Stovetop Corned Beef and Cabbage

This easy stovetop corned beef and cabbage recipe is classic Irish—and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! It’s simple and delicious, with only a few ingredients!

Hey Cousins! With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, I figured it’s a good time to share one of my corned beef and cabbage recipes! Corned beef is a classic for the Irish holiday. It’s a flavorful, comforting meal packed with hearty vegetables and crazy tender beef.

Today, I’m sharing my favorite corned beef recipe—stovetop corned beef and cabbage! The slow cooking process makes the beef perfectly juicy and tender. It’s also a great hands-off recipe, so you can let it cook while enjoying St. Patty’s Day activities with friends and family.

What is Corned Beef?

So, what exactly is this tasty cut of meat? Well, corned beef is actually a beef brisket cured in a salt brine. You’ve probably seen corned beef sandwiches – or Reubens – on the menu at Jewish delis and diners all around the states. And no doubt you’ve heard of corned beef hash, a delicious brunch staple!

Is traditional corned beef actually Irish?

Believe it or not, you probably won’t find corned beef served in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day! We owe the popularity of this seasonal favorite to Irish immigrants. Irish Americans wanted a way to celebrate their homeland heritage in the United States. A corned beef brisket was a bit of a splurge item back in the day, so they paired it with cheap cabbage and root vegetables and used water as a cooking liquid to make a hearty meal that fed the whole family and then some!

How to Cook Corned Beef and Cabbage

There are multiple ways to cook corned beef, and all have advantages! Brisket is a cut of meat that’s best when slow-cooked, so the best way to cook corned beef is in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or on the stovetop.

• Slow cooker corned beef and cabbage is tender and juicy but requires hours of cooking – usually all day! It’s a simple and hands-off cooking method.
• Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage is just as flavorful and juicy as slow-cooked, but it’s made in a fraction of the time. It’s a little more hands-on since you have to cook the corned beef brisket and the veggies separately.
• Stovetop corned beef is my favorite way to prepare it. Just dump everything into a large Dutch oven or large pot, add water, and let it cook! That perfectly tender meat still takes a few hours, but it results in the best corned beef you’ve ever had.

Today, I’m teaching y’all how to make stovetop corned beef and cabbage. This recipe results in fork-tender beef, cabbage, and vegetables. You only need a handful of ingredients for this recipe, and it’s ready in about three hours. So, if you want to learn how to make the best corned beef and cabbage, let’s get into it!

Ingredients

You only need five ingredients for this corned beef recipe – how simple is that?! You can find the complete ingredient measurements in the printable recipe card below. Here’s everything you need!

• Corned Beef Brisket: these are easier to find in grocery stores around St. Patrick’s Day but should be available year-round. Mine is about 2-3 pounds.
• Cabbage: you’ll need a whole head of green cabbage cut into wedges.
• Carrots: I use baby carrots for ease, but you can use regular peeled and cut carrots.
• Red Potatoes: I quarter my potatoes, but don’t peel them – it’s not needed!
• Celery: this is optional, but I love celery, y’all. It’s a great addition – fresh and crispy!

You can optionally add white or yellow onions to your vegetables. In this recipe, I chose not to use onions and used celery instead.

What spices are in corned beef and cabbage?

Now, I know y’all must be screamin’ at your screens, “Cousin Rosie, WHERE are the seasonings?!” I hear you, cousins! Don’t you worry – I am not recommending bland, unseasoned food – calm yourselves! Store-bought corned beef usually comes with a seasoning packet that contains the essential seasonings you need for the recipe. The spice packet contains a mix of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns. This should be all the seasoning you need. However, if you want to use your own blend, you absolutely can! You can buy pre-mixed corned beef seasoning or substitute it with pickling spices, which have just about the same ingredients.

Instructions

Now we’ve come to the good part – cooking corned beef! The stovetop method is easy and reliable. It’s not the quickest method, but it sure won’t take all day, and you’ll still have flavorful, tender corned beef brisket with cabbage and vegetables. My advice? Get this recipe cookin’, crack a beer (bonus points for green beer or Guinness!), and enjoy some time with the fam – your stovetop corned beef and cabbage feast will be ready before you know it!

1. Rinse the corned beef brisket under cold water, then pat dry. Apply the spices from the seasoning packet and rub them into the beef.
2. Place the brisket in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the meat. Cover the pot and cook the brisket over medium-high heat for about 2 – 2 ½ hours.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and cabbage to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium, add more water if needed, and continue to cook everything for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
4. To serve, slice the corned beef against the grain for the most tender slices. Pour some broth over the meat and veggies to add moisture and flavor!

