Learn 3 Delicious Ways to Cook Corned Beef Perfectly (2024)

Corned beef may be a popular dish around St. Patrick's Day, but this cut of meat is also an easy dish to make any time of year. Corned beef is a brisket that has been brined. It is often sold precooked, but if you have purchased it raw, the best way to cook corned beef is slowly.

You can bake, boil, or cook it in your slow cooker, but the key to a tender, flavorful meal requires at least a few hours. All of these methods are very easy, and you can add vegetables to the meat while it's cooking to create a one-dish meal.

Learn 3 Delicious Ways to Cook Corned Beef Perfectly (2)

Boil

Boiling is the traditional way of preparing corned beef. This approach accomplishes three things simultaneously: It cooks the meat, tenderizes the tough cut of brisket, and draws out the excess salt. While the salt used in brining is responsible for corned beef's delicious flavor and texture, the meat can be too salty if some of it isn't removed.

To boil corned beef, put the meat in a large pot and cover it with plenty of water. Add a tablespoon or two of pickling spice as well as a few garlic cloves, a quartered onion, a carrot, and a few stalks of celery if you like. Bring everything to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook (don't disturb it much) until the corned beef is completely tender when pierced with a fork, about 3 to 4 hours. Remove the corned beef from the pot and slice across the grain to serve.

You can also add potatoes and/or cabbage about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Alternatively, wait until the corned beef is done, then pull it out of the pot and cover it to keep warm, or set it in a 200 F oven. Cook whole small red potatoes and cabbage cut into wedges in the liquid until they are done.

Slow Cook

Cooking corned beef in a slow cooker has all the benefits of boiling, but you don't have to keep watch while it cooks. Place a quartered onion, a carrot, a couple of garlic cloves, and a few stalks of celery in the slow cooker. You can also add potatoes if you like. Set the corned beef on top of the vegetables, sprinkle it with a tablespoon of pickling spice, and add just enough water to submerge the beef. Cover and cook on high for about 4 1/2 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours.

Bake

Baked corned beef develops a fabulous crispy crust. Before you bake it, however, you must boil it to remove some of the curing salt. Place the corned beef in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil while you preheat the oven to 350 F. Discard the water and repeat to draw out more of the salt.

Set the corned beef fat-side up in a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 2 hours. Unwrap, position an oven rack in the top third of the oven, and bake until the top is browned and crispy, about 30 minutes. You can also cover the meat with mustard or sprinkle it with brown sugar (or both) to add flavor and help the brown crust develop.

Learn 3 Delicious Ways to Cook Corned Beef Perfectly (2024)

FAQs

Learn 3 Delicious Ways to Cook Corned Beef Perfectly? ›

You can bake, boil, or cook it in your slow cooker, but the key to a tender, flavorful meal requires at least a few hours. All of these methods are very easy, and you can add vegetables to the meat while it's cooking to create a one-dish meal.

What are the three ways to cook corned beef? ›

Boiling is the most common method, but you can also slow cook, bake, grill, or pan-fry your corned beef. Each method has its distinct flavor and cooking process, so it's worth trying them all to find the best fit for you. The most common method for cooking corned beef and cabbage is boiling.

What is the secret to the best corned beef? ›

One of the keys to simmering corned beef correctly is the amount of water in the pot. When there's not ample liquid to cover the meat, your dreams of tender corned beef may be replaced by a tough, chewy result. Instead: Start by filling a large pot with enough water so the corned beef is completely submerged.

Is it better to cook corned beef in the oven or boil it? ›

The bottom line: If you're a traditionalist, go ahead and keep boiling away. But baked corned beef is definitely worth a try.

Is it better to cook corned beef in water or beef broth? ›

The corned beef seasoning adds so much flavor to this traditional recipe, and a low, slow cook in beef broth makes this corned beef brisket juicy, tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

What happens if you don't rinse corned beef before cooking? ›

Many recipes don't include a step for rinsing the meat, but it's worth doing it anyway. Depending on the pickling solution used for the meat, you may be in for a saltier meal than you bargained for if you cook the meat without rinsing it. And don't worry: Rinsing won't make the beef taste bland!

Do you simmer corned beef with lid on or off? ›

Pour in enough water to cover the beef, then bring the water to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pot. A 3-pound corned beef could take three hours or more to become perfectly tender. Check the meat occasionally, adding more water if necessary.

What gives corned beef its unique flavor? ›

The flavor profile often includes bay leaf, black peppercorn, mustard seed, dried red pepper and coriander. If that blend sounds familiar, it's because it's same list of spices that are packaged as pickling spice. Not surprising, since corned beef and pickles are commonly made in the same place: a deli.

Does corned beef get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Information. Corned beef is made from one of several less tender cuts of beef like the brisket, rump, or round. Therefore, it requires long, moist cooking. Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145 °F, with a three minute rest time, but cooking it longer will make it fork-tender.

Why add beer to corned beef? ›

You need its connective tissue to break down so you can have tender results. Some like to braise their corned beef in an all-water liquid, with various spices and salt; others add beer to the mix to further tenderize the meat.

Should you use the juice in the corned beef package? ›

To make the corned beef, open the sealed package right over the slow cooker, because you want to include the brine in the cooking liquid. Don't discard the brine.

Should I cook corned beef fat side up or down? ›

For a three to five-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. STOVE: Place brisket fat-side up in a large pot and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer, allowing about 1 hour per pound. Vegetables may be added during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.

Should I brown my corned beef? ›

How to Cook Corned Beef Brisket. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated corned beef brisket: Brush the whole brisket with browning sauce, then brown it on both sides in a hot skillet with vegetable oil. Place it on a rack set in a roasting pan.

What is the most popular way to cook corned beef? ›

Boiling is the traditional way of preparing corned beef.

Does corned beef need to be completely covered in water? ›

Remove Corned Beef from package and place in crock pot and completely cover with water. Cover and cook for approximately 11 hours on low or 5 hours on high, or until firmly fork tender. Please note that crock pot cooking times may vary greatly depending upon brand and style.

How to tell when corned beef is done? ›

Insert your meat thermometer into the center of the brisket.

If the internal temperature has reached 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius), you can remove it from the heat source and serve it. Aim for an internal temperature between 145 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit (63 to 71 degrees Celsius).

What is the best way to serve corned beef? ›

A long-simmered one-pot meal of corned beef cooked to perfection and served with tender cabbage, potatoes, and carrots would please any Irish-American on St. Patrick's Day. Add some mustard or a creamy horseradish sauce, and you have a true celebration. (Step back from the green beer, people!)

What are the three cuts of corned beef? ›

Perhaps you are cooking it for the first time and have no idea or are the experienced cook and may be looking to try something new. There are three different cuts of corned beef – brisket point, brisket flat and round.

Should you brown your corned beef? ›

How to Cook Corned Beef Brisket. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated corned beef brisket: Brush the whole brisket with browning sauce, then brown it on both sides in a hot skillet with vegetable oil. Place it on a rack set in a roasting pan.

Can you eat canned corned beef without cooking? ›

Canned corned beef is already cooked. It is safe to eat straight from the can. You'll probably improve the texture by warming it up, and you'll probably improve the flavor by browning it a bit in a hot skillet. But technically, you don't NEED to do any of that.

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