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    Home » Appetizers » Best Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe

    Best Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe

    Published: Mar 3, 2021 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    22 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Ready for the BEST corned beef and cabbage recipe? Braising and steaming, instead of boiling, leads to flavorful and firm vegetables that are the perfect accompaniment to briny corned beef! And ready in less than 30 minutes!

    homemade corned beef with braised cabbage and potatoes on a platter

    In my last post on corned beef, you learned how to make the best homemade brine. Cooking homemade is a several days process, but well worth it.

    Now that you’ve learned how to make your own corned beef, I’ll show you a simple twist for making the traditional vegetables that go best alongside corned beef; cabbage and potatoes.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • Expert Tips
    • Related recipes
    • The Best Corned Beef & Cabbage

    Why this recipe works

    Many standard corned beef and cabbage recipes call for boiling the vegetables in the cooking brine. Not a bad method at all, but it can often yield unreliable results. Often you wind up with a delicious corned beef, served alongside over-boiled cabbage and water-logged potatoes.

    This recipe is different in that it requires a quick sear of the cabbage, and then finishes cooking by braising. Searing in a bit of oil first creates that beautiful browned sauté. Braising in a bit of the corned beef cooking liquid then helps to tenderize the fibrous vegetable through low, slow cooking.

    Steaming the potatoes and carrots creates perfectly tender vegetables that are not soggy or mushy.

    cabbage, potatoes and carrots on a white board

    Ingredients

    • Green cabbage – I recommending slicing it into thick steaks to create a beautiful presentation that is also easy to serve
    • Baby potatoes – definitely go with a waxier type of potato, like baby reds or golden potatoes. No need to peel or cut in half.
    • Carrots are optional, but my mom always threw them in. Use standard peeled carrots cut into large 1″-2″ chunks.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1 – Begin by prepping your vegetables. Scrub potatoes, peel and cut up carrots into large chunks, and slice cabbage into thick steak-like pieces.

    Step 2 – Sauté and braise the cabbage. Heat about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cabbage steaks and cook till slightly brown, and then flip and sauté on the other side. You may have to work in batches.

    Once both sides are sautéed, add about 2 cups of strained corned beef cooking liquid to the pan, and cover. Cook on medium-low heat for approximately 10-15 minutes, until cabbage is fork tender.

    braised cabbage in a sauté pan

    Step 3 – While your cabbage is cooking, arrange a steamer basket over water in a medium sauce pan. Add your potatoes and carrots, and cover with a lid. Cook on medium until vegetables are fork tender all the way through, approximately 20 minutes.

    baby red and white potatoes being placed in a steamer basket

    Cooking time will depend on the size of your potatoes. Increase cooking time as needed, but begin checking at the 20 minute mark.

    carrots and potatoes in a medium sized stock pan

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What is braising?

    Braising is a great cooking method for tough cuts of meat and fibrous vegetables. You simmer the meat or veggie in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot to concentrate and enhance the flavors. It also works wonders at tenderizing whatever you’re cooking.

    What if I forgot to reserve some cooking liquid?

    No problem at all! Simply add 2 cups of chicken or beef broth. In a pinch you could use water, but it won’t yield as flavorful vegetables.

    Can I serve these vegetables with a different main course?

    This method for cooking vegetables is wonderful any time of year, alongside any type of main dish protein. Serve alongside a roasted chicken, any type of steak or breaded pork chops.

    How do you store leftovers?

    Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat, place in a microwave safe dish and cook till heated through.

    Expert Tips

    The recipe calls for 2 cups of braising liquid, but adjust accordingly to the size of your cabbage. You want enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan and allow the vegetables to be slightly submerged. But the cabbage should not be drowning in liquid.

    If you have a particularly large or small cabbage, or are just making ½ cabbage, adjust the liquid accordingly.

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    Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or rating, letting me know how you enjoyed it! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, and never miss a post by signing up for my weekly newsletter!

    corned beef and steamed cabbage, potatoes and carrots

    The Best Corned Beef & Cabbage

    Ready for the BEST corned beef and cabbage recipe? Braising and steaming, instead of boiling, leads to flavorful and firm vegetables that are the perfect accompaniment to briny corned beef! And ready in less than 30 minutes!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Author:Andrea

    Ingredients

    • 1 small head of cabbage cut into thick steak-like slices
    • 4 medium carrots peeled & cut into large chunks
    • 1.5 lbs small-medium potatoes waxy, red and white preferred
    • 2 cups corned beef cooking liquid use chicken or beef broth if you don't have corned beef cooking liquid
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Wash and cut vegetables. Add potatoes and carrots to a steaming basket set in a medium stock pot, filled with enough water to just touch the steaming basket. Cover and steam on medium heat for 20-30 minutes, till fork tender.
    • While the potatoes and carrots are steaming, heat up 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute each side of the cabbage steaks until lightly browned. Add the cooking liquid, cover and cook on medium low for about 10 minutes. Cabbage should be fork tender but not soft or mushy.
    • Plate sliced corned beef, and arrange cabbage, potatoes and carrots on the platter. Serve with horseradish, whole grain mustard and Irish butter.

    Notes

    Cooking time will depend on the size of your potatoes. Increase cooking time as needed, but begin checking at the 20 minute mark.
    The recipe calls for 2 cups of braising liquid, but adjust accordingly to the size of your cabbage. You want enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan and allow the vegetables to be slightly submerged. But the cabbage should not be drowning in liquid.
    Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat, place in a microwave safe dish and cook till heated through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 911mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 6920IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!
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    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara J Huwe says

      March 19, 2021 at 11:18 am

      5 stars
      The change up from boiling veggies is awesime..A. in its presentation and B. In taste..nit mushy is the cabbage.. thanks

      Reply

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