The Ultimate St. Paddy’s Day Dinner!
Beer-braised corned beef and cabbage is the ultimate comfort dish that combines tender, flavorful beef with hearty vegetables, all cooked in a rich and aromatic broth. This classic Irish-inspired meal is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any time you’re craving a cozy, satisfying dinner.
You should decide in advance whether you’re buying a corned beef from the store or if you’d rather brine the brisket at home. This impacts the timeline significantly, as the beef requires 3-5 days in the brine before cooking. There’s no wrong answer, but if you’re craving corned beef off-season (outside of St. Paddy’s Day), you’ll likely need to brine it yourself.
Why this recipe works
The slow braise in beer and spices gives the brisket it’s melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the vegetables absorb the savory goodness of the cooking liquid. And don’t even get me started on the many uses for leftover corned beef! From a classic Reuben sandwich to my husband’s favorite brunch recipe — homemade corned beef hash and eggs — you’ll easily (and deliciously!) work through any leftovers quickly.
For more hearty, comforting dinner recipes, try my homemade Cottage pie, these tender braised flanken ribs, or this restaurant-worthy red wine braised beef short ribs next!
What You’ll Need
To make homemade corned beef and cabbage, you’ll need a few key ingredients to get that rich, savory, and slightly tangy flavor. First up, the star of the show—corned beef. If you’re buying it pre-brined, you’re good to go. But if you only have a brisket, you’ll need to brine it yourself, which takes a few days, so plan ahead!
For that signature corned beef flavor, you’ll want a mix of whole spices like peppercorns, coriander seeds, dill seeds, allspice, and a little crushed red pepper for a touch of heat. These work together to give the beef its distinctive taste.
To enhance the flavor even more, a good amount of brown sugar and Dijon mustard go a long way—don’t be shy with either! You’ll also need aromatics, like yellow onions, garlic, and dried bay leaves.
For the braising liquid, I like to use a can of beer—something light like a lager or an ale works best. A stout might seem like a good idea, but it can be a little too bold. You’ll also need some beef broth or water to keep everything moist and tender as it cooks.
And of course, you can’t forget the classic veggies: baby potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. They soak up all that incredible flavor while simmering alongside the beef, making this a hearty and satisfying meal!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Beer: A lager or ale works best, but you can experiment with stouts or IPAs for a more robust flavor.Replace with apple cider or beef broth.
- Brown sugar: I haven’t tested this with anything but sugar, but if you want to use maple syrup or honey, please comment below to let us know how it turned out. There’s something about the caramelization of sugar that really makes the crust on this corned beef exceptional.
- Vegetables: Use any veggies you like! Parsnips, turnips, or substituting onions with shallots would all be fantastic. You can omit anything you don’t want.
How To Make Corned Beef at Home
Full instructions and recipe quantities can be found in the recipe card below. Note that these instructions assume you are using corned beef. If you buy a brisket, I recommend this method for brining corned beef at home by Michael Ruhlman.
- If you didn’t buy a corned beef from the store, begin by brining the brisket using the method above.
- Prepare the corned beef. Rinse the brisket to remove brine, then soak in water for 10-15 minutes. Don’t skip this step! Meanwhile, grind the spices with a mortar and pestle.
3. Season and braise. Preheat an oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the brisket dry, then place in a Dutch oven. Brush with mustard, sprinkle spice rub, then top with most of the brown sugar.
4. Add liquid. Surround with onions, garlic, and bay leaves, then pour the beer and enough broth around the brisket to come up about ⅔ of the way. Cover tightly, then bake for 2½ hours.
5. Add vegetables. Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage to the pot. Submerge in liquid and bake for another 1½-2 hours until brisket is tender (185°F/85°C).
6. Caramelize. Preheat broiler. Mix remaining tablespoon of mustard, remaining brown sugar, and ¼ cup of the cooking liquid. Brush over brisket and broil for 5-7 minutes until caramelized.
7. Rest and serve. Rest brisket for 20 minutes, slice against the grain, and serve with vegetables and braising liquid.
What It Means To Brine Corned Beef
I think this can be the most confusing part about making corned beef and cabbage at home. You’ve got to start with a brined brisket first. You can easily do this at home, but keep in the mind the following:
- The brining process takes 3-5 days.
- You’ll need a container large enough for the brisket and the brine.
- You’ll also need enough space in a refrigerator for it to hang out for a few days.
The pickling spice blend is more of the same ingredients used in the braising of corned beef and cabbage, so you shouldn’t have to buy extra. Just plan in advance and you’ll be a-okay!
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Choose the right brisket: A flat-cut brisket cooks more evenly, while a point-cut has more marbling for extra flavor. I buy the whole brisket, but if you’re working with a smaller piece, choose the cut that’s right for you.
- Soak the brisket before cooking! This removes excess brine which is very salty. If you skip this, the beef may be too salty to eat.
- Monitor liquid levels: Check the liquid during cooking and add more broth if necessary — this shouldn’t be necessary, though!
- Slice against the grain. This is perhaps the most important! This ensures tender slices.
