Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Rosemary Thyme Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Guinness NA • Tender • Classic Comfort

Corned beef and cabbage with carrots and potatoes, alongside warm Irish soda bread, has been one of our family’s St. Patrick’s Day traditions for many years.

In the early days, I always made it the way so many of us learned — simmering on the stove for hours and hours. Then one year I looked over at my crockpot and thought… I bet this would work just as well — maybe even better.

Well, it turns out… it does.

Slow cooking the corned beef makes it beautifully tender and full of that cozy, savory flavor we all love.

And the funny thing is — every single year when we sit down to this meal, someone at the table says:

“Why don’t we make this more than once a year? It’s so delicious.”

Some traditions are just too good to keep only once a year.

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Ingredients

• 1 flat-cut corned beef brisket (about 3–4 pounds), with spice packet

• 1 (12 oz) Guinness Non-Alcoholic beer

• 1 cup water or low-sodium beef broth

• 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

• ½ medium sweet onion, thick sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

• 1 large carrot, cut into chunks

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (added to the last hour of slow cooking directly to the broth, NOT on top of meat)

Optional gentle flavor boost (choose one if desired):

• 1–2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or

• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds

If you get your meat from the butcher like I do, it may not come with the package of spices. Below is a list of ground spices that you can use in place of the spice packet.

Crockpot Corned Beef Spice Blend

(for about a 3–4 lb corned beef)

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (a little goes a long way)

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

(Mix spices together in a small bowl)

• 2 bay leaves (if you have them)

How to use

1. Place the corned beef in the crockpot fat side up.

2. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the top.

3. Add beef broth and a little butter (that’s a lovely idea).

4. Toss in the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.

5. Cook low 8–9 hours until tender.

About the juniper berries

They add a piney note, but honestly they’re not essential. The coriander, mustard, and allspice carry most of the classic corned-beef flavor.

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Instructions

1. Prepare the brisket

Remove corned beef from packaging. If desired, rinse briefly under cool water and pat dry to reduce excess surface salt. Place into slow cooker fat side up and sprinkle the included spice packet over the top.

2. Build the flavor base

Add onion, garlic, carrot, and bay leaf around the brisket. Pour in Guinness NA and water or broth so liquid comes about halfway up the meat. Add optional vinegar or mustard seeds if using.

3. Slow cook

Cook on LOW for 8–9 hours (preferred) or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until fork-tender but still sliceable.

4. Rest and slice

Remove to a cutting board and rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain for best tenderness.

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Rosemary Thyme Kitchen Notes

• Flat-cut brisket gives the prettiest slices

• Guinness NA adds deep malty richness

• Gentle rinsing helps control sodium

• I prefer to prepare potatoes and cabbage separately for the best texture and balanced flavor

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Rosemary Thyme Irish Blessing

May gratitude rise like morning light

around this humble table.

May the food before us bring strength,

the hands that prepared it be blessed,

and may peace and love abide in this home tonight.

Amen.