Classic Irish-American Stew Perfect for the Instant Pot
Tender corned beef and cabbage, perfectly steamed potatoes, carrots, and celery infused with luscious meat juices. Top this hearty stew with tangy horseradish sauce, and you have an unforgettable feast to celebrate any occasion, including Saint Patrick’s Day. Using the Instant Pot saves you time to enjoy this fun holiday meal with friends and family.
One-Pot Meal
I love one-pot meals, and this Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew recipe is no exception. Cook everything in one vessel with no side dishes: easy clean-up and a complete nutritional meal. It’s gluten-free, fiber-rich, and contains moderate carbs – 45 grams. Sodium stays low by rinsing away the brine in the meat package and using low-sodium broth. This Irish stew includes vitamins and minerals; peek at the nutritional panel below the recipe card.
What is the Best Way to Cook Corned Beef and Cabbage?
Boiling the meat and vegetables provides the tastiest meal. You can boil by using:
- Pressure Cooker, or also referred to as an Instant Pot
- Stovetop with a Dutch oven
- Slow Cooker, also called a Crockpot
Boil the corned beef and cabbage in a flavored liquid, which keeps it moist and tender. The pressure cooker is my favorite method because the vegetables are all cooked perfectly. The potatoes, which require a longer cooking time, are placed on the bottom, followed by carrots, celery, and cabbage on the top to ensure even cooking. The recipe card below explains all three cooking methods. Cooking on the grill or in the oven does not produce the traditional texture for which this classic recipe is known.
Why is it Named Corned Beef?
Corned Beef is a thick cut of beef brisket brined in a salt solution to tenderize the meat. The salt used is large grains about the size of a corn kernel, hence the name. After boiling, cut the cooked meat against the grain or perpendicular to the fat marbling. This will keep the meat tender. If it is cut with the grain, it will be stringy and tough.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Ingredients and Substitutions
Corned Beef: Purchase 3 – 4 pounds of corned beef brisket. Look for a classic cut—sometimes called a flat cut. Don’t be alarmed by the size of the brisket—it cooks away to half its size. Corned beef is generally in vacuum-sealed bags and contains a flavor packet inside.
Flavor Packet: Inside the corned beef package is a flavor packet. Don’t accidentally wash down the sink drain when rinsing the meat. You can make a homemade blend – see the recipe tips below.
Garlic: I prefer whole cloves peeled and crushed with the side of my knife, rather than jarred pre-minced garlic.
Onions:– I use a yellow onion. White or red can be substituted in a pinch.
Broth: Use low–sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Some recipes call for one can of Guinness Stout with a bit of water to equal 2 cups.
New Red Potatoes: I highly recommend red potatoes because of their delicate skins. They also add a nice color to the dish. You can use any size of red potatoes, but cut them uniformly into approximately 1-inch pieces. I go for the least expensive 3-pound bag and have a few remaining for another meal.
Celery: no substitutions.
Carrots: Feel free to use any combination of colors—purple, orange, and yellow carrots. I do not recommend using baby carrots, which will cook to mush.
Cabbage: Buy a full head and cut it into eighths. I try to keep a bit of the core on each wedge to keep it intact while cooking.
Fresh parsley: Purchase curly or Italian flat leaf.
Sour cream: Purchase the fat content that you usually buy. The nutritional information below uses “original” which is not low in fat.
Ground Horseradish is packaged in a jar with vinegar and is usually refrigerated in the produce, meat, or seafood section. If you cannot find it, look for fresh horseradish in the produce section (near ginger) and grate one tablespoon into the sour cream. If you cannot find fresh horseradish, look for white horseradish sauce in the condiments section—not red sauce—that is for shrimp cocktails.
Lemon juice can be fresh or from a container.
Corned Beef Tips
- Open the beef package, drain, and discard the brine. Place the meat on a plate or cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Discarding the salty brine will reduce some of the sodium.
- Cook the meat fat side up to flavor it as it melts into the meat, providing extra flavor during the cooking.
