Love corned beef but want a healthier twist? This homemade Corned Beef And Cabbage gives you all the classic flavors—tender, juicy beef, perfectly cooked cabbage, and hearty potatoes—without all the extra sodium and additives.
If you love rich and hearty dishes, check out my Hearty Beef Stew, my Thanksgiving Turkey, and my Roast Beef.
In This Post You'll Find:
This meal is very special to me. Not only is it the meal my mom would make for us every St. Patrick's Day's, it's also the meal my mom would make for me for special occasions -- like when I was home visiting from college, when I got my choice on a special dinner and other good times like that. I have considered this my favorite meal for a very long time -- really, for as long as I can remember.
Oddly enough, I've never made it for myself. I guess I just always associated it as my mom's Corned Beef and Cabbage that I love so much.
Well, given my recent move to Austin and my mom's address in California, I came to realize I needed to make this special meal for myself if I wanted it any time soon. And I did.
If you enjoyed this Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe, then you'll also enjoy Sheet Pan Beef Kebabs.
I chose to put together my own spice combination, rather than use the spice packet that usually comes with the corned beef in the package -- just to see if I could enhance the flavors a bit. If you'd like to use the spice packet instead, that's fine too.
Other than that, this recipe pretty closely follows what I consider to be my favorite meal. A couple more hearty meals include my Healthy Chicken Parmesan, my Healthy Chicken Marsala, or my Healthy Oven Roasted Chicken.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe and have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day as well!
Here's to good times, great food and warm memories!
Reasons You'll Love It
- Tender and flavorful, slow-cooked to perfection
- Easy one-pot meal with minimal cleanup
- Makes great leftovers for sandwiches or hash
Ingredients For Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned Beef Brisket: The star of the dish, corned beef is cured with salt and spices, giving it its signature flavor. Be sure to rinse it before cooking to remove excess salt. If you prefer a leaner cut, go for a flat-cut brisket over a point-cut.
Green Cabbage: Cabbage adds a slightly sweet and tender bite to the dish as it simmers in the flavorful broth. For a twist, you can use Savoy cabbage for a softer texture or red cabbage for a bolder color.
Carrots: These add a subtle sweetness and help balance the salty, savory notes of the beef. Cut them into large chunks so they hold their shape while cooking.
Potatoes: A must-have in this one-pot meal, potatoes soak up the delicious cooking liquid. Russet potatoes break down more for a stew-like texture, while red or gold potatoes hold their shape better.
Onion: Yellow onions work best because they hold up well during long cooking times, adding depth and sweetness to the broth. If you want a milder onion flavor, try using shallots. (If you struggle with crying whilst cutting onions, check my post How To Cut An Onion Without Crying for tips.)
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse under running water and pat dry the corned beef with a towel.
- Step 2: Apply the spice mixture evenly onto the corned beef. Set into a dutch oven. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
- Step 3: Pour in enough water to cover the beef and then some. Heat over medium-high heat on stove until boiling.
- Step 4: Once the pot has reached a boil, skim off any scum that collects on top.
- Step 5: After skimming off any scum on top, place into your oven at 300 degrees.
- Step 6: In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and mustard until smooth. After cutting off the fat, coat the top and sides of the corned beef with the coconut sugar-mustard mixture.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Goes Well With:
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes make a comforting side that complements the salty, savory corned beef. If you want a lighter option, try Mashed Cauliflower.
- Roasted Vegetables: For added texture and flavor, serve corned beef with roasted carrots, potatoes, or broccoli (How To Roast Broccoli).
- Horseradish Sauce: If you love a little kick, a dollop of creamy horseradish sauce adds a tangy, spicy contrast to the rich corned beef. Mustard works great as an alternative!
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, keep the corned beef separate from the cabbage and vegetables to prevent them from becoming too soft. When ready to eat, reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a little broth to keep the meat moist. For more information on containers check out my post Ultimate Guide to Best Meal Prep Containers.
To keep corned beef juicy, reheat it slowly. Warm sliced portions in a skillet with a bit of broth or water over low heat. You can also place the beef in a covered baking dish and warm it in the oven until heated through. Avoid using high heat or microwaving for too long, as this can dry out the meat.
Absolutely! A slow cooker is a great way to ensure tender, flavorful corned beef. Simply add the beef, seasonings, and broth, then let it cook until fork-tender. To prevent overcooked cabbage, add it toward the end of cooking so it stays fresh and slightly crisp. For help on using a slow cooker check out my Beginner's Guide to Slow Cooker | How to Use a Slow Cooker.
More Healthy Meaty Recipes
For more delicious hearty and meaty type dishes check out these.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs corned beef untrimmed
- 6-8 cups water
- spice mixture see below
- 8 small red potatoes unpeeled and cut into quarters
- 5 carrots unpeeled, halved and cut into thirds
- 1 head cabbage cut into 8 wedges
- 1 medium onion cut into eighths
- 3 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 5 tablespoon yellow mustard
For the spice mixture:
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Rinse corned beef under running water and pat dry. Rub with spice mixture (recipe listed above) and place in dutch oven or deep oven-proof pot, fat-side up.
- Add water (enough to cover the beef and then some). Heat over medium-high heat on stove until boiling. Once the pot has reached a boil, skim off any scum that collects on top and then transfer, covered, to the oven.
- Braise for 3 ½ to 4 hours, until very tender.
- In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and mustard until smooth. Set aside.
- Remove the corned beef from the water and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Allow to cool slightly. Carefully remove the fat from the top of the beef using a sharp knife and slicing horizontally. Discard the fat. Generously coat the top and sides of the corned beef with the coconut sugar-mustard mixture.
- Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the water in the dutch oven. Add the vegetables (cabbage, carrots, onion and potatoes) to the dutch oven, adding additional water to raise water level to about ½ full if necessary. Cover and place over medium-high heat on the stove. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15-25 minutes.
- Place the glazed corned beef back in the oven and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, until glaze is bubbly and crackling. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board.
- Once vegetables are tender, remove from heat and drain the liquid.
- Slice corned beef across the grain into ⅛-inch to ¼-inch inch slices. Plate a few slices of corned beef, a cabbage wedge, some carrots, potatoes and onion for each serving.
Notes
- Rinse the corned beef before cooking to remove excess salt.
- Slice the meat against the grain for the most tender bites.
- Let the corned beef rest before slicing to retain its juices.
- If using a slow cooker, add potatoes and carrots early and cabbage later.
Amy
This was very good!! Thank you for the recipe!
Dustin
Need to do this again too!
Lacey Baier
Hope you enjoy it just as much this time around!