Erin Go Bragh!

As an Irish lassie (my maiden name is McCann), I’m no stranger to the Irish seven course meal . . . a six pack and a potato! LOL! OK. Bad Irish dad joke. A slightly more interesting version of that, of course, includes corned beef, carrots, and cabbage. This is a favorite any time of year. Coincidentally, we make this on Halloween night as well . . . our tradition has been to invite my parents and my in-laws and I always want an easy-to-serve meal that everyone enjoyed. Somehow, I chose this the first year the tradition started (Connor was six month old) and it stuck.

Cooking the corned beef in the slow cooker allows it to simmer and slowly fall apart. The key is to be sure to cook on LOW and not HIGH. Giving the meat that much more time in the cooker makes a difference. Adding the vegetables as the meal progresses on allows them to cook to the right tenderness and makes the whole meal easy.

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Boiled Irish Dinner (Corned Beef & Cabbage)

Serves 4 | Prep Time :20 | Total Cook Time 5:00 – 6:00

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 lbs. flat cut corned beef
• 2 cups water
• bag whole carrots
• 3 lbs. russet / yellow / red potatoes (based on your preference), cubed about 1″
• head cabbage, outside leaves discarded, cut into quarters
• butter to taste
• salt to taste
• stone ground mustard / dijon mustard

EQUIPMENT 

• slow cooker
• stock pot (if you wish to boil vegetables separately)
• slotted spoon

DIRECTIONS 

1. Place corned beef in slow cooker on LOW. Include caraway seed / spice packet included with corned beef.
2. Cover with 2 cups water.
3. Allow to cook for 3-4 hours, turning every hour, until meat begins to cut easily.
4. With 2 hours left, add potatoes and carrots.
5. With 1 hour left, add cabbage.
6. Alternatively, boil carrots, potatoes, and cabbage all together in stock pot.
7. First add carrots, then 5 minutes later, add potatoes to carrots.
8. With slotted spoon, remove carrots and potatoes when fork tender, leaving boiling water.
9. Add cabbage quarters (don’t break into smaller pieces) for about 5 minutes (a little more for softer cabbage, a little less for firmer cabbage).
10. Serve with butter, salt, and stoneground or dijon mustard.