Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage [VIDEO]

Instant Pot Corned Beef is tender and delicious, served with cabbage and potatoes, and cooked in a fraction of the time in the pressure cooker. This is the ultimate dish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! It is a good old-fashioned Irish meal cooked faster and better in the pressure cooker.

Whether making it for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration or just because you love it, this recipe lets you enjoy the juiciest, most flavorful corned beef that doesn’t take hours to cook. Cooking it on the stove is traditional, but that usually takes about four hours, right? With this easy recipe, you can have it done in 75 to 85 minutes! That is not even an hour and a half. And it is so easy; all you have to do is put it in the pot and let it cook.

Instant Pot Corned Beef is so incredibly tender and delicious,  and it can be done in a fraction of time than roasting or cooking it in the slow cooker. This recipe is very easy, basic, and impossible to get wrong.

Before we had electricity, meat was preserved in salt. Brisket, the meat from the lower breast, was corned (preserved in salt) and used to make what we now call corned beef. Irish immigrants in the US combined it with cabbage to make a hearty meal that reminded them of their homeland. And we Americans loved it so much that it became a traditional meal to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day to honor Irish heritage.

This simple recipe needs about one and a half hours from start to finish rather than the four hours it would usually take to make it on the stove. Also, making it in the pressure cooker means that all the juices and flavors are kept inside where they belong, so you get the most tender beef with incredible flavor as you have never had before. Seriously, I am so glad I got this appliance! It makes cooking certain things so much easier and more delicious.

I like to make my own brine as well as my pickling seasoning, which you will find in the expert tip section below. You never know what you are going to get when you rely on someone else to do it for you. My corned beef brine recipe has water, salt, pickling spices, and brown sugar.

In addition, I do recommend making this dish with a decent amount of liquid in it. Usually, I use at least 1 1/2 cups of broth with an equal amount of beer or water added. Corned beef can be very salty, and without adding enough liquid to reach the sides of the brisket, you won’t draw enough of that salt out of the meat during the cooking process. Therefore, it is essential to use enough liquid when cooking it. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, check my recipe for Slow Cooker Corned Beef.

Why you will love this recipe

• It’s so easy and fast: With just a few steps, it cooks in less than one and a half hours.
• Juicy and tender: No need to cook it for hours to be tender. The instant pot locks all the juices and tenderness in.
• One pot to clean: The instant pot is the only thing you have to clean.
• A whole meal: With this recipe, you get corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes.

What you’ll need to make instant pot corned beef and cabbage

Special items:

• Instant pot – I use a six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus.
• Steamer basket – For easier removal of veggies.

Ingredients:

• Corned beef – A whole brisket between two and four pounds, rinsed well.
• Beef broth – Low-sodium organic beef broth is what I always use. You could also use cold water.
• Beer – Your favorite beer or water.
• Onion – I prefer a sweet yellow onion, peeled and quartered.
• Garlic – For the most intense garlic taste, peel and crush fresh garlic cloves.
• Bay leaves – Three bay leaves are what I use.
• Corned beef seasoning – I make my own. The recipe and instructions are in the expert tip section below.
• Potatoes – I prefer and recommend baby red potatoes cut in half.
• Carrots—You will need six medium carrots, peeled and cut into two and a half-inch sticks. You can also use baby carrots.
• Cabbage – I just use half of a green cabbage, cut into four wedges.

How to make instant pot corned beef and cabbage?

1. Put it all in the pot: Place your corned beef in the pot and pour in the liquids with the seasoning, garlic, and onion. The liquid should cover the brisket. If not, add more, but do not go over the fill line. Stir gently, and then add the bay leaves.
2. Cook the meat: Now, close the lid and set the timer for 75 minutes for a two-pound brisket, 80 for a three-pounder, or 85 for a four-pound brisket. When the timer is up, let it release the steam naturally for 15 minutes before carefully releasing the remaining pressure by turning the vent to the venting position. However, add five minutes for every half inch if your meat is thicker than 1.5 inches. Set it aside and add one and a half cups of the liquid with it.
3. Cook the vegetables: Next, add the veggies to a steamer basket and place them in the pot with the remaining cooking liquid. Close the lid and cook for three minutes with a quick release.
4. Cut and serve: Remove the veggies and strain the cooking liquid. Then, slice the meat against the grain before serving.

Expert tip

Making your corned beef seasoning

I usually make my corned beef seasoning because I pick my whole organic brisket from the butcher shop, and it does not come with any. I prefer it that way. It is pretty easy to do and only takes a few minutes. First, gather all of the ingredients. I use yellow mustard seeds, whole black peppercorns, whole white peppercorns, coriander seeds, whole allspice, whole cloves, and bay leaves.

