Crispy Slow Cooker Corned Beef with perfectly juicy slices of beef and crispy crust! So easy and delicious, the only recipe you’ll ever use!
I’m creating my St. Patrick’s Day menu and of course it starts with a flavorful, tender corned beef. Using my slow cooker saves room in the oven for classic sides like Roasted Cabbage Steaks, Roasted Carrots, and Scalloped Potatoes.
Sabrina’s Crispy Slow Cooker Corned Beef
The magic of this Slow Cooker Corned Beef recipe is in the liquids. I normally say I don’t add any liquid when cooking meat in the crockpot, but in this case, the vinegar and the bay leaf need a helping hand. The little bit of water you’re using is a vehicle for your bay leaf and vinegar to help flavor the meat.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 pounds corned beef , with seasoning packet
- 1 cups water (maybe less depending on size of slow cooker)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add corned beef, fat side up, to the slow cooker.
- Add the minced garlic, spice packet, sugar, and pepper to the top of the meat and rub on.
- Add the vinegar and bay leaf to the side of the corned beef and add just enough water to come up about 25% of the way to the top of the meat.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours.
- If for some reason the corned beef is not browned on top, or enough to your liking, put under a broiler (6-7 inches away) for 1-2 minutes.
- Leave the oven door open a bit so you can look in, this isn't something you can leave unattended.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
Crispy Corned Beef has been a dish I have made year-round since I bought my deep freezer. Why, you ask? The large freezer lets me stock up during the “seasonu0022 when the beef is on sale so that I can enjoy the classic roast and leftover sandwiches all year long.
Table of Contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
Absolutely, cook the corned beef as usual in the slow cooker. Let it cool, transfer the corned beef to an airtight container with some of the liquid, and refrigerate up to 3 or 4 days.
How to Store
- Store: Store leftover beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months.
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- You can fill the cooker with water for a more traditional corned beef, but the texture will not become crispy if covered in liquid.
- Add cabbage, sliced carrots, onions, and potatoes to the cooker when there are about 2 hours left in the cooking time. The liquid from the beef will add a ton of flavor to the vegetables.
- For this recipe, you’ll want to buy beef with a seasoning packet. This may look like a lot of extra seasonings, but this beef gets its signature brined flavor from all the spices and vinegar, so use it up!
- If your corned beef or beef brisket is too fatty, cut some off before placing it in the crock pot. Leave a little bit, as this adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is possible to overcook beef in the crock pot, but usually when you cook on high versus low heat. Cooking low and slow for 9-10 hours gives the brisket plenty of time to cook, making it tender and juicy.
You can rinse corned beef, but it’s not a requirement. Rinsing the brisket removes excess salt from the meat, resulting in a milder flavor.
You can buy pre-brined corned beef or get a brisket and add the seasoning yourself. I like to go with a flat cut of brisket in the slow cooker, because it holds its shape better than a point cut and shrinks less in the pot. Due to the point cut having more fat, it can turn out more tender than a round cut. It’s a personal choice because, in the end, both are used for this dish.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Corned Beef Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of the post:
In Australia corned beef doesn’t come with spice packet what is an easy rub I can use please.
This is a response from a question about Instant Pot Corned Beef that I answered back in April, so I hope this helps. They also were reaching out from Australia! Thank you for reaching out from across the globe, and please let me know how it turns out. I have measurements to season a 2.5kg piece of beef, so cut this in half:
The spice packet should at least contain mustard seeds, peppercorn, and bay leaves. Some spice packets will add coriander seeds, whole cloves, and red pepper flakes.
For a 2.5kg piece of beef, you’ll want 1.5 tablespoons of mustard seeds, 1.5 teaspoons of black peppercorns, .75 teaspoon of anise seeds, 10 whole cloves, 5-6 cardamom pods, 5-6 crushed bay leaves, 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds, and 1.25 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes.
Toast the mustard, peppercorn, anise, whole cloves and cardamom in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Then pulse a few times in a spice grinder, making sure that they stay coarse. Finally add the bay leaves, ground coriander, and crushed red pepper flakes to the mixture. Use as you would for this recipe. The spice packet should at least contain mustard seeds, peppercorn, and bay leaves. Some spice packets will add coriander seeds, whole cloves, and red pepper flakes.
For a 2.5kg piece of beef, you’ll want 1.5 tablespoons of mustard seeds, 1.5 teaspoons of black peppercorns, .75 teaspoon of anise seeds, 10 whole cloves, 5-6 cardamom pods, 5-6 crushed bay leaves, 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds, and 1.25 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes.
Toast the mustard, peppercorn, anise, whole cloves and cardamom in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Then pulse a few times in a spice grinder, making sure that they stay coarse. Finally add the bay leaves, ground coriander, and crushed red pepper flakes to the mixture. Use as you would for this recipe.
I add pasta to the liquid after removing the corned beef and vegetables and cook on high for about ten minutes until the pasta is tender.
Thanks for the great feedback Sally!
Makes an AMAZING corned beef every time!! My husband was never a fan of me making corned beef until I happened upon this recipe and now he’s sold!! Since it’s only 2 of us I used to buy the smallest CB that goes on sale around St. Pat’s Day but there would be no leftovers. Now I buy the largest and have plenty for making either a sandwich or hash after. THANK YOU SO MUCH-THE BEST WINNING RECIPE!
What a great review Nicki and thanks for the five stars!