The Best Corned Beef & Cabbage boiled dinner recipe
Few meals feel as comforting and steeped in tradition as a classic corned beef and cabbage boiled dinner. This hearty one-pot meal is a beloved staple for St. Patrick’s Day, but in many families it’s also a recipe that carries memories from one generation to the next. In our house, this meal always reminds me of my dad—the smell of slow simmering corned beef, tender cabbage, carrots, and potatoes, and a pot bubbling away in the oven. Simple ingredients transform into something deeply satisfying, making this traditional Irish-American corned beef and cabbage recipe the kind of comforting family dinner that never goes out of style, and that we still gather around the table for.
Why I love boiled dinner
I grew up on Irish boiled dinner. Corned beef and cabbage dinner was one of my dad’s favorite meals. It sounds so ho-hum, but honestly, it’s pure comfort food. It’s one of the dinners from my youth that I had forgotten about until my dad asked me to make it for him. . My mom made many versions of boiled dinner. I think this recipe is my favorite. You see, my mom is part Irish, and my dad is mostly German, so his version usually included bratwurst and beer, and my moms’ was pretty much like the one you see here. Sometimes, she used ham instead of corned beef, or are you sitting down? Pig hocks, otherwise known as hogs ankles! I thought I was eating pig feet when I was a wee one. Did it stop me from eating dinner? No way. There was nothing I wouldn’t eat as a kid. I was one of those weird kids that would try anything. Unlike my little sister that would sit for hours and stare at her plate without taking a bite.
Gather these ingredients
What is corned beef? Well let me tell you. Corned Beef is a beef brisket that is brined or marinated and then boiled until tender. The brine is similar to what pickles are pickled in, so basically corned beef is pickled beef. No wonder I love this meal, I love all things pickled.
How to make boiled dinner
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prep your root vegetables. Core the cabbage and cut it into four pieces. Peel carrots and cut them into large chunks. Cut the onion into large chunks. Clean the potatoes and cut them in half if they are too large.
Remove the corned beef from its packaging, rinse in cold water, and pat dry. Cut away any excess fat, leaving some. Discard spice packet. If there isn’t much fat, just let it be. Set aside.
Melt butter in a big pot or a large Dutch oven. Add cabbage wedges flat side down. Let them brown, when cabbage is browned on one side, use tongs to turn and brown the other side. When the cabbage is browned on all sides add the onion. Place lid on for five minutes onions will start to get soft
Add potatoes and carrots to the pan tucking them in all the spaces around the cabbage.
Lay corned beef brisket, fat side up, over vegetables, sprinkle pickling spices over meat, and pour four cups of chicken broth into the pot over and around meat and vegetables. Cover and bring to a low boil, and place in preheated oven for 4 hours.
How to serve boiled dinner
After the cooking time is up, and you are ready to eat you can go about this two ways.
Remove the brisket from the pot to a cutting board and slice it across the grain. Return it to the pot and serve your boiled dinner directly from the cooking vessel. Or…
Remove brisket as in scenario one, but place sliced corned beef on a large platter, and surround it with the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Strain the pan juices through a fine mesh strainer to get all the pickling spices out, drizzle a few spoonfuls over the brisket and put the rest in a small pitcher for pouring. Serve immediately! I like to serve this with Irish soda bread (you can find the recipe for this bread on my instagram or facebook in the captions under this recipe) or a good rye bread from our local bakery.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What cut of meat is best for corned beef and cabbage? Brisket is traditionally used. Flat cut slices neatly while point cut is more marbled and flavorful.
- Why is my corned beef tough? It likely cooked too quickly. Corned beef becomes tender when simmered gently for several hours.
- Can I make corned beef and cabbage ahead of time? Yes! The flavors actually improve after resting. Reheat gently in the broth.
- What should I serve with corned beef and cabbage? Irish soda bread, mustard sauce, or buttered rye bread are all great companions.
- How do I store leftovers? Store meat and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Variations
- Add Parsnips or Turnips: These root vegetables add extra sweetness and depth to the broth.
- Beer Braised Corned Beef: Replace part of the cooking water with a dark stout beer for deeper flavor.
- Add Kielbasa: Add in kielbasa along with with corned beef, or instead of. My dad like to add the kielbasa and a beer to his boiled dinner!
