Whats the Best Way to Cook Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is a one-dish meal that is so easy to make and delicious to eat. One good sized corned beef with potatoes and veggies can serve several people and can be made several ways, in the instant pot or crock pot, in the oven, and on the stove top in a dutch oven.

Corned beef and cabbage is one of those old fashioned dishes, a hearty New England meal. When my mother was growing up, her family lived in a small town in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and one of their weekly meals was corned beef and cabbage.

When I grew up we would go visit her family once a year for 4 nights and I cried every time we went because I hated the food so much. They had a set menu for every day of the week, and they never veered from that 7 day list, month after month, year after year.

Yes you guessed it…corned beef and cabbage was on the schedule every Saturday night. It was an overcooked and stringy piece of meat with mushy carrots, potatoes, and cabbage!!

The problem is that it was not cooked properly, so of course I had to learn to make it a tasty meal which is now one of my favorite meals. Granted I don't eat it once a week but we do eat it several times a year.

We have tried all 3 ways of making this recipe, and while all of them are great, we do have a favorite which I will tell you about later. We also have 2 other recipes you will love: "How to Make Corned Beef Brisket 5 Ways", and also "Keto Corned Beef Hash", so please check them out too.

What Makes Corned Beef and Cabbage So Good?

Corned beef is so good because it is a one-dish meal that has everything in it, meat, veggies and potatoes. Once you put it all together it cooks and then comes out so delicious. The meat is tender and juicy and melts in your mouth.

Some people only think about eating corned beef and cabbage one day a year, but when you cook it right it can become a favorite for your family several times a year.

A helpful hint is not to add the veggies and potatoes at the onset so that they don't overcook and get mushy. That way the meat will be tender and the veggies will be al dente, just right.

Cooking Methods

There are 3 different ways to make corned beef and cabbage that we will discuss.

In an instant pot/crock pot.
On the stove in a dutch oven.
In the oven in a baking dish.

While we prefer cooking corned beef and cabbage on the stove, any of the 3 methods works fine and makes the recipe come out great.

Is it Better to Boil or Bake Corned Beef?

Boiling and baking are both 2 good ways to cook your corned beef and cabbage.

I have always baked my corned beef to try to make it a totally different meal than what I ate as a kid, but I have since boiled it on the stove and I also love that method.

Sometimes I just feel like making a piece of corned beef, so I bake it by itself without veggies and potatoes so that I have some meat to snack on or use it for breakfast to eat with my eggs.

If I want a one dish meal, especially when the weather is on the cool or cold side, then I make it on the stove with all of the added veggies and potatoes.

We will lay out the facts and then you can try it both ways and make a decision for yourself.

What Ingredients are in Corned Beef and Cabbage?

Corned Beef – There are 2 cuts of corned beef, flat cut and point cut, either will work good for this corned beef and cabbage recipe.
Beef Broth – Regular beef broth in a carton or can. You can also use the low sodium version.
Montreal Steak Seasoning – This is a miracle blend of several spices put together and I use it in a lot of my recipes. It has salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic, onion, and paprika without any gluten, msg or any artificial flavors. We buy a large 29 oz bottle of it at costco which is about the same price as a 2 oz bottle at a regular grocery store.
Carrots – Use full size carrots, cut to the appropriate size, rather than baby carrots which don't have as much flavor.
Potatoes – Any kind of potatoes will work, we just use red potatoes when we have them in the house. If not white or russet potatoes will be really good too.
Cabbage – Regular green cabbage, savoy cabbage or red cabbage will all work well in this recipe. I just mostly use green cabbage because I like the color contrast in the pot, rather than the red cabbage and red potatoes.

Cuts of Meat for Corned Beef

When you want to cook corned beef and cabbage, there are 2 types of the meat to look for:

Flat Cut – A leaner piece of meat that does not shrink too much.
Point Cut – A fattier cut of meat, which tends to be a little more tender but will shrink more.

Different Variations

It's always so nice when you make a basic recipe and then you add some small changes to it that give it an entirely new flavor. The original is great, but of course the changes are always tasty too!

For corned beef there are a bunch of variations in vegetables and spices that you can add:

Vegetables to Add to Corned Beef and Cabbage

Traditionally, we add cabbage, carrots and potatoes to corned beef and cabbage.

Onions
Green Beans
Turnips
Rutabaga
Cauliflower
Radishes
Kale

Onions are another good choice, but you don't need to add a lot to give your recipe for corned beef and cabbage a yummy flavor.

Other options to add if you want to increase your veggies are green beans, peppers, or any fall harvest root veggies like rutabaga, or turnips. Radishes are also a good replacement for potatoes without hardly any calories.

Seasonings and Spices

There are so many spices that you can use on your corned beef, but I like to use Montreal Seasoning because it's a good combo of flavors. However, you can also use:

Allspice
Peppercorns
Mustard Seeds
Bay Leaves

Corned Beef and Cabbage Prep

Now we will get to the fun part of the corned beef and cabbage recipe, taking it from the prepping and cooking part all the way to cutting it and serving it on your plate.

Do you Rinse Corned Beef Before Cooking?

I rinse the corned beef before I cook it. It's not like other roasts or steaks because it goes through a corning or pickling process done with a special kind of salt which forms like a jelly that gives the corned beef its distinct flavor.

The thick jelly needs to be rinsed off before cooking since it's not very appetizing to look at or taste.

How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage on the Stove

The first way that we will show you how to cook corned beef and cabbage is on the stove. This is in my opinion the best way to cook it.

What Liquid Do I Add?

We use beef broth because it gives the corned beef an added nice beef flavor.

When to Add the Cabbage?

Do not add your cabbage or any of the other veggies at the onset of the cooking. Add them about ½-¾ of the way through the cooking process. This is so that they do not overcook and get mushy.

How Long Does It Take to Cook?

When you cook the corned beef this way, it takes about 2 hours at a simmer/slight boil. It won't hurt if you want to cook it another 30-60 minutes, it will only make it more tender.

Step by Step

Take your corned beef and season it on all sides.

Place the meat in the dutch oven, with the fattiest part on the top.

The next step is to pour the beef broth in the pan. Put the lid on and cook for about 2 hours at a slight boil/simmer.

While the corned beef is cooking, cut up the potatoes, carrots, cabbage or any other veggies that you choose to use. Cut the small red potatoes in half, peel the carrots and cut them in half, and cut the cabbage in quarters.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Cooking on the Stove

Now add them to the pot. Cook for about 30 minutes or until they reach the desired texture.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Cooking in the Dutch Oven

Take the meat out and place it on a cutting board. Cut it at the desired thickness across the grain so that it will be more tender.

Place the meat on a platter and now scoop out the veggies and place them all around the meat and serve!