The Internet’s 5 Best Crock Pot Corned Beef Recipes

Top o’ the mornin’ to ya! If you're anything like me, you're a big fan of corned beef - especially a good Crock Pot corned beef recipe!

Indeed, it’s that time of year again when we all indulge in traditional Irish fare, drink green beer, and pretend we're Irish for a week.

Also called a Jiggs dinner in some regions, you simply can't beat corned beef and cabbage for a classic, hearty Irish dinner come St. Patrick's Day.

But if St. Patrick's Day falls on a weekday and you want still corned beef and cabbage for dinner, that's where these Crock Pot recipes come into play!

Where Did the Corned Beef Dinner Originate?

Despite what you may have been told, the corned beef and cabbage dinner we associate with Ireland is actually born of Irish-Americans. 

In truth, if you visited Ireland on St. Patrick's Day you would not find corned beef being served. Instead the Irish are more likely to eat lamb or bacon.

Nevertheless, corned beef and cabbage (also called boiled dinner) is legendary in the United States and even Canada, where it's often called Jiggs dinner.

Salt beef, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage are boiled together to form a warm comfort meal that is as popular in the States as it is in Newfoundland.

Here we're sharing the internet's 5 best Crock Pot corned beef recipes for your eating pleasure. It’s difficult research, but someone must do it!

How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage 

The beloved corned beef and cabbage dinner is relatively simple to make. It all hinges on a few humble ingredients with tasty results. 

This is the real deal for the so-called meat and potato types so let’s jump through a few of the typical ingredients found in this plentiful meal. 

Corned Beef

Corned beef, also known as salt beef in the British Commonwealth of Nations, is the main attraction.

No matter what you’ve heard on the streets, no corn is used in this process.

Corned beef comes from the beef brisket, which is a notoriously tough cut of meat and must be cooked low and slow and usually with some sort of liquid.

Before cooking, it must first be salt cured. The large-grained salt pieces are referred to as “corns”. Get it now? I hope so because we’re moving on.

Cabbage 

Cabbage is everyone’s favorite smelly vegetable! I’ll admit, there’s very little that’s attractive about cabbage. It just...smells. Am I right or am I right?

However, there are many health benefits to cabbage. Really, it's true! Cabbage isn't just delicious and smelly, it can make your body happier.

Cabbage is loaded with nutrients believed to aid with digestion, lowering blood pressure, managing cholesterol and reducing inflammation.

Boiled with corned beef and spices, it becomes a treat for palate that is irresistible. 

Root Vegetables

Typically, potatoes and carrots are selected along with the corned beef and cabbage, but most root veggies work well, such as parsnips or turnips.

The veggies get cooked low and slow along with the corned beef, so you want to make sure that you are adding a vegetable that can withstand the long cook time without turning to mush.

Another option is to toss in some tough greens at the end of the cook time, like parsnip greens or collard greens.

These greens are packed with nutrients and add a lot of flavor.

The Internet's 5 Best Crock Pot Corned Beef Recipes

Crockpot Corned Beef by Diethood 

This is the perfect recipe for you cabbage haters. After getting rubbed down with brown sugar and garlic, it gets cooked on low for 8 hours in a Guinness beer bath.

Once the meat is done, I like to toss mine under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top. This is especially great if you’re making Reuben sandwiches instead of a boiled dinner.

Get the recipe from Diethood

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage from Katie Workman

Since these are all Crock Pot recipes, the cooking method is very similar. However, the subtle differences are easily noticed upon consumption.

In this Crock Pot corned beef recipe we swap out the brown sugar for aromatics like celery and onion and thyme, giving it a robust flavor.

This version is still cooked low and slow in beer, with more savory notes rather than sweet.

Included are instructions for making your own creamy horseradish sauce. I like to add a little roasted garlic to mine!

Get the recipe from Katie Workman

Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Cabbage from Sweet & Savory Meals

A savory Jiggs dinner is my favorite way to enjoy this meal, and this one does not disappoint. It boasted the usual suspects along with bay leaves and beef broth.

I know you think bay leaves are pointless and I’m here to reassure you they are not. They give the broth a nice subtle finish. Just make sure you remove them.

Like the other recipes, this one also utilizes garlic, except with 3x as much! This is my kind of recipe!

Four cloves are minced and added to the pot, four whole cloves are added in the pot, and four whole cloves are stuffed into the beef. Delicious!

Get the recipe from Sweet & Savory Meals

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage from BellyFull

This recipe reads much like a summary of the others, but it swaps in chicken broth instead of beef broth or beer.

Using chicken broth gives this dish a slightly softer flavor, it's a little more subtle and less pow in your face, in a really good way.

This Crock Pot corned beef recipe is still packed with all the aromatics and nutrients from the cabbage and vegetables.

Although, it only calls for one clove of garlic, so I might consider adding more since garlic is too amazing to use just one clove.

Get the recipe from BellyFull

The Best Crock Pot Corned Beef Recipe by Rae Gun Ramblings

We’ve included this last one purely for it’s extremely simple and easy to follow instructions. Sometimes all you need is simple for super delicious results.

Here all you need is your slow cooker, your corned beef and included spice packet, and some water. It doesn’t get any easier.

You place the corned beef in Crock Pot, add seasonings to the top, add water, and cook on high or low depending on your needs. That’s it.

This one promises you juicy, tender corned beef every single time without any fussiness or complicated additions. You will love it!

Get the recipe from Rae Gun Ramblings

Is It Better To Boil or Slow Cook Corned Beef?

By this point you probably know where we stand on this one. While a traditional corned beef and cabbage prepartion is delicious, the slow cooker wins.

There's no easier way to get the best results! The number one thing to remember is to let this slab 'o meat cook with as little interruption as possible.

Don’t remove the lid unless you absolutely must!

This is a dish that you can easily add or omit ingredients to suit your preferences. Cabbage isn’t necessary, but garlic is!

What Can You Do With Leftover Corned Beef?

My favorite part about corned beef? The leftovers, of course.

Slice the corned beef thin and pile it high on some marble rye slathered with Russia, delicious Swiss cheese, and a little sauerkraut to make the best Reuben sandwich you’ll ever have!

You might also make our beloved Reuben soup recipe, try our tasty avocado Reuben bites or whip up these mini Reuben toasts. There are no wrong answers!