Corned Beef and Cabbage

This mouthwatering Corned Beef and Cabbage is braised in the oven. At the end of cooking, the top is slathered with whole grain mustard mixed with honey and charred under the broiler for the finishing touch. Serve it with a loaf of soda bread and a side of whole grain mustard or horseradish cream for St Patrick’s Day.

What is Corned Beef?

Corned beef is essentially a lean cut of meat, in this case, a brisket, that has been cured with large grains of rock salt called “corns” then, seasoned using pickling spices. The blend may include various combinations of seasonings including coriander, mustard, peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and cloves along with other herbs and seasonings. Corned beef is synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day and can be found at deli’s year-round. Because of this, we usually assume it has Irish immigrants origins, but food historians are often divided about the history surrounding corned beef. You can read more about that here on My Recipes.

Ingredients to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

Ingredients to make Southern Corned Beef and Cabbage for the whole family: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Beef: One 3-4 pound corned beef brisket plus spice packet.
• Liquid: Water or low sodium beef broth
• Seasonings: Bay leaves, granulated garlic, onion powder and black pepper/
• Worcestershire Sauce: Enhances the flavor of the beef.
• Herbs: Fresh thyme
• Vegetables: Carrots, whole baby yellow potatoes, onion and green cabbage cut into 6 even wedges.
• Mustard Glaze: Whole grain mustard and honey.

Slow Cooked Corned Beef Recipe

Slow cooking corned beef is ideal for optimum flavor. Due to the lean nature of brisket, it’s the ideal choice for cooking low and slow. Corned beef is salt cured so, it’s often made submerged completely in water to remove some of the salt and seasoned to enhance the flavor. The technique I use in this recipe, will give you the best of both worlds. It’s braised in the oven, and slathered with honey mustard at the end of cooking and charred under the broiler to give it both flavor and texture. Corned beef can also be made in a slow cooker, crock pot or on the stovetop with excellent results and those instructions are included, too.

How to Make the Best Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

• Prepare Pan and Heat Oven – Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Brisket – Place brisket into a deep large roasting pan fat side up. Fill with hot water about 3/4 way up the side of brisket leaving fat cap exposed. (Amount of water will vary depending on the size of the pan.)
• Season – Add spice packet, bay leaves, granulated garlic and onion powder. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, if using. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and top with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
• Cover and Bake – Cover pan with aluminum foil per the cook time in the recipe..
• Vegetables – Remove aluminum foil and add carrots, potatoes, onion and cabbage wedges. Recover and continue to bake until brisket is fork tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove cabbage wedges to a platter.
• Mustard – In a small bowl, mix together whole grain mustard and honey.
• Coat with Mustard Mixture – Once corned beef is fully cooked and shreds easily, remove foil. Coat Brisket with Mustard Mixture then broil several minutes to char. Remove to a cutting board, let rest.
• Slice and Serve – Slice brisket and arrange on a platter with cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onion.
• Serve – Serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley or thyme with a drizzle of jus or whole grain mustard on the side.

Tips for Making Corned Beef and Cabbage

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Large roasting pan, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and cutting board, small bowl, whisk, pastry brush and vegetable peeler.
• Expect the Beef to Shrink: Please note, corned beef is salt cured and shrinks quite a bit while cooking, so consider this and adapt the size depending on the amount of servings needed.
• Use a Deep Pan: Start with a deep oversized pan. This will ensure that you have ample room to add all of the ingredients.
• How to Serve: Serve corned beef drizzled with the strained cooking liquid, whole grain mustard or homemade horseradish cream as I use in this Beef Stroganoff recipe. A loaf of Easy Irish Soda Bread would be the perfect accompaniment.

Recipe Variations

• Alternate Cooking Method: Should you choose to make corned beef on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, it can still be slathered with honey mustard and broiled in the oven to char. To do so, remove the corned beef to a baking pan, and proceed with that step per the recipe, then let stand before carving. Both stovetop and oven instructions are included in the Cook’s note.
• Guinness: You can also replace some of the water with beer i.e. Guinness or low sodium beef stock.
• Southern Corned Beef and Cabbage: Cook 6 slices of bacon until crisp and render the fat. Drizzle the bacon grease over the vegetables after adding them to the pan, then proceed with the recipe. Crumble the bacon over the top for serving.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store Southern Corned Beef and Cabbage in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Turn the corned beef into reubens the next day!
• Reheating: Reheat gently in a 350°F covered with foil in a baking dish or sheet pan, or in single serving portions in an air fryer or microwave basted with the cooking liquid. Don’t overheat!

More Easy Beef Recipes to Make

• Slow Cooked Pot Roast with creamy mushroom gravy.
• This recipe for Braised Italian Pot Roast is smothered with a tomato, onion and pepper sauce.
• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast comes together in no time flat.
• Roasted Eye of Round can be served as an entree or thinly sliced and turned into an All American roast beef sandwich.
• Coca Cola Pot Roast turns soda into the most delicious jus.
• Tender Oven Braised Pot Roast and Vegetables.
• Braised Beef Chuck Steak from My Food and Family.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Dutch Oven
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils
• Knives and Chopping Board