This Irish corned beef and cabbage with Guinness beer is a traditional favorite that's super popular for St. Patrick's Day here in the States. It's incredibly easy to make and super flavorful, whether serving it fresh out of the oven or slicing it for leftover sandwiches.
Pair this recipe with my corned beef and cabbage spice mix for out-of-this-world flavor! There is no comparison between the commercial spice packets and using our best spice blend for this popular Irish-American comfort food dish.
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Roasting is a breeze using a Dutch oven! I literally can't say enough good things about how much my family loves this method for our corned beef!
❓ Is Corned Beef and Cabbage Irish?
No, not exactly. For those of you who are sticklers for historical correctness, please note that corned beef and cabbage are not usually eaten in Ireland.
A similar dish, bacon and cabbage, is enjoyed by the Irish. This hearty entree is an American-made meal originally enjoyed by Irish immigrants here in the States.
🤔 What Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a salt-cured beef portion, typically a tough cut of the beef. Most often, the cut of beef used is brisket, but it can also be rump or round cuts. These cuts are best when cooked low and slow, with plenty of liquids. (I wrote an entire post on this topic; see here for more detailed information.)
🥘 Ingredients
You'll have a wonderfully hearty family meal with just a few great veggies to serve with your corned beef brisket. You can add or omit vegetables as desired.
- Corned Beef Brisket
- Beef Broth
- Guinness - 2 bottles (extra stout)
- Seasoning - Corned beef seasoning, plus salt and pepper.
- Coarse Ground Mustard
- Brown Sugar
- Herbs - Garlic, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.
- Veggies - Green cabbage, Onion, parsnips, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Red Potatoes
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Corned Beef & Cabbage
You will need a Dutch Oven (or a large roasting pan with a cover), a cutting board, and a knife for slicing.
This recipe yields 12 servings.
How To Make Corned Beef In The Oven
- Preheat. Set your oven to 325°F (162°C) and move the racks down so that your roasting dish will be centered in the oven.
- Prepare. In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, combine the beef broth and Guinness with the homemade corned beef and cabbage seasoning mix. Place your corned beef brisket portion, fat side up, in the center of your Dutch oven or roasting pan.
- Season. Coat the top of your corned beef with the coarse ground mustard, then sprinkle with brown sugar. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover and cook for 1 hour.
- Strain. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and transfer the corned beef to a cutting board. Then strain the liquids to remove whole herbs (if desired, OR a spice sachet or bouquet garni could have been used to place all whole spices). Return the strained liquid to the roasting pan.
- Add ingredients. Before returning the corned beef, add the minced garlic and sliced or chopped onion. Place the corned beef and fat side up again in the center of your roasting dish. Add vegetables (carrots, celery, parsnips, potatoes, and cabbage), arranged around the corned beef. Top with sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Roast. Cover and return the roasting pan to the center of your oven, and continue cooking at 325°F (162°C) for another 2 hours (or a total of 1 hour per pound of corned beef). When the corned beef is fork-tender, it is ready to serve.
- Serve. Remove the corned beef and vegetables from the roasting pan, rest for 15-20 minutes, then slice corned beef against the grain and serve with juices drizzled over when plated (if desired).
Stove Top Corned Beef Instructions
- Assemble. Add the liquids and seasoning, then place the meat fat side up in a Dutch oven or large pot.
- Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 ½ hours.
- Vegetables. After 2 ½ hours, add vegetables (except the cabbage) and cook for 15 minutes.
- Finish. Add the cabbage and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the meat, potatoes, and cabbage are tender.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Cooking Temperature: Regardless of the cooking method used, ensure the corned beef reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Measure this with a meat thermometer at the meat's thickest point, following USDA guidelines for food safety.
- Resting Time: After cooking, let the corned beef rest for 20 minutes before cutting into it. This resting period makes slicing smoother and helps retain the juices within the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful dish.
❔ What To Use Leftover Corned Beef For
Try using the leftovers from this tasty corned beef recipe on our Irish Nachos, yum! Enjoy!
Leftover corned beef is commonly used for corned beef hash and sandwiches such as Reuben sandwiches (a grilled sandwich with corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese on rye bread) or corned beef special sandwiches (a cold sandwich with corned beef, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye bread).
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☘️ More Irish Recipes!
Some of my favorite Irish recipes to make for St. Paddy's Day!
- Lamb Stew
- Apple Cake
- Traditional Irish Soda Bread
- Irish Soda Bread Pudding
- Irish Barmbrack
- Potato Leek Soup
- Apple Blackberry Crumble
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📖 Recipe Card
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs corned beef brisket
- 2 cups beef broth
- 23 oz Guinness (2 11.5 ounce bottles extra stout)
- 1 batch homemade corned beef and cabbage seasoning mix (see recipe)
- 2-3 tablespoon coarse ground mustard (I use Inglehoffer brand)
- 2-3 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large yellow onion (sliced or diced)
- 10-12 red potatoes (small red potatoes, use 5-6 medium)
- 6-8 carrots (rough chopped, large pieces)
- 6-8 ribs celery (rough chopped, large pieces)
- 4 parsnips (rough chopped, large pieces)
- 1 head green cabbage (cut into 8 wedges)
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (162°C) and move the racks down so that your roasting dish will be centered in the oven.
- In a large roasting pan or dutch oven, combine the beef broth and Guinness with the homemade corned beef and cabbage seasoning mix. Place your corned beef brisket portion, fat side up, in the center of your dutch oven or roasting pan.
- Coat the top of your corned beef with the coarse ground mustard, then sprinkle with brown sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 1 hour.
- Remove the roasting pan from oven, and transfer the corned beef to a cutting board. Then strain the liquids to remove whole herbs (if desired, OR a spice sachet or bouquet garni could have been used to place all whole spices). Return the strained liquid to the roasting pan.
- Before returning the corned beef, add the minced garlic and sliced or chopped onion. Place the corned beef, fat side up again, in the center of your roasting dish. Add vegetables, arranged around the corned beef. Top with sprigs of fresh thyme and add the bay leaves.
- Cover and return the roasting pan to the center of your oven, continue cooking at 325°F (162°C) for an additional 2 hours - or a total of 1 hour per pound of corned beef. When the corned beef is fork tender, it is ready to serve.
- Remove the corned beef and vegetables from the roasting pan, slice corned beef against the grain and serve with juices drizzled over when plated (if desired).
Stove Top Instructions
- *To make corned beef on the stove top, follow the directions in the recipe: add the liquids, seasoning, place the meat fat side up in a dutch oven or large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 ½ hours.
- After that 2 ½ hours, add vegetables (except the cabbage) and cook for 15 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the meat, potatoes, and cabbage are tender.
Gloria says
Excellent, loved reading the history behind corned beef and the many ways to cook it. Thank you!