Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe, slow-cooked to perfection with tender corned beef brisket, crisp cabbage, perfectly cooked carrots, and potatoes for a complete meal in a flavorful broth!
If you're looking for the perfect St. Patrick's Day dinner, consider making this classic recipe. Grab a large dutch oven, and let's get cooking! Corned beef and cabbage was made popular by Irish immigrants when coming to the United States, and now, it's the perfect one-pot meal for any night of the week!
Want to use a pressure cooker to cook corned beef? Try our Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage!
Looking for more recipes for St. Patty's Day? You may also like this slow cooker Irish stew, this corned beef hash with eggs if you have leftover corned beef, or this Baileys coffee recipe!
You may also like this Dutch oven pot roast, this bavette steak recipe, or this slow cooker sirloin tip roast.
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Hearty and filling. This recipe is a perfect meal for those looking for a satisfying and filling dinner.
- Comforting and familiar. Corned beef and cabbage is a classic dish that's loved by many.
- Easy to prepare. All you need is a Dutch oven and a few simple ingredients that can be found at any grocery store to prepare this dish in just one pot.
- Perfect for St. Patty's Day. This recipe is a popular choice for St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and it's sure to satisfy.
- Naturally gluten free. This recipe suits multiple diet types because it's naturally gluten free.
🥕Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Corned beef brisket - We'd recommend the flat-cut brisket vs. the point cut. The point cut brisket is the fattier side, and we're looking for more lean meat that can be found in the flat cut. You'll want a 3-4 pound brisket.
- Spice blend - We use the spice packet that comes with the corned beef, along with some extra black pepper, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Kosher salt
- Beef stock
- Dark beer - We like using Guinness beer for maximum flavor. You can use any beer you like.
- Yellow onions - Cut into large slices.
- Garlic - Whole cloves, smashed.
- Stone ground mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Large carrots - Peeled and cut into 3-4 pieces. You can also use baby carrots.
- Small red potatoes - We like using baby potatoes as you can add them in whole and they cook up quickly.
- Green cabbage - We use a small head of cabbage, then slice it into about 8 thick wedges.
- Grass fed Irish butter - Optional, but at the end, we like to drizzle the vegetables with it for a supremely flavorful bite!
- Parsley - Optional, for the butter and garnish.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Meat substitute. If you don't have corned beef, you can use other cuts of beef such as brisket, short ribs, or chuck roast.
- Different veggies. You can substitute the carrots and potatoes with other vegetables like parsnips, turnips, or rutabagas.
- Swap the broth. Instead of beer or beef broth, you can use chicken broth, red wine, or even cold water. Water won't give the cooking liquid quite the same robust flavor, but it will certainly work.
- No beer. If you don't have beer or don't want to use it, simply replace it with an equal volume of beef broth or stock.
- Herbs and spices. Feel free to add other herbs and spices like rosemary, or more mustard seeds, whole black peppercorns, or even a little horseradish sauce for added flavor.
- Sweet mustard glaze. To add a sweet and tangy glaze to the corned beef, mix together brown sugar, dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar and brush it over the meat during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Keto friendly. Swap the potatoes for turnips, rutabaga, more cabbage, or cauliflower for lower carb veggies. You will also want to omit the beer, and swap it for more beef broth.
🔪Prep work
- Peel the carrots and cut them into 3-4 roughly large chunks.
- Slice onions thinly.
- Peel and smash garlic cloves.
- Wash potatoes, and if using large potatoes, cut them into large chunks.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Dry the corned beef brisket off with paper towels.
- Measure out all the remaining ingredients.
📋Instructions
Rub the corned beef with mustard on all sides, then sprinkle with the seasoning packet that comes with the meat. Press lightly to adhere. (Image 1)
Place onion slices, and smashed garlic in the bottom of a large cast iron dutch oven. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Image 2)
Arrange the corned beef brisket on top of the onion and garlic. (Image 3)
Pour beef broth or stock into the dutch oven, (Image 4) followed by the Guinness beer, and Worcestershire sauce. (Image 5)
Add in the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Then cover with a lid. (Image 6)
Place in a 350-degree oven. Cook for 1 hour. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 300°F, and cook for an additional 2 hours.
Pro tip: Make sure there is enough liquid to reach the top of the beef, or even cover it.
At the 3-hour mark, turn the corned beef over. Check the liquid level, and add more stock, beer, or water if too much has evaporated.
Add carrots and potatoes to the pot. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper. Cook for an additional 1 hour. (Image 7)
Remove from the oven once more at the 4-hour mark. (Image 8)
Add the cabbage wedges on top, then season generously with salt and pepper. Cover, and return to the oven. (Image 9)
Cook for 1 more hour. (Image 10)
Let the corned beef rest for 10-15 minutes, and while it's resting.
