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Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is a very delicious and popular St. Patrick’s Day meal. You can make Corned Beef in the Instant Pot any time of the year. Keep a few corned beef briskets in your freezer to enjoy this yummy pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage recipe whenever you like!
Originally published on 2/27/18
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Cooking corned beef and cabbage in the Instant Pot is a hands-off method that is stress free and saves you time.
Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket is rich and full of flavor. The brisket is buttery and fall-apart tender! Combined with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, this is a one-pot meal that will feed a crowd.
There are a few ways to prepare corned beef and cabbage. The ingredients vary from adding garlic and onions (more of a New England Boiled Dinner), to only cooking with beef broth or beer (as opposed to just water). This recipe has the best of both!
Is Flat Cut or Point Cut Corned Beef Brisket Better?
I much prefer the Flat Cut corned beef brisket.
• Flat cut is more uniform in shape for better presentation and more even cooking.
• Flat cut corned beef has less fat. Even though there is a layer of fat on one side, it is overall less fat than a point cut.
• Point cut is usually less expensive than a flat cut corned beef brisket, so if that is important to you, get the point cut.
What if My Corned Beef Brisket is Frozen?
Ideally you will want to thaw it first for the best results, however you can cook it at the time directed and it should come out fine. It will take longer to come to pressure because of the frozen piece of meat acting as a large ice cube!
Do I Need to Use the Spice Packet?
- Yes, the spice packet makes this corned beef even more delicious!
- If your brisket didn’t come with a spice packet, just look for a pickling spice blend at the grocery store. Most big name spice brands make one.
Making Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- The first step of the recipe is the dump and start step. Just put the corned beef in the pot with garlic, onion, the spice packet that came with it, a few aromatics, a bottle of Guinness®, and some water. Then pressure cook it.
- If you don’t want to use beer, use low sodium beef or chicken broth, or just use water.
- The second step is cooking the veggies. If you were to cook the veggies with the brisket, they would be complete mush by the time the meat was done.
- After pressure cooking the corned beef brisket, remove it to rest and then add the veggies to the cooking liquid and pressure cook them for just a few minutes.
- That’s all there is to it. No browning or anything!
Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast
Instant Pot Beef Guinness Stew
Instant Pot Bone-In Ham
Classic Irish Coffee Recipe
If you make this tasty Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage recipe, let me know! Just leave a comment and a star rating below. I’d like to know how you liked it!
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 6 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 Yellow Onion, quartered
- 2-4 lb Corned Beef Brisket, rinsed (with the spice packet). If larger than 3 lbs, cut in half
- 1 12-ounce bottle Guinness Beer, or other Stout Beer (or 2 cups Beef Broth, or Water)
- 2-3 cups Water (2 for a small brisket, and 3 for a larger one)
- 3 med Carrots, cut in 3" pieces
- 2 med Potatoes, cut into fourths or sixths
- 1 small head Cabbage, cut in fourths or sixths
Instructions
- Add the garlic and onion to the pot.
- Place the brisket in the pot with the fat side up.
- Sprinkle spice packet over and around the brisket.
- Pour the beer (or other liquid), and water in the pot, trying not to wash off all of the spices from the meat.
- Place the lid on the pot and lock in place. Set the steam release knob to sealing.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button, or dial, and then the +/- button or dial to select 90 minutes, and make sure it is set to High pressure.
- When cooking cycle is finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (15 minute natural release). Then manually release the remaining steam (slowly at first, in short bursts so you know only steam will spew from the vent) until the pin in the lid drops down. Then open the lid and use tongs to carefully remove the meat to a dish, spoon some of the hot cooking liquid over it and cover to let it rest.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage to the pot and close the lid, set it to sealing, and set the cook time for 3 minutes. When done, do a controlled Quick Release (slowly at first, in short bursts so you know only steam will spew from the vent) when the cook cycle is finished.
- Slice the brisket against the grain for the most tender and easy to eat meat. Then place the meat and vegetables in a dish with enough cooking liquid poured over to make it nice and juicy.
- Serve with some crusty bread to sop up that wonderful broth!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this recipe last year and it was so good that I’m looking forward to making it again. I will have to defrost it because it’s big and I need to cut it. I have it in the fridge and will use the microwave if it’s not thawed enough.
If I’m making 6 lbs for how long do I cook it?
I would cut the meat in half and use the timing as directed.
Thank you. I’ll do that. It should turn out good. I’ve made it before but not with such a large piece.
If I’m making 6 pounds of corned beef by how much do I increase the cook time?
If you cut the brisket in half you should be able to keep the same cook time. Enjoy!
I have made this recipe numerous times and every time it turns out perfect. I most enjoy the flavor that dark beer and beef broth add to the dish. Tonight we did a Napa cabbage from the garden (all we had at the time) and cooked it for two minutes. It was tender and delicious.
We absolutely loved this corned beef! Thank you!
Anything different in cook time if corned beef is about 4lb FROZEN. Or will it take longer to come to pressure?
It should just take longer to come to pressure. When you take it out to add the veggies, check if it is tender enough for you. If not, just pop it back in for a little while.
This was delicious!
This was the best thing I’ve made in the instant pot yet, and I will be making it as often as I can. I also used just the beef broth and water, and snuck in a few extra potatoes since there’s never too many potatoes. Thank you!
This was so delicious. We had plain roast one night, Reuben sandwich the next and the last was hash with the potatoes I had cooked in the beef broth left after the roast was done. Every meal was delicious and since each was so different it didn’t feel like leftovers. I try to limit myself to only having corned beef a couple times a year but this recipe has me anticipating the next one.
This recipe was delicious! I am not a huge corned beef fan normally but I make it because it is a family tradition.
However, this recipe was fantastic. The meat and veggies turned out perfectly. Shared the recipe with friends already. It was that good! Thanks for sharing your recipe on Pinterest.