Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage is a game-changer. And this comes from someone who can hardly wait every year for St. Patrick’s Day, mainly to make corned beef. This year, I was so happy because I made the dish several times just to make sure the recipe was perfected before I posted it here.
Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
It doesn’t get easier than cooking your Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage, but in the IP, it’s all about the timing. And I tested this recipe multiple times to get the timing down perfectly, whether you have a smaller Corned Beef or one that’s a bit larger, and to make sure the vegetables are all going to come out beautifully with little fuss or bother.
About Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage:
The brisket is meltingly tender, absolutely juicy, and luscious, and really is perfection. I don’t know if I’ve ever been able to hit that exact stage with my regular corned beef and cabbage recipe, and I know I never have with any slow cooker version.
I know some people expect their corned beef to fall into shreddy chunks (and that makes me feel nostalgic, too), and if that’s the case for you, just add a few minutes to the cooking time.
The veggies, too, are just wonderful in the Instant Pot. The potatoes are a no-brainer; they’re always gonna be good, right? The carrots are all soft and squishy, and the cabbage? Well, you have your choice between very soft and wilted, which I gotta admit, I do love, but I know some people don’t, or a cabbage that’s cooked through so it’s fresher or firmer. Whichever you like, it’s up to you with this Instant Pot version.
Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
Making Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage:
This is a two-part recipe. First, the corned beef is cooked, then the veggies. You’ll use your rack for the corned beef, sprinkle the spice packet over the corned beef and liquid in the Instant Pot.
The very first time I made Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage, the corned beef was gorgeous, but the vegetables and the cooking broth that resulted seemed a bit dull. I came up with a little trick.
When you remove the finished corned beef, dunk the spice side into the liquid; some of it will wash off and add help flavor that broth. Set the corned beef aside to rest. Remove about a cup of the broth in the Instant Pot and reserve.
Then add in the potatoes first, then the biggest, fattest carrots you can find, followed by the cabbage.
- If you want your cabbage all melty and soft and wilted, lay it on top of the carrots.
- If you want your cabbage a bit fresher and firmer, take a piece of foil and fold the edges up so it’s a bit smaller than the liner of the Instant Pot. Put it on top of the carrots, making sure to leave space at the sides of the pot for the steam, and put the cabbage on it.
Either way, drizzle the reserved cup of liquid over the cabbage. Your pot is going to be very full, but no worries – it will be fine because there’s lots of space in between the cabbage and carrots, so it can jut out above that “max fill” line – just make sure the vent will be clear.
You’ll end up with the most gorgeous, flavorful vegetables that have ever come out of the Instant Pot.
If You Like This Recipe, You Might Also Like:
Ya gotta know I have a bit of a thing for Corned Beef & Cabbage, and have a couple of recipes already on my site, and lots of ideas for shopping and leftovers.
- Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner for the Crockpot or Stovetop: a very traditional recipe, with a special twist or two for the best flavor ever.
Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
- Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef: adapted from the Silver Pallet cookbooks, and if you know, you know!
Whiskey & Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef
- Saving on St. Patrick’s Day: the quintessential post to not only shop for your dinner at the best price, but also how to leverage the sales to stock up for weeks beyond.
- 40 Plus Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day: A compilation of recipes for a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Leftovers.
40 recipes for st paddys day
Corned Beef & Cabbage Leftovers
These days, corned beef seems to come in smaller packages, but if you can set a little corned beef aside to come back to the table another night, you’re able to “cost average” that brisket over two meals or more.
While the Corned Beef will be the star of the show the first night, it will take on a secondary role the second. Here area few of my favorite Leftover Corned Beef Recipes, but check out 40 Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day for more.
Saving Money on Groceries:
As far as cost, Corned Beef isn’t always the cheapest of meats, but Corned Beef will be on sale before St. Patrick’s Day, so watch closely, and you’re likely to find some decent pricing. Depending on how the stores in your area handle the excess after the holiday, you may be able to pick a couple up for dirt cheap after the holiday.
See my post on Saving on St. Patrick’s Day for what you are likely to find on sale before the holiday. Most of the items for the dinner and almost anything remotely related (including some fish and seafood) will be dirt cheap.
Compare pricing if you come across those bags of veggies on special for St. Paddy’s Day. Sometimes the bagged “specials” might be more (or at least more per pound) than buying potatoes, carrots, and cabbage on their own.
Leverage sale pricing to pick up extra items for the future. Potatoes, carrots, and cabbage are going to be at the lowest price until fall, and they keep well for at least a few weeks. Stock up and use them more while they’re cheap.
Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Beef Main Dish
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
- 1 two to three and a half pound flat cut corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 6 medium red or russet potatoes, peeled if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
- 1 small cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
Instructions
Remove brisket from package and quickly rinse off most of the gel. Do not “scrub” it clean, just get off the majority. If desired, trim some, not all of the fat from the top of the brisket, leaving an even layer.
Place 1 1/2 cup water in the Instant Pot, along with the onion pieces. Position the rack on top and add the brisket, fat side up. Sprinkle the content of the seasoning packet over the top of the brisket, allowing some to fall into the liquid, below.
Seal and set to High Pressure for one hour and 25 minutes (85 minutes.) When finished, use a Quick Release. Remove the brisket and rack. With tongs, place brisket back in the liquid, fat side down, then remove, and set aside, tenting with foil to keep warm. Remove, and reserve one cup of the liquid.
Add the potatoes to the bottom of the Instant Pot, sprinkle with salt, add carrots on top of the potatoes, larger pieces first. To cook the cabbage to a very soft state, add it on top of the carrots. If cooking the cabbage to a firmer state, place a round of foil with the edges turned up about an inch, just slightly smaller than the Instant Pot liner, on top of the carrots and then add the cabbage on top of it. Drizzle the reserved liquid over the cabbage.
Seal the Instant Pot and set to High Pressure for five minutes. When finished quick release.
Slice the brisket, serve arranged on a platter with the vegetables. Strain the liquid if desired and pour some over the brisket and pass the rest on the side.
Note: If a corned beef that is nearly falling apart in chunks is desired, set the timer for 90 minutes.
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I’ll be posting Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage Fiesta Friday #266, co-hosted this week by Laurena @ Life Diet Health and Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
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