Make your own homemade spices for corned beef and cabbage. It is the perfect blend of spices to cook up some classic corned beef.
This seasoning packet recipe might come in handy the next time you are cooking Corned Beef and find that it’s missing a spice pack.
Corned beef cuts may come in either a round roast, a flat cut brisket, or a point cut brisket.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
The resulting fork tender, full flavor brisket with delicious cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and celery is the perfect comfort food to serve any time of year.
If you are looking for an easy slow cooker beef recipe for your St. Patrick’s day dinner, this is it. It is such an easy recipe; we enjoy this a few times throughout the year.
Table of contents
How Do You Make a Corned Beef Spice Packet?
It is the perfect blend of spices to cook up some classic corned beef and is similar to the spice packet that comes with the beef brisket.
Corned Beef Spice Mix Ingredients
Make your own homemade spices for corned beef and cabbage. Typically, the packaged spice mix contains mustard seed, coriander, bay leaf, dill seed, and peppercorns. I like to add a bit of salt, fennel seeds, dill seed, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger too. You could also use some pickling spice blend in a pinch.
This spice mix can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
Toast the Spices
Toast the whole spices except for the bay leaves and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Just 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. You can add the crushed bay leaves and red pepper flakes during the last 15-30 seconds of cooking. It will be just enough time to wake up the flavors. They will burn quickly, so not too long.
Grind the Seasonings
Pour the toasted seasoning ingredients into a spice mill, mini grinder, or blender. Pulse a few times until you have a coarse grind. You should still be able to distinguish between the various ingredients.
Homemade Spices for Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds Corned Beef Brisket
- 6 Medium Red Potatoes Cleaned and halved
- 4 Large Carrots Peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 4 Ribs Celery Cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 Cups Cold Water or Beef broth
- 1 Small Green Cabbage Cut into 6 wedges
Homemade Corned Beef Spices
- 2 Bay Leaves Crushed
- 12 Whole Black Peppercorns
- ½ Tablespoon Yellow Mustard Seeds
- ½ Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Dill Seed
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
Instructions
- Toast the spices except for the bay leaves and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Just 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. You can add the crushed bay leaves and red pepper flakes during the last 15-30 seconds of cooking. It will be just enough time to wake up the flavors. They will burn quickly, so not too long.
- Grind the Seasonings.
- Pour the toasted seasoning ingredients into a spice mill, mini grinder, or blender. Pulse a few times until you have a coarse grind. You should still be able to distinguish between the various ingredients.
- Remove the brisket from the package. You can either use the seasoning packet that comes with the meat or make your own spice mix. Rinse the meat under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Trim any excess fat from the meat, leaving a thin layer.
- Place the brisket in the bottom of the slow cooker with the fat side up sprinkling on the seasonings. Sprinkle the top with the reserved seasoning packet.
- Add in the potatoes, carrots, and celery around brisket. Pour in the water. Pro tip. Make sure that the cooking liquid is covering the beef.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
- After 7 hours, add the cabbage wedges on top of the brisket and continue cooking for 1-2 more hours. Test the brisket and vegetables for tenderness. You may have to cook up to one more hour on low.
- Remove the vegetables to a bowl. Dot the cabbage with pats of butter.
- Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Then slice and serve.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
Optional Spices
Sometimes I like to change things up a bit and add 6 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon of allspice berries, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.Make the Brisket on the Stovetop
Use a large pot or large Dutch oven and add the ingredients. Cover the pot and Simmer on low for 3-4 hours.Nutrition
How to Slice Corned Beef
Slice the meat diagonally against the grain. The grain are lines of visible muscle fibers of meat in the same direction. Slice the meat into ¼-inch thick slices. This makes it much easier to chew.
Should you Rinse Corned Beef Before Cooking?
Rinse the meat and discard the extra liquid in the packaging to remove excess salt. Corned beef is brisket that has been cured in a salt brine and spices. Therefore, it is always a good idea to rinse the meat before cooking.
Best Way to Cook Brisket
Brisket is a tougher cut of meat; therefore, if you want a juicy, soft, and tender brisket, cook it long and slow. Cooking it on a high temperature will lend to a tough and chewy rather than tender meat.
Therefore, the easiest way is using a slow cooker or cooking it on the stovetop on a gentle simmer are the two best cooking methods.
Pro Tip. Make sure to fill the container with enough water to cover the beef. As you are simmering the meat, check the level of liquid throughout the cooking process and add more as needed. This will ensure that your corned beef turns out soft and tender.
How Long to Cook Beef Brisket?
Since the best method for cooking beef brisket is long and slow, it is important to plan enough cooking time.
Stovetop. Plan for three hours of low simmering with the lid on for a three-pound brisket.
Slow Cooker. Plan 8 to 10 hours on low for a three-pound brisket.
Cooking the corned beef fat side up adds more flavor and tenderness to the meat.
Although corned beef can be cooked for a shorter time on the slow cooker’s HIGH setting, cooking on the LOW setting for a longer time will result in a better texture and tenderness.
Reuben Casserole
If you love Corned Beef, you should try this recipe. This Reuben casserole has all the flavors of your favorite Reuben sandwich in a casserole.