- Feel free to trim some of the fat if it is thick.
- If you are following a gluten-free diet, check that the package says gluten-free.
- If you are following a Mediterranean way of life, look for nitrate-free on the meat package.
What spices are in the Corned Beef Flavor Packet?
The unique flavor packet contains a tasty blend of eight aromatic spices that give corned beef and cabbage a distinct flavor. If you want to make your own seasoning blend, discard the packet inside the grocery store package and use 1-1/2 Tablespoons of this recipe. This is enough for four recipes.
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 Teaspoon allspice berries
- 4 bay leaves, crushed
- 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ Teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 whole cloves, crushed
Note: I always wanted to know what spices are used for corned beef. I asked a friend who manages a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner every year at her church. However, I have always used the provided packet.
What to Serve with Corned Beef and Cabbage?
- Bread – Grandma’s Irish Soda Bread from Sally’s Baking Addiction. This cherished recipe is from her grandmother.
- Dessert – Try another favorite from Sally, Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Guinness Buttercream.
- Dessert – from Amber of Dessert Now Dinner Later, Green Velvet Cupcakes.
- Irish Beer
Get ready to bring the luck of the Irish to your kitchen! Create a hearty feast perfect for St. Paddy’s Day. Dive into tender, flavorful beef, perfectly cooked veggies, and all the festive charm in one pot. Gather your loved ones and make this classic Irish meal a memorable celebration!
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Corned Beef and Cabbage Instant Pot Steps
1
Add broth, garlic, meat, onions & seasoning to Instant Pot. Cook on high for 75 minutes.
2
Cut the potatoes, celery, carrots and cabbage.
3
Remove the meat from the Instant Pot with tongs and strain the stock.
4
Place a trivet in the Instant Pot with the strained stock.
5
Add the vegetables to the Instant Pot and cook vegetables on high for 4 minutes.
6
Add vegetables to the serving bowl. Slice meat and serve with horseradish sauce.
Equipment Needed to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Corned Beef & Cabbage: Instant Pot Stovetop Crockpot
Bursting with flavors and veggies, this recipe gives 3 ways to make Corned Beef and Cabbage – Instant Pot, stovetop and slow cooker.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Irish America
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 3–4 pounds corned beef brisket (classic or flat cut) with seasoning packet, discard brining solution
- Seasoning packet included in meat package*
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 pounds new red potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 celery stalks, rinsed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small cabbage cut into 8 wedges**
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons fresh ground horseradish or 1/2 cup prepared white horseradish sauce*
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Stovetop Method – Open the beef package, drain, and discard the brine. Place the meat on a plate or cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Place the brisket (fat side up) in a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid. Sprinkle the flavoring packet on top of the meat. Pour broth down the side, careful not to wash away the seasoning. Add water to bring the liquid just below the top of the meat as needed. Add smashed garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to the lowest setting, and simmer for 4-5 hours. Add cabbage during the last 30 minutes. Increase temperature to medium-low, cover, and allow the cabbage to cook until tender but still green. Check after 15 minutes – you may need up to 10 – 15 more. Remove the meat from the pan with tongs and place it on the serving platter with some juice. Cover with foil and allow the meat to rest. Take the vegetables out immediately with a slotted spoon and pour some of the juices over the vegetables in a serving dish. Garnish with freshly cut parsley. Follow steps 5 and 6 below.
- Slow Cooker Method – Open the beef package, drain, and discard the brine. Place the meat on a plate or cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Place the brisket (fat side up) in the slow cooker pot. Sprinkle the flavoring packet on top of the meat. Pour broth down the side, careful not to wash away the seasoning. Add water to bring the liquid just below the top of the meat as needed. Add smashed garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Add the cabbage during the last 2 hours. Remove meat from pan with tongs and place on serving platter with some cooking juices. Cover with foil and allow meat to rest. Take the vegetables out immediately with a slotted spoon and pour some of the juices over the vegetables in a serving dish. Follow steps 5 and 6 below.
