds, bay leaves, dill seeds, and crushed red pepper. As you can see, these are pretty common ingredients in a lot of our foods. The flavor isn't overwhelming at all!
What is the Difference Between the Point Cut and the Flat Cut of Corned Beef? Which is Better?
A corned beef brisket comes from the front of a cow and is divided into two sections: the point and the flat. The point cut has more fat marbling throughout the meat as well as some connective tissue while the flat cut is leaner. Both cuts of corned beef are tough and require slow cooking over low heat to become tender.
Because of the higher fat content in the point cut, it can yield more tender results and a more intense beefy flavor. However, there is less meat than the flat cut and it can take longer to cook. The point cut also has a thicker and thinner end, giving it potential to cook unevenly. You may also have to deal with some un-rendered fat between the layers of meat.
For these reasons, I prefer buying the flat cut. There is much more meat to be had, it cooks evenly, I can remove the fat after cooking, and I have never had a problem with it not coming out tender or beefy in flavor.
What makes Corned Beef and Cabbage so delicious?
Protein, starch, and vegetables make this a complete and balanced meal. This is the ultimate comfort food, folks. Reasons why I love this recipe:
- Tender, perfectly seasoned corned beef that is fall apart tender but can still slice
- Tender carrots
- Tender, creamy red potatoes just asking for some melted butter
- Tender yet crisp wedges of cabbage
- Creamy and zingy Horseradish Sauce for dipping the corned beef in and/or yellow mustard
If you wanted a Fish and Chips meets Corned Beef kind of vibe, swap the red potatoes for roasted wedges. Those would also be perfect dipped in the sauce!
Ingredients for Corned Beef and Cabbage:
- 3-4 lb corned beef brisket, point or flat cut. I prefer the flat cut. See above sections for why.
- Whole green cabbage
- Carrots
- Red potatoes
- Seasoning packet that comes with corned beef
- One recipe of Horseradish Sauce, optional
How to make Corned Beef and Cabbage:
- Place corned beef in a large soup pot and cover completely with water. Add in the spice packet. Set on the stove top over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-50 minutes per pound of corned beef until tender. A 3-lb brisket needs around 2 hours and 30 minutes while a 4-lb brisket needs around 3 hours and 20 minutes.
- About 30 minutes before the corned beef is expected to be done, peel and chop the carrots into large pieces and slice the cabbage into wedges. Set aside.
- Add the red potatoes and carrots into the pot with the corned beef. Cook for 10 minutes, until almost tender. Then, add in the cabbage. Cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the cabbage is fork tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage from the pot and set them inside a large insulated bowl to rest. Remove the corned beef from the pot and allow it to rest 15 minutes before slicing. Once ready, use a sharp knife to slice the corned beef across the grain.
- Serve all together with yellow mustard or Horseradish Sauce.
- Enjoy!
For the Creamy Horseradish Sauce:
I dedicated a separate post to this sauce because it's also great for prime rib and steak. It would even make a great chip dip with a few variations. Click here for my Creamy Horseradish Sauce recipe.
Equipment
For this recipe, the only thing you will need is a large soup pot with a lid or a large Dutch oven.
How to Store Corned Beef and Cabbage:
Store this recipe in the fridge. I prefer to keep the sliced corned beef separate from the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Simply reheat the leftovers when ready to use. The Horseradish Sauce must be kept cold and refrigerated at all times when not in use.
When reheating corned beef (and any kind of beef) it's important to not dry it out by reheating for too long. For the microwave, try covering it with a damp paper towel and heating it for 20-30 seconds. You can also reheat corned beef in a frying pan over the stuff with a drizzle of oil. This will help it warm through and maybe even crisp it up some. You can even make a corned beef hash this way and use up some of the leftover potatoes.
Notes on Corned Beef:
- Using the flat cut of corned beef will yield more meat and more even cooking. The point cut is marbled with more fat and can be tougher to cook.
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Corned Beef and Cabbage | Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe for the Stove Top
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 3 hours hrs
Total Time: 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Yield: 6 servings
This Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is cooked right on the stove top, yielding the most tender corned beef and perfectly seasoned cabbage, carrots, and red potatoes. Eat the corned beef all by itself, with yellow mustard, or try out my Creamy Horseradish Sauce.
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Equipment
1 large soup pot with a lid
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lbs corned beef brisket I prefer the flat cut
- 1 small head green cabbage sliced into wedges
- 4 to 5 large carrots peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 2 to 3 lbs baby red potatoes
- spice packet that comes with the corned beef
- enough water to cover the corned beef
- Creamy Horseradish Sauce, or yellow mustard for dipping optional
Instructions
Place corned beef in a large soup pot and cover completely with water. Add in the spice packet. Set on the stove top over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-50 minutes per pound of corned beef until tender. A 3-lb brisket needs around 2 hours and 30 minutes while a 4-lb brisket needs around 3 hours and 20 minutes.
About 30 minutes before the corned beef is expected to be done, peel and chop the carrots into large pieces and cut the cabbage into wedges. Set aside.
Add the red potatoes and carrots into the pot with the corned beef. Cook for 10 minutes, until almost tender. Then, add in the cabbage. Cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the cabbage is fork tender.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage from the pot and set inside a large insulated bowl to rest. Remove the corned beef from the pot and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing. Once ready, use a sharp knife to slice the corned beef across the grain.
Serve all together with yellow mustard or Horseradish Sauce (optional).
Enjoy!
Notes
Using the flat cut of corned beef will yield more meat and more even cooking. The point cut is marbled with more fat and can be tougher to cook.
Click here for my Creamy Horseradish Sauce
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