Make-Ahead and Store
- To make-ahead: Prepare the corned beef and vegetables a day ahead, then reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until warmed through.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep the meat and vegetables separate for the best texture. Freeze any leftovers if not consumed in this time frame.
- Reheating: Reheat in a covered dish with some of the cooking liquid at 300°F (150°C) until heated through.
Freezing instructions: Freeze sliced corned beef and vegetables in an airtight container with some cooking liquid for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. If, however, you plan to enjoy the leftover corned beef either in a sandwich (like my deli-style Reuben!) or make hash with it later, you can freeze the sliced corned beef separately from the veggies.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re serving this as part of a larger St. Patrick’s Day feast, I’d definitely recommend pairing this with warm Irish soda bread or dinner rolls. For a lighter accompaniment, serve with a side salad or roasted asparagus.
Don’t forget to turn those leftovers into crispy corned beef hash (infinitely better than canned hash) or a cheesy sauerkraut and corned beef Reuben sandwich!
Tender and sweet with a peppery crust and a rich, malty flavor, this is the ultimate Irish comfort food!
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Beer-Braised Corned Beef and Cabbage (with Crispy Bits!)
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven with tight fitting lid If not using a Dutch oven, you’ll need a large pot and a roasting pan
- Mortar and pestle
- Paper towels
- Aluminum foil
- 2 metal spatulas
Ingredients
- 1 (4-5lb) corned beef brisket (see below if you want to brine brisket yourself), seasoning packet discarded
- 2 Tbsp whole peppercorns
- 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp dill seeds
- 1 Tbsp allspice seeds
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup whole grain Dijon mustard, divided
- 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar, divided
- 2 medium sweet onions, peeled, halved, and each half cut into 3 wedges
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 (12oz) beer (lager or stout)
- 2 cups (473ml) low-sodium beef broth or water (you will likely use less than this)
- 12 oz small red potatoes (if they’re large, cut them into 2-inch pieces, otherwise leave whole)
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 head of cabbage, cut into 6 or 8 wedges
Instructions
- Rinse off the brine. Preheat an oven to 325°F (160°C). Thoroughly rinse the brisket to remove the brining liquid, then transfer to a large pot and cover with cold water. Allow the brisket to soak for 10-15 minutes before proceeding.
- Meanwhile, make the spice rub. Place the spices in a mortar: 2 Tbsp whole peppercorns, 2 Tbsp coriander seeds, 1 Tbsp dill seeds, 1 Tbsp allspice seeds, and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Use a pestle to grind coarsely, then set aside.
- Dry the brisket. Remove the brisket from the pot, then dry on all sides with paper towels. Drain and dry the Dutch oven. Return the brisket to the Dutch oven, fat side up. If the brisket is large, you can cook it in a roasting pan or simply cut it in half to help it fit.
- Add mustard and spices. Brush all except for 2 Tbsp of the mustard on top of and on the sides of the brisket. Sprinkle the spice blend evenly over the top. Follow this by sprinkling 1 cup of brown sugar (reserve the remaining ¼ cup for later) on top of the beef.
- Add onions. Place the onion wedges around the beef, then scatter the smashed garlic cloves on the side. Add 2 bay leaves.
- Add liquid. Pour 1 (12oz) can of beer around the seasoned corned beef, then add enough beef broth (or water) to come up ⅔ of the way. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
- Cook the corned beef. Transfer to an oven and cook for 2½ hours. Carefully remove from the oven, then scatter the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges around the meat. Submerge them as best you can in the liquid. Cover tightly, then return to the oven for an additional 1½ – 2 hours or until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 185°F (85°C) and is very tender. A good rule of thumb is to allow 1 hour per pound of meat, but to begin checking a little earlier. The cook time will vary based on the thickness of the brisket. Remove from the oven.
- Preheat the broiler. Place an oven rack about 4 inches below the heating unit, then set the broiler to high.
- Broil the corned beef. Using two metal spatulas, carefully transfer the corned beef to a foil-lined baking sheet. Place the remaining 2 Tbsp mustard and 3 Tbsp brown sugar in a mixing bowl with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid. Stir well, then pour (or brush) all over the top of the corned beef. Cook under the broiler for about 5-7 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the top is caramelized all over. Keep a close eye on it, some broilers are very strong!
- Let the meat rest. Before slicing, allow the corned beef to rest for at least 20 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut into thick slices against the grain. Serve with the vegetables and a bit of the braising liquid spooned on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- In terms of what size brisket to buy, you should allot about ¾ lb of meat per person – remember, the brisket will shrink as it cooks.
- Brisket and corned beef are not the same thing. A brisket is the cut of beef, while a corned beef is the brined brisket. If you buy a brisket at the store, you’ll need to brine it yourself. If you buy corned beef from the store, it’s already brined. You absolutely do not want to double brine (it would be way too salty), so make sure you’re using the right thing.
- To brine a brisket yourself, you can follow this process from Michael Ruhlman, but note that it takes 3-5 days to brine.
- Make-ahead: Prepare a day ahead and reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C).
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep meat and vegetables separate for optimal texture.
- Reheat in a covered dish with braising liquid at 300°F (150°C).
- Freeze sliced meat for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Photography by: Megan McKeehan.
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