The best Dutch Oven Corned Beef ever is this simple, classic recipe. Made entirely on your stovetop, this classic Irish meal of corned beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots is slow braised to tender perfection!
There are plenty of good ways to cook corned beef, but I think that this method of using a Dutch oven to slowly braise it is one of my favorites.
Dutch oven corned beef is wonderfully tender and perfectly seasoned. It’s cooked with potatoes and carrots, and you can boil your cabbage right in the broth after the meat is finished!
Your St. Patrick’s Day dinner is about to get a lot more tasty!
Did you know? Corned beef isn’t a meal that is or was evern common in Ireland. The dish became popular in America as Irish immigrants used the ingredients available to them They were likely trying to recreate a dish that they would typically make with bacon, but with this cheaper cut of meat.
The Best Corned Beef Brisket
- A Traditional Meal – Corned beef and cabbage is the most popular meal for celebrating St. Patrick’s day in the United States. You don’t need to be Irish to enjoy it though, and you can totally make this easy comfort food meal any time of the year too!
- Your oven will be free – Because a Dutch oven conducts and holds onto heat so well, we can use it on the burner rather than putting it inside the oven to create the same gently cooking environment. This means that you can use your oven to make dessert, bread, or any other side dishes.
- Full of Flavor– This is a simple meal, but it’s so delicious thanks to pickling spices, beef broth, and Guiness.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make corned beef in a Dutch oven on the stove:
- Corned Beef Brisket: Look for a roast that is around 2.5 pounds. you’ll want to be sure that the whole thing fits into your Dutch oven. Before you cook the beef, trim away any excess fat.
- Corned Beef Seasoning: Most of the time your brisket will come with a seasoning packet. You can use that, or you can make my homemade corned beef seasoning.
- Beef Broth and Beer: To braise this corned beef I’m using mostly beef broth, and about 2 cups of dark Guinness beer. You can skip the beer if you like, but it adds a very gentle bit of earthy, bitter flavor that is really nice.
- Potatoes and Carrots: Look for small waxy potatoes that can withstand a lot of cooking without breaking down and getting mushy. Baby red or yellow potatoes work really well here.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Cook Corned Beef Brisket
- Fill the Pot: Add the corned beef brisket to a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic, corned beef seasoning, beef broth, and beer.
- Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer, covered for approximately 2 hours. This time may be different depending on the size of your roast.
- Add Veggies: Now, add the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage wedges to the pot. Continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Tip!
If you can’t fit all of your vegetables in the pot at once, it’s fine to remove the brisket once it’s finished. Let the meat rest while you boil the veggies in that delicious broth.
- Rest: Carefully remove the corned beef from the Dutch oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Serve: Slice the corned beef against the grain into thin slices. Serve with the cooked vegetables and ladle some of the cooking stock over the plates for extra flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Low and Slow: Brisket is a tough cut of meat that requires a long, slow cooking method to make it tender. Be sure to keep the heat on your pan low enough so that it’s not boiling. You want it to be barely bubbling.
- Slice against the grain: When you’re slicing corned beef, look for the direction of the muscle grains and cut in the opposite direction. This will ensure that the muscle fibers are cut and easy to chew.
- Use the leftovers for simple sandwiches (I like it on soft rye bread with spicy mustard), or make corned beef reuben sandwiches with Russian dressing. My Reuben Egg Rolls and Corned Beef Hash are two more fun ways to turn this meal into a second one.
Storing Tips
Leftover corned beef can be stored in the fridge. Keep in in an airtight container and it will stay fresh for up to 5 days. The leftovers are delicious straight from the fridge, or you can warm them up before enjoying them gain.
What To Serve With Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage
The great part about this traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal is that it is ready to serve, and already includes meat, potatoes, and vegetables! If you would like extra potatoes, make my colcannon mashed potatoes to serve on the side.
Need more ideas for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? I have an amazing recipe for Irish Soda Bread, a traditional Irish Lamb Stew, and a fun boozy shamrock shake for you to try.
Recipe FAQs
Why is it called corned beef?
There is no corn in corned beef! The word corn relates to the traditional method of preserving the beef in a pickled brine. It’s an old English word that means “small grain” like the small grains of salt used in pickling meats or vegetables.
Can I make corned beef in a Dutch oven in the oven?
Yes, this recipe can be made in the oven, but it will take quite a bit longer. Add the ingredients to the dutch oven, but the lid on, and place it in a 350°F/180°C oven for 1 hour. Then, reduce the heat to 300°F/150°C and continue cooking for 2 hours. Finally, add the vegetables to the pot and continue cooking until they are tender, which could take another 1-2 hours.
What can I use in place of beer?
If you’d rather not add beer to your corned beef, use the same amount of beef broth instead.
How do I make corned beef in the Instant Pot?
I got this covered! Visit my recipe for Instant Pot Corned beef for all the details – Using the pressure cooker will let you cook this meal in less than 2 hours.
More Easy Dutch Oven Recipes
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Making corned beef in a Dutch oven is the best way to make it tender and flavorful without a lot of fuss. It’s ready more quickly than if you’d used a slow cooker, and will be a huge hit on your dinner table this week.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Dutch Oven Corned Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds (1125 g) corned beef brisket flat cut, excess fat trimmed
- 5 medium carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 pounds (900 g) baby red potatoes halved
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 head green cabbage cut into 8 wedges
- 8 cups (2 liters) beef broth or 2 cups Guiness beer and 6 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons corned beef seasoning or the spice packet that came with the corned beef brisket
Instructions
- Place the corned beef brisket in a large Dutch oven.
- Add the garlic, corned beef seasoning, and beef broth (and Guiness beer if using) to the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer.
- Cover the pot and cook for about 45 minutes per pound, approximately 2 hours for a 2.5-pound brisket, or until the internal temperature of the corned beef reaches 190-205°F (88-96°C).
- Add the carrots, baby red potatoes, and cabbage wedges to the pot. Continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Carefully remove the corned beef from the pot and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Slice the corned beef against the grain into thin slices. Serve the sliced corned beef with the cooked vegetables. Ladle some of the cooking stock over the meat and veggies for extra flavor.
Notes:
- Recipe Timing: The timing of this recipe is based on a brisket that weighs 2.5 pounds. If yours is larger than that, you may need to cook it longer. The general rule is that it should take about 45 minutes per pound. Using a thermometer, the internal temperature of the meat should reach 190-205°F (88-96°C).
- Low and Slow: Brisket is a tough cut of meat that requires a long, slow cooking method to make it tender. Be sure to keep the heat on your pan low enough so that it’s not boiling. You want it to be barely bubbling.
- Slice against the grain: When you’re slicing corned beef, look for the direction of the muscle grains and cut in the opposite direction. This will ensure that the muscle fibers are cut and easy to chew.
- Wait to cook the vegetables until the corned beef is done. If your Dutch oven is large enough, you can add the vegetables in with the meat and cook until done. Otherwise, remove the roast and let it rest while you boil the vegetables.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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