And there you have it! A tender, juicy, flavorful corned beef brisket with cabbage and vegetables. Slice it up and serve it for St. Patrick’s Day dinner alongside some hearty Irish cider and Irish soda bread for a festive meal.

Video Tutorial: How to Cook Corned Beef and Cabbage on the Stovetop

Watch my stovetop corned beef recipe video below! Don’t forget to subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube to see all my easy-to-follow recipe videos.

Stovetop Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe Tips and Tricks

Making this easy corned beef and cabbage recipe is a festive way to celebrate an Irish holiday. It’s simple because of minimal ingredients, quick prep, and hands-off cooking. What could be better?! If you want some tips to make this already delicious recipe even better, here are some Cousin Rosie Tricks to try, plus some common FAQs about cooking corned beef!

• If you don’t want to use the seasoning packet provided or don’t want large chunks of seasoning on your meat, you can season just the broth. Place all the seasonings in a tied cheesecloth or herb pouch and add it to the pot with all the other ingredients. You can remove it at the end of the cooking time and still have all the flavor from the hearty spices.
• Add a few tablespoons of brown sugar for a slight sweetness that balances out the savory spices. It doesn’t add too much sweetness but really enhances the flavor of the corned beef and spices!
• Flat-cut brisket is the cheaper cut and easiest to slice. If you want sliced corned beef for sandwiches, this is the cut to go for.
• Point-cut brisket is larger and often pricier. It’s thick and marbled with more fat, making it more tender and juicer than a flat cut. A point-cut corned beef brisket is what you want for shredded corned beef.
• This may be controversial, but if you want to add some Southern flair to your otherwise Irish American dish, whip up some fried cabbage instead of cooking it with the corned beef! Try my Southern fried cabbage, cabbage and bacon stir fry, or my Soul Food cabbage and collards.

Do you have to rinse the corned beef brisket before cooking?

Yes! You’ll notice that’s the first step, and I don’t recommend skipping it. Why? Well, corned beef is a cured meat, so it likely has bits of the curing solution still on the surface. Rinsing the corned beef under cool water will wash away that excess cure – but don’t worry! It doesn’t affect the flavor at all.

Can I cook boiled corned beef in broth instead of just water?

You don’t have to use beef broth or chicken broth for one main reason – salt. Again, remember the meat is cured with salt, so it’s already got plenty of salty flavor! Even a low-sodium broth might make your corned beef too salty, and you don’t want that! The meat, vegetables, and seasonings turn the water into its own delicious, savory broth, and that’s all you need.

Do you simmer stovetop corned beef with the lid on or off?

Cover the pot, Cousins! Cooking corned beef brisket in a covered pot will reduce the evaporation of the water, so you don’t have to keep adding water as the meat cooks. No one wants dry corned beef, and keeping the pot covered will ensure all that moisture stays inside the pot.

How do you know when stovetop corned beef is done without a thermometer?

You’ll know the beef is done when it’s fork tender. If the meat separates easily, it’s ready! Corned beef takes about 45-60 minutes per pound, so a 3-pound corned beef brisket will take about 2.5 hours.

Stovetop Corned Beef and Cabbage Serving Suggestions

A couple of thick slices of corned beef soaked in savory broth and served with cabbage and veggies is all you need for a show-stopping meal. You could also serve sliced or shredded corned beef on bread – thick slices of Jewish rye bread, French bread, or savory Irish soda bread. Now, leftover corned beef? The sky is the limit!

• Corned beef hash is a delicious mix of cubed or shredded corned beef cooked up in a skillet with eggs, potatoes, onions, and eggs. It’s a savory next-day dish for post-Patty’s Day breakfast.
• Corned beef sandwiches are made with sliced corned beef, grainy mustard, and sauerkraut on toasted rye bread.
• Reubens – similar to corned beef sandwiches – have sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing instead of mustard. Equally delicious.
• Whip up a creamy corned beef casserole packed with chopped corned beef, noodles, and veggies in a dreamy cream sauce. It’s a great way to use up leftovers!

More Tasty Recipes to Try

Feeling inspired? If you loved this stovetop corned beef and cabbage recipe, try these next!

• Detox Cabbage Soup
• Cheesy Cabbage Creole
• Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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