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.
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
Equipment
- Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
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.
Notes
WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 14
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.
30 Min
Freezer Friendly
One Pot
Low Carb
Instant Pot
Keto
Chicken
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.
Thank you Katerina. A very tasty top notch recipe. I used clover honey from the Amish instead of sugar. )))
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I have made this once already and tasted great! I am making it again this week. I have a long flat this time because my family likes the stringy kind. So there is nothing special I have to do right?
Hi!
That’s right, you don’t need to change anything.
Does it come out “stringy” if you use the flat cut? I’ve made corned beef in the crockpot with the point cut and it just falls apart. I’m looking for one that will hold its shape. It looks like it does in your pics, so I’m hoping the cut of meat will make the difference. 😀
I used keystone light beer as that was all I had. And I mistakenly put potatoes and carrots in at the start. Will this ruin it?
Hi!
The potatoes and carrots will most likely get soft and mushy. If you don’t mind that, then it should be okay. If not, remove them once they are cooked through, and then continue cooking the corned beef.
Can you use garlic powder instead of garlic cloves?
Debi that was great. I’m Irish American and this is a great meal but the leftovers are my favorite. Reubens are amazing, make yourself some homemade 1000 island instead of store stuff (mayo, bit of ketchup, pickle, onion, garlic, paprika, touch of horseradish, dash of cayenne, pinch of sugar, let sit for a day in the fridge- thank me later) — and corned beef hash is great with a couple over easy eggs and toast.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I have a flat cut corned beef . Can I use instapot and how long?
Does the corn beef need to be fully covered with liquid or just part way up?
Hi!
Just part way up is enough.
Can you use garlic powder instead garlic cloves?
Did you use point cut or flat cut corned beef?
Hi!
This was flat cut with spice packet, included.
I have always just put the cabbage in the crockpot with the potatoes and meat. But I saw that someone fried the cabbage. Sounds great! I’m going to Google how to and treat my husband to fried cabbage with his corned beef!
I have a recipe for that! 😊 This is fried cabbage with bacon and it’s delicious, but you can leave out the bacon, if you like. https://diethood.com/fried-cabbage/
What if y oh
Don’t have Guinness beer?
Hi!
You can use any dark beer, but you can also use beef broth, root beer, or even coke/pepsi.
I fry up some bacon and cut it into sm pieces and cook the cabbage in a little bit of the grease. Yum
You may want to try Brussel sprouts for a change, they don’t get messy as cabbage, and if you add a touch of salt ,they taste marvelous. That’s comming from an englishman , from the cold region, who’s family used to grow them in there garden 60 yrs ago.
That’s a great idea! Thank you! I love brussel sprouts and add them to lots of dishes. 😃
AWESOME!! dish and very flavorful. I did add cabbage to it and it went very fast. I guess my only complaint would be the lacking of leftovers, so I will dbl the recipe next time. I did save enough to make corn beef hash and poached eggs for Sunday brunch the next morning.
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I too had been searching for a good crockpot recipe for corned beef. This is tasty and I added some cabbage, just because it goes well with my traditional mindset of corned beef and cabbage.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Great recipe it came out delicious thank you
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Cool recipe but you are wrong on the statement, saying that this is an Irish tradition. St. Patrick’s Day was an American created tradition. Everything about the “traditions” are bull. Corned beef and cabbage is not Irish and guess what? NEITHER ARE LEPRECHAUNS! All that junk is just a gimmick that America came up with. I am Irish btw
Absolutely spot on, Brandon.
In the UK and Ireland, this dish is a Jewish speciality known as ‘Salt Beef’ – not ‘Corned Beef’.
Corned beef comes in a can and is otherwise known as ‘Bully Beef’.
Brandon & Rob V are idiots. Comes from upbringing… parents were probably idiots too.
You are so spot in! Irish stew with lamb is my fav! And traditional!
Can I use water instead of beer
Hi! Yes, that will work. Beef broth works, too.
I have used chicken broth before and thats fine too. Any kind of beer really works. Today I used a pale ale IPA as that was what I had on hand and it was delicious!
It’ll be nasty
To each his own… I’ve used broth and it comes out quite tasty…
I’m an American with Irish heritage. However, WE in America, INDEED cook corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day. Therefore, it IS a TRADITION – and Irish/American tradition. I didn’t realize guy’s could be such Karen’s as girls can. Its a great recipe. If you don’t like it, maybe just keep your smart ‘aleck thoughts to yourself. Try it, we will like it.
Thank you Debi, was getting ready to say the same thing.
Well said Debi!
My family loved this, my kids and my husband kept trying to sneak pieces when I wasn’t looking. I took the juice from the crockpot and finely cut up cabbage and sautéed it and put the corn beef potatoes and carrots over it.. I have made my Irish husband proud!!!
That’s wonderful! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This Crock Pot Corned Beef couldn’t look any more perfect!
Thank you SO much, Erin! 🙂
This corned beef looks so inviting! Love this!
Thank you SO much, Catalina! 🙂
What a great recipe for St. Patrick’s Day and beyond! Looking forward to enjoying this for dinner soon!
Thank YOU, Sara! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I’ve been looking for a good crock pot version, thank you!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I agree I love corned beef so much haha but not Irish. You couldn’t afford a brisket like this back then.
Bring on that Guinness beer! I love that the crock pot is doing all the work!
THANK YOU! 🙂
My husband and I cannot get enough of this meal!
That’s so great to hear! I am SO happy you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thank YOU!
My wife cook the corn beef on high in the crockpot for 4 hours put in the potatoes and carrots I went and tried to stick a fork in it and can’t it’s tuff. can we put it on low and cook it for couple more hours and it come out tender? Please help
Hi!
Is the corned beef cooked through? If the corned beef is cooked through, you can remove it and continue cooking the vegetables.