This Crock Pot Corned Beef is cooked in Guinness beer, making it crispy, juicy, and simply mouthwatering. Throw in potatoes and carrots for an easy, hearty, and complete meal.
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MY FAVORITE CROCK POT CORNED BEEF
Now, I may not be Irish, but I sure love to eat like I am!
When I think big family dinner – especially around St. Paddy’s Day, I automatically think Corned Beef and Cabbage! Corned Beef is a family favorite in my house and I try to make it pretty often. I especially like to prepare it in the Crock Pot because, it’s so simple and hands off.
This also makes it great for serving at large family celebrations because I can pop it in the Crock Pot earlier in the day and make sure my house is tidy and the table is set by the time family arrives. 🙌
It also frees me up to host and enjoy the time with everyone.
And to drink some Guinness! 🍻
What is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a way to describe a cooking technique typically used on the brisket cut of beef. With this technique, the beef is preserved through salt-curing. In this process, the beef cut is cured in a brine solution along with other spices and simmered on low until the meat is both flavorful and super tender.
Corned beef is common in both Jewish and Irish traditions.
When you purchase your beef, it will likely come with a spice pack that includes bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice. Some spices packs might include warming spices like ginger or cinnamon. All of these spices are, of course, accompanied by lots of salt, FYI.
Why Make Corned Beef in a Crock Pot?
I am a huge fan of the ease of Crock Pot meals. While cooking corned beef in a traditional fashion in the stove top is delicious, too. The Crock Pot is just so much easier! Since corned beef is meant to be simmered on low for a long period of time, it is basically perfect for cooking in the Crock Pot!
Once it is set in there, you can literally walk away for hours – or, until it’s time to add in the potatoes and carrots. And, when it’s done, you have a complete meal with super simple cleanup.
Recipe Ingredients
This is a complete meal all in one – meat, potatoes, and veggies!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- raw corned beef brisket with spice packet
- light brown sugar
- garlic
- Guinness beer
- carrots
- baby potatoes
- parsley
How to Make Crock Pot Corned Beef
- Prep: Place the corned beef, fat side up, into the slow cooker and season it with the spice packet. Sprinkle with sugar, and add the garlic and beer.
- Cook: Cover with the Crock Pot lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.
- Add: Remove the lid and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and continue to cook for 2 to 3 more hours, or until the corned beef is tender.
- Rest: Take the corned beef out of the slow cooker and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Thinly slice the corned beef against the grain.
- Serve: Serve with carrots and potatoes and garnish with parsley.
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Corned Beef
These tips will make your Crock Pot corned beef next-level crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!
- If your corned beef is not browned on top, or if you like a bit more browning, put the corned beef under a broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned to your liking.
- Be sure to slice the beef against the grain for the most tender result.
How to Serve Corned Beef
- I enjoy my corned beef served with the potatoes and carrots I cooked it with. I also love corned beef with Fried Cabbage!
- You can always opt to mash the potatoes. The juices from the crock pot would be so yummy spooned over mashed potatoes!
- If you are keeping away from carbs, you can serve it alongside roasted veggies instead.
How to Store and Reheat Corned Beef
- Your corned beef will stay good in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. With delicious options for leftovers, you’ll have no problem using it all up in that time frame!
Ideas For Using Leftovers
- I so look forward to reusing my corned beef leftovers, especially in a yummy Reuben Sandwich! Another knock-your-socks-off idea is making a corned beef hash with your leftovers. 😍
- You could also use your leftover corned beef to make a modified Cuban sandwich.
- Try out a cool Irish taco recipe or top your Irish nachos with your leftover shredded corned beef. 🍽
Corned Beef FAQs
What is the best cut of meat to use?
- The cut of beef used for corned beef is the brisket. The brisket is located in the front of the cow, toward the bottom, near the cow’s front legs.
- For corned beef, you can use a point cut or a flat cut. Point cut is typically cheaper and harder to find. It’s considered less attractive and often used if the meat will be shredded. The flat cut is much leaner than the point cut. This cut is easy to find in supermarkets and best for slicing.
- You could also choose the whole brisket which will include both cuts.
How do I know when corned beef is done?
- Corned beef is cooked through when the internal temperature registers at 145˚F. To ensure accurate results, I suggest using an instant read thermometer.
ENJOY!
TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Crock Pot Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 3 pounds raw corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and halved lengthwise
- 2 cups Guinness beer
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 6 large carrots
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place corned beef, fat side up, into the slow cooker and season it with the spice packet.
- Sprinkle with sugar; add garlic and pour beer around it.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove lid and add carrots and potatoes; cover and continue to cook for 2 to 3 more hours, or until tender. Corned beef is cooked through when internal temperature registers at 145˚F. Use an instant read thermometer for accurate results.
- Take the corned beef out of the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board; let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
- Thinly slice the corned beef against the grain.
- Serve with carrots and potatoes and garnish with parsley.
- If corned beef is not browned on top, or if you like a bit more browning, put the corned beef under a broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned to your liking.
Equipment
- Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
Notes
WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 14
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.
Was it cooked from frozen? I forgot to defrost 😔
Hi!
You can cook frozen meat in a slow cooker, but suggested cook time may need to be increased. I recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure meat is cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145˚F.
Can I speed up the cook time without changing the outcome? I.e cook on high from the beginning?
Technically, you can, but brisket is not a fan of high temperature. I also haven’t tested this recipe on High so I can’t really say how it will turn out. What I do know is that, when cooked on high for too long, corned beef is likely to turn out tough and chewy. Corned beef is best when cooked over low heat.
I tried this recipe last year and it was the best ever! I am out of brown sugar this year, what would you recommend as a substitute? Thank you!!
Hi!
Happy you loved it! Thank you. 😊
You can use regular white sugar, molasses, honey, or maple syrup.
Hello,
So, no water? I am new to this crock pot stuff. Therefore, I am a little unsure.
Thank you,
Ernest
Hi!
No water, just beer. 😃
This is absolutely amazing!!!! So easy too. Thank-you so much!
Thank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I’m excited to use this recipe later today. I have a large group so have 3 pieces of brisquet about 3.3 pounds each. I think they will all fit in the same crock pot which is large. What time adjustments do you think?
Hi!
I think that might be too much meat to go into a single slow cooker. All slow cooker recipes for meat are calculated to ensure the meat is cooked to a safe temperature. When the recipe is doubled, it takes significantly longer for the ingredients to reach the safe cooking temperature, which means that it might not cook long enough to kill any unsafe bacteria in raw meat. You can try experimenting with up to 5 pounds of meat, but I wouldn’t do more than that. And, yes, it will take longer to cook. I don’t know how much longer because I haven’t tested this recipe with a larger piece of corned beef.
Just moved in and have no sugar, but have maple syrup. How much maple syrup for a 3lb meat with carrots & potatoes? Also, when would I add it to the crock pot?
About 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup. You should rub it onto the meat at the very beginning.
I will tell you that I NEVER leave comments, but this was simply the best corned beef I’ve ever eaten. My husband and I agreed… this is the go to recipe from now on!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
So no other liquid? It won’t dry out? An what about the cabbage
Hi!
This recipe does not include cabbage, but if you would like to add it, only use about half of one head of cabbage, and add 1 more cup of liquid.
I do have a recipe for corned beef plus cabbage, but not in the slow cooker – you can get that recipe right here: https://diethood.com/corned-beef-cabbage-recipe/
I hope this helps. 😊
Is the cabbage cooked on the side or can it be cut up and added to the crockpot?
Hi!
That’s exactly what I do. I don’t like the strong smell of cabbage in the crock pot, so I make it on the side with bacon. If interested, I have the recipe for that right here: https://diethood.com/fried-cabbage/
At the the top of this page, is the GF symbol. Please note, this recipe is not gluten free. Guinness is not gluten free and the gluten does not cook out. In order for this to be gluten free, you must use a gluten free beer or another substitution.
Does it have to b Guinness beer???
I used a can of Coors
Hi!
You can definitely use your favorite beer, it doesn’t have to be Guinness.
Do the carrots and potatoes go on top or on the side in the liquid? Also where does the garlic go?
Inside the liquid, on the sides of the corned beef.
Is this your recipe by any chance
I used Meade instead of beer. Mmmmm….
Should the brine the corned beef comes in be used in the cooking process? I have never been clear on this and most recipes do not mention it.
hello, will this corned beef taste without adding the beer? I don’t think I’d want to add it.
Sure! You can just add some beef broth in place of the beer.