It is March, which means it is the time of year that corned beef goes on sale. Just about every store carries and marks down corn beef around St. Patrick’s Day. In my area it is really the only time of year you find corned beef for a good price.
Corned beef is one of those things that I learned to like after I got married. It was not that I did not like it, I had never had it, until my mother inlaw served it for dinner when my husband and I were dating. The first few times I had corned beef it was not my favorite, however my husband loves it, so I was determined to find a way to cook it that we both liked.
I kept looking at recipes for corned beef trying to figure out what it was that I did not like. If you have ever cooked corned beef purchased from the store, you know that it comes with a seasoning pack that you are supposed to use. My mother inlaw always used it, so I did too. When I was looking at different recipes, I came across one that said to throw the seasoning pack out and not use it.
Well, I decided this was worth a try. I cooked it without the seasonings from the package and it was the best corned beef I had ever had. I actually liked it this way. What I discovered was that it was not the corned beef I did not like, it was the seasoning that came with the corned beef. I had found a way to cook corned beef that both my husband and I enjoyed.
I now try to cook corned beef at least once a year and it is usually in March when it goes on sale. This slow cooked corned beef has become my favorite way to cook it. It is so easy and so good.
This is one of the few recipes that I use beer in. I hate beer. I can’t stand even the smell of it. However, it makes meat tender and works especially well in this recipe. Because this cooks all day in the crockpot, you really can’t even taste the beer in it. It just gives it a really good flavor and texture.
Now I am curious, how many of you eat corned beef? How many of you have never eaten corned beef?
Slow Cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage
- 1 – 2 to 3 pound corned beef (toss the package of seasoning into the trash)
- 8 red potatoes, cut in half or 1/4 if they are large
- 6 carrots, peeled, and cut into pieces ( or use baby carrots like I did)
- 1 onion, cut into chunks
- 1 cabbage quartered
- 1 12 ounce bottle of beer ( I used gluten free beer I found at whole foods)
Place all ingredient into a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Slice corned beef and serve with vegetables. Enjoy.
Our family loves it, so much so that our children request it for their b-day meal! I have never cooked it w/o the seasoning packet, will have to give it a try!
Is the bottle of beer the only liquid added to this?
@Darleen, Yes, the beer is the only liquid and it has always turned out great for me.
I make it once a year for St. Patrick’s Day. I love it and I believe that my husband likes it also.
I posted a corned beef and cabbage recipe and just got home from buying my corned beef thanks for the tip on the seasoning this will be my first go at it
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I’ve never had any kind of corned beef but this looks easy enough that even I could do it. 🙂
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I love corned beef and cabbage. But wow is that a long time to cook the cabbage! I did mine in the crock pot yesterday, had the beef cooking all day (with enough water to cover it + the spice packet, sorry I LOVE it!), and then took the beef out, took the broth and put it in a pot and boiled the potatoes & carrots for 15 minutes or so, then added the cabbage for the last 10 minutes so it wasn’t too over done. Everyone in our family loves it! Your recipe is interesting but I’m afraid to mess with a good thing! 🙂
I always cook it in the crockpot too…but I have found another trick for super tender corned beef is putting the crockpot on high for the first hour, then turning it to low for the remainder of the day. I do always use the seasoning packet (we love the flavor) and I’ve never tried beer- not sure I’m that brave. 🙂
I think I am odd on the flavor pack thing, there is just one of the spices in it that I don’t like. I am not sure what it is, but it ruins the corned beef for me. And the beer really helps tenderize it and you really can’t taste the beer flavor it after it cooks all day like this. 🙂
My mom always uses half chicken broth and half apple juice to cook the meat in the crock pot all day. Then take the meat out and top with a little ketchup or BBQ sauce and let it brown whole you boil the cabbage in the broth. Fabulous!!! I think I like the beer idea and will have to try it this year.