Air Fryer Corned Beef is easy to make, and turns out tender and juicy every time. This “one pot” meal with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes is a definite crowd-pleaser!
The Most Flavorful Corned Beef Brisket, Ever!
Corned beef is often considered a low-and-slow recipe that’s great for the crock pot – just take a look at the reviews for my Crock Pot Corned Beef! 🙌 But did you know it can also be made in your air fryer? It’s true! And the convection heat not only cooks the beef to tender, juicy deliciousness, but it’s also incredibly simple to do, with minimal prep.
My recipe for air fryer corned beef takes things a step further with a killer brown-sugar-Dijon glaze that brings out the hearty roasted flavor of the meat and veggies. This is a complete meal in one, with mouthwatering flavor and texture. Whether you make it for a St. Patrick’s Day feast or a simple weeknight meal, you’ll love it!
What Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a cut of ordinary beef brisket cured in a salty brine, usually with seasonings and spices. The word “corned” was originally a reference to the large pieces of salt used in the brining process. The salty cured beef became a beloved staple for Irish immigrants to the United States and is still a popular dish for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations nationwide.
What’s in This Recipe?
So what will you need to make air fryer corned beef with veggies? Only a handful of wholesome ingredients. You won’t believe how flavorful this short list of ingredients will turn out in your air fryer!
- Corned Beef: Look for the packaged corned beef brisket, sold with a spice packet.
- Dijon Mustard: You could also use stone-ground mustard, spicy mustard, etc.
- Brown Sugar: Or raw sugar.
- Potatoes: I like baby potatoes, quartered, but regular red, white, or yellow potatoes would work. Cut them into small chunks.
- Carrots: Cut into coins.
- Cabbage: Roughly chopped.
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Which Is Better, Point Cut or Flat Cut Corned Beef?
When you’re shopping for corned beef brisket, you’ll usually see two cuts available: point cut and flat cut. The flat cut is thin and, well, flat – with a layer of fat on top. Point cuts are thicker, with very generous marbling. I recommend using a flat cut because they are meatier and much easier to slice and eat.
How to Make Air Fryer Corned Beef
My secret weapon for air fryer corned beef? Foil! Cooking the meat in foil for most of the cooking time helps keep it juicy and flavorful. Removing the foil at the end allows it to form a gorgeous, crispy crust.
- Prep the Air Fryer and Brisket. To get started, preheat your air fryer to 360˚F. While it preheats, mix the dijon mustard and brown sugar together in a bowl, and then brush this mixture all over the corned beef brisket. Place the corned beef on a large sheet of foil greased with cooking spray, and wrap it up to seal it in the foil.
- Air Fry the Beef. Place the wrapped beef in your air fryer basket, and let it cook for 50 minutes. When that time is up, pull the foil away from the meat and let it finish cooking for about 40 more minutes.
- Rest the Beef. Once the 40 minutes is up, carefully take out the corned beef and let it rest on a cutting board.
- Air-Fry the Potatoes and Carrots. While the meat rests, put the potatoes and carrots in a large bowl with a spoonful of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Toss to coat, and then air-fry at 400˚F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the cabbage with the last of the olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Add the Cabbage. When the 15 minutes is up, shake the potatoes and carrots and add in the cabbage. Air fry for about 10 more minutes, or until all of the veggies are tender.
- Enjoy! Thinly slice the corned beef, and serve with the veggies.
Can You Overcook Corned Beef?
Yes, it’s possible to overcook corned beef, although it’s unlikely since the meat typically takes quite a while to become tender. And since the air fryer has a built-in timer, it’s even harder to forget your food and leave it cooking too long. Nice, right?
Tips for Success
For a truly foolproof recipe, nothing beats having a few helpful tricks up your sleeve. That’s why I’m sharing my best tips for great air fryer corned beef. Bon appetit!
- Against the Grain: For the best result, always slice your corned beef against the grain. This will cut across the long, more tough fibers, creating a tender texture instead of a stringy texture.
- Thin Slices: Using a really sharp knife is important, because it will allow you to cut thinner slices. Thinly sliced corned beef will be more tender than thickly sliced corned beef.
- Air Fryer Size: Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cut your corned beef brisket into two smaller pieces and just cook them one at a time.
- Temperature: Keep in mind that just because the beef has reached a safe internal temperature doesn’t mean it’s tender yet! Corned beef needs a longer cook time than other cuts so to break down connective tissue.
Side Dish Ideas
While air fryer corned beef is a complete meal, we love our side dishes around here! You can never have too many. Here are a few great sides that go with this easy dinner.
- Salad: Serving a fresh salad is one of my favorite ways to get wholesome raw veggies into my family’s diet. This creamy Radish Cucumber Tomato Salad is loaded with flavor and texture.
- Bread: Throw some garlic bread together, or for a more authentic side, make a loaf of traditional Soda Bread in a Skillet.
- Green Beans: Extra green veggies are always welcome, especially a simple, vibrant side dish like these Lemon Butter Green Beans. Easy and light!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Leftovers can be cooled down and kept in the fridge in an airtight container or food storage bag for 3 to 4 days. You can repurpose those leftovers and make this Reuben Casserole.
- To reheat, place slices of beef and some of the veggies in your air fryer basket at 360˚F for 1-2 minutes.
Can I Freeze This?
- Sure! To freeze leftover corned beef, place it in freezer bags or airtight containers and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze the potatoes and carrots in a separate bag or container. I don’t recommend freezing the cabbage.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Air Fryer Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 3 pound corned beef brisket with spice packet, save the spice packet for later use or discard it
- ⅓ cup dijon mustard
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 10 baby potatoes, quartered
- 3 large carrots, cut into ¼-inch coins
- ½ head small cabbage, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 360˚F.
- Mix the dijon mustard and brown sugar together in a bowl.
- Brush the brisket with the dijon mustard mixture.
- Set the brisket on a large sheet of foil greased with cooking spray.
- Wrap the foil around the brisket; seal it closed.
- Place in the air fryer basket and cook for 50 minutes.
- Pull the foil back; and continue to cook for 40 minutes.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the veggies; Combine potatoes and carrots in a large bowl; toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Transfer the potatoes and carrots to the air fryer basket; cook at 400˚F for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the cabbage with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- When the 15 minutes is up, shake the potatoes and carrots, and add in the cabbage.
- Continue to cook for 8 to 10 more minutes or until veggies are tender.
- Thinly slice the corned beef and serve with the veggies.
Notes
- Corned Beef is made with beef brisket, a cured tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked low and slow. It also comes in two cuts; flat and point. For this recipe, you want to use the flat cut, which is meatier and easier to cook.
- Spice Packet: Use the spice packet that comes with the corned beef if you choose to do so. I did not use it in this recipe because it overpowers the flavors of brown sugar and dijon mustard.
- Vegetables: I used root vegetables here, but if you want to use anything other than these veggies, you absolutely can; adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Against the Grain: Slice the beef against the grain, which means cutting against the directions the muscle fibers run. This holds true for all cuts of meat. This makes the meat more tender and less chewy.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
