Corned beef and cabbage is the quintessential Irish recipe to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Comforting corned beef and cabbage is perfect for all your St. Patrick’s Day holiday needs.
I look forward to corned beef and cabbage every single year. There’s something about the salty, rich, decadent corned beef paired with humble potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. It’s comforting, filling, and so delicious. And even better is the copious amounts of corned beef hash that follows the corned beef and cabbage day!
Generally, I prefer curing my own beef for corned beef (and I’ll be sharing my recipe soon). If time isn’t on my side, a store-bought corned beef works just fine. I actually bought a ton of vintage Irish recipes thinking I’d pick up some new tricks for homemade corned beef, but every corned beef and cabbage recipe suggested using a store-bought corned beef. When in Rome (or Ireland), as they say, you use a prepared corned beef!
How to make corned beef and cabbage
Fortunately, you don’t need many ingredients to throw together this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day. You do, however, need a good amount of time as brisket is a tough cut of meat that takes quite awhile to become tender.
I referenced an old cookbook for the method to make this corned beef. I particularly liked cooking the corned beef with whole, peeled onions. While the recipe suggested discarding them after cooking, you could cut them into quarters and serve them with your cabbage and potatoes as well.
What you need
- Corned beef: You’ll use a 4-pound corned beef with the spice packet. I used Cooks Ham corned beef but O’Donnell’s is also a great brand if you want to make it with a round roast instead of brisket.
- Aromatics: In addition to the spice packet, you’ll add onions, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and carrots.
- For serving: You’ll serve the corned beef with carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. The original recipe I reference also suggests lots of black pepper to finish! Naturally, I obliged since I love black pepper on everything.
How to make it
- Step 1: Rinse the corned beef. Cover it with water and add the contents of the spice packet and the aromatics.
- Step 2: Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 hours. Skim the surface of the water occasionally.
- Step 3: Once the corned beef is tender, transfer it to a roasting pan or skillet and cover with foil. Strain the broth through a sieve. Wipe out the pot and return it to the stove.
- Step 4: Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot and cover with the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Step 5: Return the pot to a boil. Add the quartered cabbage and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer rapidly until the cabbage is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Step 6: Broil the corned beef, if you like. I like to brown the fat cap, so I transfer it to the broiler for about 5 minutes until very golden brown.
- Step 7: Remove the corned beef from the broiler and slice it. Transfer it to a large serving platter.
- Step 8: Serve the cooked cabbage, potatoes, and carrots around the corned beef. Finish with black pepper.
You’re ready to dig in and enjoy!
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pound corned beef (with spice packet)
- Water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 3 whole onions (peeled)
- 2 carrots (peeled and quartered)
For serving:
- 6 carrots (peeled and quartered)
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and halved)
- 2 heads savoy cabbage (or use green cabbage; cored and quartered; about 2 pounds total)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Simmer the beef:
- Rinse the corned beef under cold water. Transfer it to a large pot. Cover the beef with water by 1 inch. Add the bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and onions.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours until the corned beef is tender. Skim the surface periodically as the beef cooks.
- Transfer the corned beef to a baking sheet and cover with foil. Set aside.
Cook the vegetables:
- Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a large bowl. Discard the spent herbs and vegetables. See Note 1. Wipe out the pot and return it to the stove.
- Add the carrots and potatoes and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the cooking liquid back to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Taste and add salt and pepper.
Cook the cabbage:
- Return the liquid to a boil. Add the quartered cabbage to the pot. Sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer rapidly uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Taste and season.
Broil the corned beef (optional):
- Turn on the broiler. Remove the foil from the corned beef and arrange it on the baking sheet so that it is fat-side up. Transfer to the broiler for 5 minutes until the fat is well-browned. Remove from the broiler.
To serve:
- Slice the corned beef, and arrange on a large serving platter. Arrange the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots around the beef. Spoon the reserved broth over the dish and enjoy!