- Instant Pot Method – Cook the Corned Beef – Add the broth and smashed garlic to the pressure cooker pan. Open the beef package, drain, and discard the brine. Place the meat on a plate or cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Open the seasoning packet and sprinkle it into the fat side of the beef. Place the brisket fat and spice side up into the pressure cooker pan. Wedge the onions around the meat. Place the lid on the cooker and lock it. Close (seal) the pressure release valve and select the high-pressure cook function. Set the timer for 75 minutes or 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Prepare the Vegetables – while the meat is cooking, prepare and cut vegetables. See the ingredients above.
- Remove the meat and strain the stock – When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15 minutes. Release the pressure valve and allow the remaining steam to escape, then carefully remove the lid, allowing the steam to escape from you. Remove the beef with tongs and put it on a plate with a small amount of juice from the pressure cooker. Cover with foil and allow to rest. Pour stock from the cooker through a wire sieve with a bowl beneath to catch the liquid. Pour the strained stock into the pressure cooker pan. Discard the vegetables in the strainer.
- Cook Vegetables – Add salt and pepper to the stock and place the trivet into the pressure cooker over the stock. Place vegetables into the pot in the following order: 1)potatoes, 2) celery and carrots, and 3)cabbage. This order places the longer cooking vegetables on the bottom to ensure even cooking. Place the lid on the cooker and lock it. Turn the dial to the pressure position. Set the cook function to high pressure and the timer to 4 minutes. When the timer beeps, turn off the pressure cooker and quick-release the steam by opening the pressure valve. When the steam is completely gone, carefully remove the lid, allowing the steam to escape away from you. Take the vegetables out immediately with a slotted spoon and pour some of the juices over the vegetables in a serving dish. Garnish with freshly cut parsley.
- To make the sauce – combine sour cream, horseradish, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Slice the meat thinly, cutting it against the grain, as illustrated in the post above. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and horseradish sauce. Serve the meat and vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
* The homemade seasoning recipe is in the above post
**Leave some of the core on each cabbage piece to keep pieces intact while cooking.
*** Fresh ground horseradish is usually found in the refrigerated meat or seafood section. If fresh horseradish sauce is unavailable, use prepared horseradish sauce (white) in the condiments aisle.
Supplies needed: Pressure cooker, trivet, tongs
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18 responses to “Corned Beef & Cabbage: Instant Pot Stovetop Crockpot”
This recipe was super simple, yet delicious! If you’re a fan of quick/easy meals this one is for you. My favorite part (other than the corned beef) was the cabbage and sour cream/horseradish sauce. Amazing!
Thank you so much for celebrating your St. Patrick’s Day with this recipe. I am so glad it was a hit, Brenna!
First time instapot user! Loved this recipe. Made a perfect Irish dinner .
I love that you challenged yourself to try the Instant Pot on this recipe! Thanks for the 5 star review.
I prepared this again this year. It was delicious 👍
I am honored that you make it yearly. Thanks for the review and 5 stars!
Wonderful instructions on ways to prepare corned beef and cabbage. I never had much luck preparing it before, but this made all the difference! Yummy results.
So glad to hear that the instructions helped with a successful meal.
My first time using an Insta Pot and this meal was amazing!! The corned beef was so tender!
I am honored that a Supper Sanity recipe was chosen for your first. I hope it’s the first of many meals.
A delicious meal to celebrate St Patrick’s Day (or any time actually). Best yet, I enjoyed it with my family for an early St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! Everyone loved it.
Thank you so much for the praise. I’m glad it was enjoyed.
Delicious corned beef and cabbage recipe. I enjoyed it.
Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Using the Instant Pot for this recipe is perfect. The meat and vegetables are tender and tasty. I really should make this more often than March 17!!
A one-pot meal in the Instant Pot is a winner in my book. Thanks
I am going to have to try this out, Karen. Looks and sounds delicious
Hi Tim:
Great! Let me know how it turns out.