- Mustard Cream Sauce: Serve with a quick sauce made from Dijon mustard, stoneground mustard, and sour cream; equal parts of each. Or simply serve with stoneground mustard on the side.
Leftover Corned Beef Ideas
- Corned beef hash for breakfast
- Reuben sandwiches
- Corned beef grilled cheese
- Add to potato soup
Not the best photo but its real, I just plunked the pot down on our table with a loaf of irish soda bread and a simple salad and called it a night! I pushed all the usually junk to the end of the table; homework, junk mail, this, that, and who knows what. My kitchen table is a catch-all for everybody’s everything! This is real-life people. I hope you find time to push your junk aside and get around the table with those you love. It’s easy. Let’s go!
If you could take the time to rate this recipe in the recipe card below, or to share it on your social media with a shout out to eat2gather.net I would really appreciate it. With love from my table to yours! Thank you for being here! Sheila
The Best Corned Beef & Cabbage boiled dinner recipe
Equipment
- 6-8 quart dutch oven
Ingredients
- 6 lbs corned beef brisket 5-6 pound corned beef roast
- 1 whole head green cabbage trimmed and quartered
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground Pepper
- 1 large Onion or two smaller onions
- 8 medium sized golden potatoes
- 3 cups Carrot chunks
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 2 tbsp pickling spices
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- prep all the vegetable: clean potatoes, peel carrots and cut into chunks, cut onion into large chunks.
- On stove top melt butter in a dutch oven place quarters of cabbage flat side down in pan allow to brown on all sides. Add onions to pan cover pan and let them cook with cabbage for a few minutes.
- Remove corned beef from packaging, rinse under cold water, pat dry, and cut off any excess fat but not all fat. toss spice packet, unless you do not have pickling spice then use the packet that comes with the corned beef.
- Place potatoes and carrots in pan with cabbage and onions, lay corned beef fat side up over top, sprinkle with spice packet, pour chicken stock in pan, cover and cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 4 hours.
- Remove from oven, remove brisket from the pan, and slice across the grain. Return the cut meat to the pan with juices and veggies.
- When ready to serve you can simply serve from the pot, or remove sliced beef to a large platter, place boiled vegetables around meat, strain pan juices through a fine mesh strainer and then pour strained juices over meat and vegetables on plater. Serve with Irish Soda Bread and butter.
Notes
Nutrition
Ok–so I currently have this in my oven as we speak. I’m feeding a crowd tonight. My question is–should everything be completely submerged in chicken stock? I added more of everything so I’m wondering if I should add another thing of chicken stock.The veggies are pretty covered but not the meat. Will it still cook just as well? A quick answer would be appreciated!
Mandy, If you have it covered with a lid that seals pretty well You are fine, I wouldn’t add too much liquid, the meat will give off quite a bit of juice as it cooks. Enjoy! Sheila
I am DROOLING!!!! Fav meal of the year!
When I was a kid I always chose New England Boiled Dinner for my birthday. My mom’s is a little different, tho. She uses pork chops, sauerkraut (sp?), and potatoes. If I thought I could get the corned beef done so my husband would try it, I would love to fix this recipe. It should be done after 4 hrs., right?
Stephanie, mine is always done after 4 hours, you can always go longer it’s just going to get more tender….fall apart. I hope you try it and he enjoys! xox Sheila
New England Boiled Dinner – how often we had that growing up. When I was a kid I hated it, absolutely hated it. When I got to around 21 I thought it was the best meal ever. Winner!
Uh, what am I missing? What is boiled in this boiled dinner? Love the recipe though!
I know….that’s just what we called it. Thus the alternate name Corned Beef and Cabbage…which I think may be more familiar.
I’m very impressed that you were an adventurous eater as a kid. I’m still scarred by brussel sprouts and beets (though I’ve ironically learned to love brussel sprouts — yet still don’t know how to spell them, ha!). I attempted making corned beef once and it didn’t work… So I will give it another shot! This looks delish! PS ~ I’m SO GLAD you don’t use props or strive for a magazine look…. I love your blog because your a real life mom who loves to cook and share your recipes. And for what it’s worth, I think your pics are great! Hugs Friend!!! ❤️
Thanks Kim! love you, Sheila