Corned beef - Recipe

Here’s a full recipe for making Corned Beef — the classic salty, savory, tender beef brisket that’s often enjoyed with cabbage, potatoes, or in sandwiches. You can make it boiled, braised, slow-cooked, or roasted — I’ll give you the most traditional method first (boiled/simmered), with notes on other methods below.

🥩 Classic Corned Beef (Boiled/Simmered Method)

Tender, flavorful, and fall-apart delicious

✅ Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

3–4 lb (1.5–2 kg) corned beef brisket, with spice packet (or homemade spice mix – see below)
10 cups water (or enough to cover the meat)
1 onion, quartered
3–4 cloves garlic, smashed
2–3 bay leaves
1 tbsp black peppercorns
½ tbsp mustard seeds (optional)
4 carrots, peeled & cut into chunks
6 small potatoes, halved
1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges

📝 If your corned beef came with a spice packet, use that. Otherwise, use the peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and garlic as a substitute.

🔪 Instructions

1. Rinse the Beef

Remove corned beef from the package and rinse under cold water to remove excess brine and surface salt.

2. Start the Simmer

Place corned beef in a large pot or Dutch oven.
Add water to cover the beef by 1–2 inches.
Add the spice packet or homemade mix, onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.

🔄 You can also do this part in a slow cooker on LOW for 8–9 hours.

3. Add Vegetables

After the beef is tender, add the carrots and potatoes to the pot.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the cabbage wedges and cook another 10–15 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

4. Rest & Slice

Remove the beef from the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain (very important for tenderness).
Arrange sliced beef with the vegetables on a platter.

🍽️ Serve With:

Grainy mustard or horseradish sauce
Buttered rye bread or soda bread
Extra broth spooned over the top for juiciness

🧊 Storage

Fridge: Keeps 4–5 days in a sealed container
Freezer: Can be frozen up to 2 months — slice before freezing for easy portions
Leftovers: Make Reuben sandwiches, corned beef hash, or serve in wraps

🔄 Variations

🥘 Oven-Braised Corned Beef:

Place beef in a roasting pan with 1″ water or broth.
Cover tightly with foil.
Roast at 325°F (160°C) for 3–3½ hours.
Cook vegetables separately or add in final 45 minutes.

🍺 Beer-Boiled Corned Beef:

Replace half the water with dark beer (like Guinness) for deeper flavor.

🥩 No Spice Packet? Make Your Own:

1 tsp each: black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf, crushed
4 whole cloves
5 allspice berries
Optional: pinch of ground ginger or cinnamon

Would you like a corned beef hash recipe, a slow cooker-only version, or a Reuben sandwich next?