Does corned beef need to be covered with water in the slow cooker?

Nope! But it does need to have liquid half way up the meat. If it's completely covered it will end up boiled. Not the end of the world, but just not necessary.

Do you use the liquid in the corned beef package?

Yup. That's the pickling spice and you definitely want all that flavor in there when you cook it!

How do you know when slow cooker corned beef brisket is done?

It takes 7-9 hours on low to cook corned beef in the crockpot. It will be fork tender when it's done. Crockpots cook at different heats, even on low, check it at hours 7 and 8.

How long do you cook corned beef in the crockpot?

Cook corned beef in the crockpot for 7-9 hours on low.

Should I use water or chicken broth to cover the corned beef?

It's hard to say because some corned beef briskets have an uber salty pickling liquid or spices. Use water if you are sensitive to salt and add salt to taste later.

Why is corned beef pink?

Corned beef can be either pink when fully cooked or grey / brown. There is one key difference in that the cooked Corned Beef that is pink in color has the addition of nitrates - either sodium nitrate or saltpeter (potassium nitrate). The nitrate additions cures the corned beef and changes the color of the meat to pink and also gives corned beef its flavor. The lack of curing the corned beef with nitrates leaves the corned beef the regular ole color of cooked beef.

Easy Slow Cooker / Crockpot Corned Beef & Cabbage

Easy Crockpot Corned Beef And Cabbage

Close up of thin sliced pink corned beef on a wood cutting board.

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EatSimpleFood.com

This delicious and easy crock pot corned beef brisket recipe with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes will change your game plan for an easy dinner to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (or any day!).

Author: beckie
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Crockpot / Instapot / Braised
Cuisine: Irish
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 lb lean corned beef w/ pickling spice packet or juice
1 onion, sliced (optional)
4 medium carrots, cut in 1 1/2" chunks
1 1/2 lb whole baby potatoes or roughly chunked potatoes
4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth - use water if sensitive to salt.
1 medium head cabbage, chunked

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Instructions

In a 6 quart crock-pot add the onion, potatoes, and carrots.
Nestle in the corned beef w/ pickling spice - fat side up.
Pour the water or chicken broth over the top. If the broth does not almost cover the brisket, add enough water to come ~ 1/2 way up the beef.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours or until fork tender.
Add the cabbage to the crockpot around hour 6-7 (2 hours before serving) and continue cooking. Sometimes there is not enough room for the cabbage to fit in the crockpot and it can get crazy frustrating trying to shove it all in. If this is the case, bring a large pot of water to a boil, throw in the cabbage, and cook for ~ 7-9 minutes or until it has shrunk. Strain and add to crockpot.
Remove the brisket, let cool, and slice across the grain.
Add a big cup full or two of strained veggies on your plate and add the sliced corned beef.
Add salt to taste. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Beckie

Notes

TIPS:

The brisket is tender when fully cooked. It's gonna be hard to slice the meat intact. The brisket will stay together better the cooler it is when you slice it.
Don't have a crockpot? No problem. Use a large stockpot. Boil the brisket and onions ~ 2 hours or until tender. Add carrots and potatoes in the last 15 minutes and then add the cabbage in the last 20 minutes.
Want some more tang? Use sauerkraut instead of cabbage and throw it in the crockpot at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients.

Find it online: https://eatsimplefood.com/slow-cooked-corned-beef-cabbage/