This post is sponsored by Crock-Pot®️. All opinions are my own and I only share products I personally love. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this site possible! Ready to learn how to make corned beef and cabbage the easy way? This pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and is ready in 90 minutes. This is the ultimate guide to easy corned beef and cabbage – what it is, how to cook keto corned beef and cabbage, how to slice it, and what to serve alongside it. Whether you’re making corned beef for St. Patrick’s day, for a Sunday dinner, or even for a holiday meal, it’s super satisfying any time of the year. Corned beef can sometimes require a lengthy cooking process, but this easy corned beef recipe comes together super fast in the 10-QT Crock-Pot Express Easy Steam Release Pressure Cooker! I’ve already raved about it when I made keto broccoli cheese casserole in it recently, but this time I opted for a full meal. One of my favorite things about it is it’s LARGE and unlike my other pressure cooker, can fit big cuts of meat (or even a smaller whole turkey!). Here are a few of my other favorite features of my new Crock-Pot pressure cooker:
The size is great for the holidays and bigger gatherings! You’d never fit a whole corned beef brisket, head of cabbage, onion, and celery root into a regular-sized pressure cooker. But with this one, you can! It’s easy to use. Unlike my other pressure cooker, it has a “Start” button and is simpler to get the hang of. You’ll love the Easy Release Steam Dial. It’s away from the spot where the steam comes out, so no risk of burning your hand! Progress bar. It tells you when it gets up to pressure!
And once you see how easy it is to make corned beef and cabbage in this thing, you’ll want to get one ASAP. 😉 But first, let me answer some of your pressing questions about making homemade corned beef and cabbage…
What Is Corned Beef And Cabbage?
A traditional corned beef and cabbage recipe features a salt-cured slab of beef. Brisket is typically the cut that is used. It was originally created in order to help preserve meat, and became popular during World War I and World War II when fresh meat was rationed. Corned beef is typically served with cooked cabbage, carrots, and potatoes as well. My keto corned beef and cabbage recipe has all the same amazing flavors, but with fewer carbs. Most Irish corned beef and cabbage recipes often takes hours to cook in the oven or slow cooker. Fortunately, this one doesn’t! With the Crock-Pot pressure cooker, it’s ready in just about an hour-and-a-half… and almost all of that is hands off time.
Why Is It Called Corned Beef?
Corned beef got its name from the salt-curing process it goes through. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it does not involve any corn. The salt used in curing corned beef is large and sometimes called “corns” of salt. You can certainly cure your own corned beef, but the simplest method – and the one used in this quick and easy corned beef and cabbage recipe – is to buy cured corned beef.
Best Cut Of Corned Beef: What Part Of The Cow Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef cabbage recipes are made with beef brisket. There are actually two cuts of brisket, as it’s two different muscles. You can choose which one of these cuts of meat to use for corned beef:
The fatty section of the brisket is considered the point cut, and sometimes called the deckle. The leaner cut is called the first or flat cut. It has the deckle removed, which makes it leaner.
I used flat cut in my pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage.
Where To Buy Corned Beef
At certain times of year (especially around St. Patrick’s Day), you can find corned beef at any conventional grocery store. If you can’t find it, ask the meat department as they may have it stored in the freezer. Otherwise, a butcher shop will carry corned beef year-round. If they don’t have it, they can order it for you if you call ahead. TIP: Make sure that you buy the corned beef already brined but uncooked. Cooked corned beef is usually available (especially around St. Patrick’s Day) but it’s way less flavorful and not what we are looking for in this corned beef and cabbage recipe.
Veggies In Keto Corned Beef And Cabbage
In this keto corned beef and cabbage recipe, we’re including a few traditional vegetables and one new (and improved!) veggie to the mix. This quick and easy corned beef and cabbage has 3 types of vegetables:
Cabbage (obviously!) – The cabbage gets all soft and delicious. Onions – The onions are cooked and then discarded as they are used for flavor only (and they are pretty flavorless after the cooking process). Celery root – Instead of potatoes, we’re using celery root! It makes such an excellent (and low carb and keto!) replacement for potatoes. I fell in love with it when I made keto beef stew recently, and have been obsessed ever since.
TIP: If you don’t need this recipe to be low carb, feel free to use potatoes instead of celery root. The recipe will be the same otherwise! Here is how to prepare vegetables for cooking corned beef and cabbage:
How to prep cabbage – Remove the core from the cabbage. Slice into large wedges. How to prep onions – Peel and cut into 6 large pieces. How to prep celery root – Peel the celery root and cut into 2-inch chunks. Find a visual for how to cut celery root in my keto beef stew recipe post.
How To Make Corned Beef And Cabbage In A Pressure Cooker
Now it’s time to tackle the question: how to make corned beef and cabbage! Surprise, it takes just 10 minutes to prep – which is almost unbelievable considering the meal you’ll end up with. Let’s make this pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage dinner:
Rinse corned beef. Unwrap the corned beef brisket and set aside the seasoning packet. Rinse the brisket under water, then pat dry.
TIP: Rinsing is important, because the keto corned beef and cabbage will be too salty otherwise.
Trim the corned beef. This step is optional if you prefer a leaner cut of meat.
TIP: Leave at least 1/4 inch of fat on the brisket. This will provide flavor during the cooking process.
Season the brisket. Place the brisket, fat side up, into the Crock-Pot Pressure Cooker XXL. Sprinkle the seasonings from the packet over the brisket and pat the seasonings gently into the meat to help it stick. Pour bone broth into the pressure cooker, around the brisket, but not right over it so that you don’t disturb the seasonings.