Melt butter in a bowl, add minced parsley, a pinch of salt, and pepper. (optional) (Image 11)
Slice the corned beef into thick slices against the grain. Garnish the vegetables with melted butter (optional), fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve with stone-ground mustard. Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- Choose the right cut of beef. Look for a well-marbled corned beef brisket, as the fat will add flavor and help keep the meat moist during cooking. With that being said, choose flat cut over a point cut brisket, as point cut is very fatty, and flat cut is the perfect happy medium of lean meat and fat!
- Cook the meat low and slow. Slow-cooking the meat at a low temperature is the best way to get perfectly tender meat. Attempting to rush the process by cranking up the heat will just make the meat tough. We know it's a long process, but it's worth it! Plus, it's very hands off, giving you lots of time to work on other things.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. We know it feels like an extra step, but adding the vegetables towards the end of cooking ensures they don't get too mushy.
- Adjust the liquid level if needed. If the liquid level drops too low during cooking, add more beer or broth to keep the meat covered at least most of the way up.
- Let it rest. After removing the corned beef from the oven, remove it from the dutch oven and let the corned beef rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to be absorbed by the meat.
- Make it ahead. This recipe can be made a day or two in advance and heated up for an easy and delicious meal.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, you can use a microwave, the oven, or the stovetop. Add a bit of broth or water to keep the meat moist and prevent it from drying out.
To freeze, all the leftovers to cool at room temperature before transferring them to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat.
Yes, cooking low and slow is necessary for a Dutch oven, or else the beef will not become tender. However, if your corned beef is a bit smaller, then it may not take quite as long.
If you'd prefer a quicker method, try our Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage!
Yes, you can use a slow cooker or a roasting pan with a tight-fitting lid. However, a Dutch oven is ideal for this recipe as it evenly distributes heat and creates a self-basting environment.
Yes, you can use fresh beef brisket or a chuck roast, but it won't have the same flavor as corned beef. To mimic the flavor, you can season the fresh beef with pickling spices and salt before cooking, but it won't have that same distinct taste.
Yes, this recipe can be made up to 4 days in advance and re-heated for an easy and delicious meal. The flavors will deepen over time, making for an even more flavorful bite!
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds corned beef brisket, flat cut
- 3 tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons corned beef seasoning (the packet that comes with the corned beef)
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper, divided
- 4 cups beef stock (or beef broth)
- 1 bottle Guinness beer (14.9 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 5 large carrots, cut into large chunks
- 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
- 1 medium cabbage, sliced into 8 wedges
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional, for topping the veggies)
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Dry the corned beef brisket with paper towels. Rub the corned beef with mustard on all sides, then sprinkle with the seasoning packet that comes with the meat. Press lightly to adhere. Place onion slices, and smashed garlic in the bottom of a large cast iron dutch oven. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the corned beef brisket on top of the onion and garlic
- Pour beef broth or stock into the dutch oven, followed by the Guinness beer, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Then cover with a lid. Cook for 1 hour at 350°F, then, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 300°F, and cook for an additional 2 hours.
- At the 3-hour mark, turn the corned beef over. Check the liquid level, and add more stock, beer, or water if too much has evaporated. Add carrots and potatoes to the pot. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper. Cook for an additional 1 hour.
- At the 4-hour mark, add the cabbage wedges on top, then season generously with salt and pepper. Cover, return to the oven, and cook for 1 more hour.
- Let the corned beef rest for 10-15 minutes, and while it's resting. Melt butter in a bowl, add minced parsley, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
- Slice the corned beef into thick slices against the grain. Garnish the vegetables with melted butter (optional), fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve with stone-ground mustard. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, you can use a microwave, the oven, or the stovetop. Add a bit of broth or water to keep the meat moist and prevent it from drying out. To freeze, all the leftovers to cool at room temperature before transferring them to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat.
Notes
- Choose the right cut of beef. Look for a well-marbled corned beef brisket, as the fat will add flavor and help keep the meat moist during cooking. With that being said, choose flat cut over a point cut brisket, as point cut is very fatty, and flat cut is the perfect happy medium of lean meat and fat!
- Cook the meat low and slow. Slow-cooking the meat at a low temperature is the best way to get perfectly tender meat. Attempting to rush the process by cranking up the heat will just make the meat tough. We know it's a long process, but it's worth it! Plus, it's very hands off, giving you lots of time to work on other things.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. We know it feels like an extra step, but adding the vegetables towards the end of cooking ensures they don't get too mushy.
- Adjust the liquid level if needed. If the liquid level drops too low during cooking, add more beer or broth to keep the meat covered at least most of the way up.
- Let it rest. After removing the corned beef from the oven, remove it from the dutch oven and let the corned beef rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to be absorbed by the meat.
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