Saint Patrick's Day Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef 🍀🥩

This delightful recipe for corned beef is perfect for celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day! The slow cooker makes this dish incredibly easy, allowing the spices to infuse the meat while you go about your day. With tender beef and perfectly cooked vegetables, this meal is sure to impress your family and friends. Serve it with some creamy horseradish sauce or mustard for an extra kick! 🌿🥔

Ingredients

For the corned beef

• 3 to 4 pounds of corned beef brisket (with spice packet)
• 4 cups of beef broth (or water)
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves

For the vegetables

• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 pound of baby potatoes, halved
• 1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges

Instructions

• Place the onion, garlic, and spices from the spice packet in the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer the corned beef on top, fat side up.

🥄 Adding the spices and onions first helps to build flavor and keeps the meat succulent!

• In a bowl, mix the beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Pour this mixture over the corned beef. Add peppercorns, mustard seeds, and bay leaves.

• Cover and cook on low for about 8 to 10 hours, until the beef is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.

⏲️ The longer the beef cooks, the more flavorful it becomes, so don’t hesitate to let it simmer all day if needed!

• About 2 hours before serving, add the carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker. About 1 hour before serving, add the cabbage wedges, pushing them down into the liquid.

• Once cooked, carefully remove the corned beef and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing against the grain.

🍽️ This resting time allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat juicy and flavorful during slicing.

• Serve the corned beef slices with the vegetables and some of the cooking liquid drizzled on top. Enjoy!

Variations

• Spicy: Add a few cloves of crushed red pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the broth for a spicy kick! 🔥
• Herbed: Toss in a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary for added fragrance and flavor.
• Beer braised: Substitute half the beef broth with a stout beer for a rich, hearty flavor.
• Low-carb: Replace potatoes with radishes for a lower-carb side that also tastes great when cooked!

Now you're all set to enjoy a delicious, hearty meal on Saint Patrick's Day that everyone will love! Sláinte! 🍀🥂