Cook brisket. Cover and turn the lid to seal. Press Manual Pressure and increase time to 1 hour and 15 minutes. When the time is up, use the Quick Release to release pressure. Once the steam is done coming out, open the lid.
TIP: The corned beef brisket is not fully cooked at this point! We’re just opening the lid so we can add the veggies.
Meanwhile, mix up the horseradish sauce. Stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon juice, and garlic powder.
TIP: Cover and chill the sauce in the refrigerator. This helps the flavors develop.
Add the vegetables. Pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage needs veggies, too! To the pressure cooker, add the chopped onion, celery root, and cabbage into the broth around the beef, in that order. (Cabbage should be on top!) Lightly season the veggies with salt and pepper after adding the celery root, and again after adding the cabbage.
TIP: Try not to cover the beef with the vegetables.
Cover and cook on high for 15 more minutes. Then, use Quick Release and open the lid. You’ll notice more liquid, soft veggies, and fully cooked corned beef.
Brown the easy corned beef and cabbage recipe. This step is optional, but a quick broil is an easy way to brown the meat. Slice the corned beef. Cut the meat against the grain (more on this below) in 1/2-inch slices and place onto a platter.
Serve up your perfect corned beef and cabbage recipe! Place the corned beef and cabbage, along with the celery root onto a platter and serve with the horseradish sauce.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Corned Beef?
Corned beef needs to be cooked low and slow – unless you’re making my pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage recipe! Using the Crock-Pot Pressure Cooker XXL has a big advantage: you can still cook the corned beef in a gently way, but at a much faster pace. This corned beef and cabbage pressure cooker recipe has about 90 minutes of cooking time, once it reaches full pressure. Cooking time will depend a bit on your brisket size, and of course, cooking method.
Can You Overcook Corned Beef?
Yes, it is possible to overcook corned beef, and you definitely don’t want to end up with mushy meat. But you also want to make sure to cook it until it’s tender, as brisket is a tough cut of meat. You want to cook the corned beef until it slices easily, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 to 160 degrees F. Fortunately, you don’t have to figure out how to long to cook corned beef because I took care of that when I tested this recipe. Unlike oven recipes for corned beef, you don’t have to do any temperature testing fort his one. Just follow the times listed in the instructions on the recipe card below!
How To Slice Corned Beef
Now that you know how to make corned beef and cabbage, it’s time to learn how to slice it! While it may seem intimidating, it’s really quite simple:
Transfer corned beef onto a sturdy cutting board. Check which way the grain fibers run in your corned beef. Grab a chef’s knife. Don’t use a serrated knife, which would tear the meat. Slice the meat at a right angle from the direction of the grain, about 1/2-inch thick.
TIP: Cutting the meat against the grain helps make it more tender.
What’s In Corned Beef Seasoning?
The corned beef seasoning packet will vary a bit depending on the brand, but it is essentially a pickling mixture that often times includes whole spices like:
Yellow or brown mustard seed Bay leaf Black Peppercorns Whole Allspice Dried Chiles Whole Cloves Anise Seeds Bay Leaves
I was delighted to find that the pre-made packets typically don’t contain sugar, which means you can make keto corned beef and cabbage without making your own seasoning mix!
Slow Cooker vs. Pressure Cooker Corned Beef
If you want to learn how to make corned beef and cabbage from scratch, but prefer to use your Crock-Pot slow cooker, you certainly can. The main difference between slow cooker and pressure cooker corned beef is the cooking time. Note: You may need to add more broth or water so that the brisket is almost fully submerged, and just as with the pressure cooker, add in the vegetables at the end of the cooking time so that they don’t turn into mush. Cooking time will vary slightly depending on size of corned beef, but will be about 5-6 hours on High or 8-10 hours on Low.
How Many Calories In Corned Beef And Cabbage?
There are 437 calories per serving of corned beef and cabbage, which includes 1/3 pound corned beef meat, a piece each of cabbage and celery root, and 2 tablespoons horseradish sauce. Plus, you get 3 grams of fiber and 25 grams of protein. It’s the perfect amount for a meal!
How Many Carbs In Corned Beef And Cabbage?
Is corned beef and cabbage keto? Definitely! Each serving of this gluten free corned beef and cabbage recipe has just 6 grams net carbs. Pretty great for a whole meal! This corned beef and cabbage pressure cooker recipe is keto, low carb, gluten-free, and easily paleo and whole30 approved.
Can You Freeze Corned Beef?
Yes, you can freeze this easy corned beef recipe. After you let the easy corned beef and cabbage cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. When you want to serve it, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F, until hot.
What To Serve With Easy Corned Beef And Cabbage
You’ve learned how to make corned beef and cabbage. But what do you serve with it? This recipe already includes cabbage and celery root sides, so you don’t really need more! But if you want to add some other vegetable side dishes, here are some great options:
Best Mashed Cauliflower – When I say the best, I mean the BEST! This mashed cauliflower is incredibly smooth and creamy. It’s delicious. Sauteed Broccoli – This easy side adds major green color to your keto corned beef and cabbage. Oven Asparagus – Another easy side dish option that will add some more vegetables to your plate. Green Beans Almondine – This green beans recipe works with any main dish – corned beef and cabbage included!
10 QT Crock-Pot Express Easy Steam Release Pressure Cooker – My favorite pressure cooker for making keto corned beef and cabbage! Cooking Alarm Thermometer – This thermometer lets you know when your corned beef is done cooking. Professional Chef’s Knife – You definitely will need a sharp to slice this keto corned beef and cabbage. This one is my favorite.
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! Nutrition info does not include onion, as this is for flavor only and gets discarded.
