Follow our easy, step-by-step, instructions to learn how to make this Corned Beef Brisket & Cabbage recipe at home. Just in time for St. Patricks day.
We’re cooking an actual Corned Beef Brisket along with some cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, just in time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It’s really easy, just takes a couple of hours to cook, but so well worth it.
Corned Beef may be somewhat of an acquired taste for many.
I like Corned Beef Hash with my eggs for breakfast sometimes. I also enjoy a good Reuben Sandwich with some sauerkraut. There are numerous ways to enjoy it.
For the record, I do have a couple of other recipes here on Taste of Southern that I’ve done in times past. This is the first time though, that I’m actually cooking a brisket to share with you. I’ve usually taken the easier way out with the Canned Corn Beef and Cabbage Recipe, or even the Corned Beef Casserole we’ve posted here.
At the time of this writing, I purchased a 3.2 pound corned beef brisket that cost me almost $20.00. I’d picked them up numerous times in the grocery store, but never actually brought one home until now. I’m not sure why. Smile.
You can buy a whole brisket, a brisket flat, or a brisket point. I’m using a flat because it’s what was available. Supposedly, it’s the leanest part.
It comes in a brine of salt, water and flavorings, and will generally contain an additional packet of spices that you can add all or part of while you cook the brisket. That’s what gives it that corned beef flavor.
It’s an easy recipe. It just takes a little over 2 hours to cook the meat, but you don’t have to watch the pot very closely so you can go on with your day while it’s cooking. I liked that part.
And while it’s the meal of the day for St. Patrick’s Day, I think you will enjoy it anytime of the year if you decide to try it. It may not be an old Southern favorite, but who says we can’t vary the menu every once in awhile? Smile.
Ready to give it a try? Alright then, let’s head on out to the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking!
Corned Beef Brisket & Cabbage Recipe – You’ll need these ingredients.
I’m using a Grobbel’s brand, flat cut, corned beef brisket. Sometimes, the point cut is also available. Either will work fine for this recipe. They come in a brine and include a small packet of spices to add to the pot while cooking.
Let’s begin by rinsing our vegetables first. I like to place mine in a colander to rinse them, then let them drain. I’m also going to let the brisket hang out in the sink for a little bit so that it comes more up to room temperature before we start cooking it.
Empty the packet of meat and juices into a large stock pot or dutch oven. I’m using a 5qt pot here, but one even a bit larger would be suitable.
Don’t forget to remove the packet of spices. You can add as much or as little of this packet as you think you might prefer. I’m sorry my camera wanted to stay focused on the brisket and not the packet of spices here.
The spice packet contains various spices like mustard seeds, allspice, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and more, depending on the manufacturer.
Empty the spice packet into the pot and cover the brisket with about an inch of water.
Place the pot over Medium-High heat on your stove top and bring it up to a good rolling boil.
Cover the pot with a good fitting lid, then REDUCE the heat down to below Medium so the meat can simmer.
Let it simmer for 2 hours and 15 minutes, or until done.
The brisket should cook until fork tender, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F degrees.
When it’s done, remove the brisket from the pot. I don’t have a photo of it, but I wrapped my brisket in aluminum foil to let it rest while I cooked the vegetables.
Why didn’t I get a photo of this? Read on.
Cut your potatoes into large chunks. I didn’t peel mine, but you can if you prefer. I’ve mentioned it before, but now that I’m much older, peeling potatoes just isn’t any fun. The peels have good flavor, so why throw them away? Just cook them until tender and enjoy. Smile.
Cut the cabbage. I only used about half my cabbage. I cut it in half, then sliced the half into 4 larger sections.
Ah yes, I remember this photo well. I had just sliced the cabbage and snapped this photo and then everything went dark after that. I lost power.
It had started to snow about the time I started cooking the brisket. It wasn’t snowing hard, but we were starting to see a little accumulation after two hours or so. Turns out, the power company said they had some construction equipment failure while working on the power lines and the power failure wasn’t caused by the snow.
I pulled out an emergency lantern and just placed all the vegetables in the pot and wrapped the meat. Thankfully, power was restored about an hour later, so all was well.
Cook the vegetables until they are tender. I increased the heat back up to Medium and let them cook for about 20 minutes or so. This was in the same liquid left from cooking the brisket.
When you’re ready to serve your meal, place the brisket on a cutting board. Look carefully at the meat and see if you can tell which way the grain of the meat is running. It can be hard to tell sometimes. You will want to cut ACROSS the grain in order to get the most tender slices of the brisket.
Enjoy!
Serve the sliced brisket with your cooked cabbage, potatoes and carrots. A little bit of cornbread on the side helps too. Smile.