Some people also add anis, red pepper, ginger, dill, and fennel seeds. You can add what you like. I also like to toast mine before adding them to the food processor to grind them up. These steps are both optional. Many people feel that grinding them up makes their corned beef too spicy, so they like to strain out the whole peppercorns and other large seeds before serving.

The amounts I use depend on the pounds of the brisket. With this recipe for a whole brisket of about three or four pounds, I use one teaspoon of yellow mustard seeds and coriander seeds, one teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, half teaspoons of entire allspice and whole white peppercorns, three whole cloves, and five bay leaves.  You can always change these amounts per your preferences.

Pickling spices:

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
• 3-5 whole cloves
• 5 bay leaves

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Other vegetables: I add potatoes and carrots to this dish, but you can also add turnips, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and celery.
• No heat: If you do not like it as spicy, use fewer black peppercorns or leave it out entirely and use white.
• More heat: For those who love spicy food, toss some poblano peppers or add cayenne pepper.
• Toasty: Toasting the spices before grinding them gives them a delicious smoky taste, but you can skip that if you do not like that flavor profile.   
• Sweet and savory meat: Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy it even more with some pineapple chunks. Unusual, but so tasty.

Serving suggestions:

Instant pot corned beef and cabbage goes great with all side dishes. Here are some ideas my family loves:

• Get some rye bread, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing, and make some Reuben sandwiches for dinner.
• Serve it over homemade creamy mashed potatoes.
• Another way to serve corned beef is diced with potatoes, bell peppers, and onions browned in a skillet for corned beef hash.
• You could try it with grilled eggplant, zucchini, or squash.
• Traditional Irish colcannon and Irish soda bread are great choices on the side.
• St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays and I love cooking traditional Irish dishes. For this occasion, you can also try Bacon Fried Cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie, and Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles. 

Frequently asked questions

Why do you rinse corned beef before cooking it?

If you do not rinse your corned beef before you cook it, you will have a much saltier dinner than expected, especially if you bake or broil it. Because corned beef is brined in saltwater, you have to rinse off the salt several times to get it all off, or you will end up with a lot of salt in your meat. I always rinse mine under cold water for several minutes to ensure I get it all. But don’t worry; the seasoning is still inside the meat.

What are the different cuts of corned beef?

There are three traditional cuts of corned beef. One is the flat cut, the larger and leaner one with a flat and consistent thickness. Since it is flat and relatively thin, it absorbs the spices evenly and gives a tender and flavorful meat suitable for slicing. The point is the thick end of the brisket, which is fattier and has muscular marbling. Because of the fat, it has a richer flavor and is more tender. The whole brisket, which is both of them together, is the best choice and is what I use for this recipe.

• The “flat” cut – leaner and features a more consistent thickness.
• The “point” –  it is the thicker end of the brisket, fattier, with inter-muscular fat or marbling.
• A whole brisket, which includes both the flat and the point, is the best choice.

Why is my instant pot corned beef tough?

It could be that it was not cooked long enough. First, use a meat thermometer and check the thickest part of the meat. It should be at least 145 degrees F. If not, cook it for another five minutes. Then, do a quick release and check the temperature again. If it is still not tender, check the liquid. Add more if needed, let it cook for another five or ten minutes, and let the pressure release naturally. That should do the trick.

How long to cook Corned Beef in Instant Pot?

• I cook this dish in the pressure cooker for about 1.5 hours, but it also depends on the size of the meat. For a 4-pound corned beef (flat or pointcut), I recommend cooking it at high pressure for 90 minutes, with a 20-minute natural pressure release. As a result, you will end up with fork-tender meat, but still sliceable against the grain without falling apart. However, if you make a much smaller brisket, it will need a shorter cooking time. I would recommend reducing the cooking time to about 75 minutes for a 2-pound brisket, with an abbreviated natural release.
• If you want to make it in the crockpot, the cooking time will be about 8-10 hours on LOW or 4-5 hours on HIGH.
• In the oven it will take about 4-6 hours, it depends on how big is the brisket.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Corned beef and cabbage can be kept in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container.   
• Freezing: To freeze, ensure the container is freezer-safe and will stay fresh for up to four months.   
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best taste.
• Reheating: Put in the microwave for one to two minutes to reheat.

More instant pot Irish recipes:

Recipe tips:

• Always rinse your corned beef to eliminate the brine, or it will be too salty.
• If your corned beef did not come with pickling seasoning, you can make your own with my pickling seasoning recipe in the Expert Tip section.
• I made this in a 6-quart instant pot. If you have a smaller pot, you may have to get a more minor cut of meat or cut it to fit. Just remember not to go over the fill line when you pour in the water, or it may overflow or clog up the vent, causing it not to cook properly.
• Cook your corned beef fat side up in your instant pot and pour the water over it.
• If your meat is more than one and a half inches thick, add five minutes of cooking time for each additional half inch.
• Remember to slice your corned beef against the grain to get the most tender meat.