Corned Beef Dinner {Slow Cooker}

Happy March everyone!

I am not Irish, but once March rolls around I get excited about St. Patrick’s Day parades, Irish food, Irish music, Irish pubs, and people wearing every shade of green in an effort to not get pinched. It is a day for many to share memories and their heritage, but for me, it is also a sign that spring is around the corner. Since I am not a fan of winter, I have latched onto St. Patrick’s Day as a day that signals the coming of spring.

For several years when teaching, my teaching partner and I conducted a unit of Irish culture and literature. It came as a shock to many students that St. Patrick’s Day was not a national holiday set aside just for pinching!  We cooked Irish stew, colcannon, scones, champ and this corned beef dinner, stopping at brewing our own stout.  It was all prepared in slow cookers. Even though this corned beef dinner is an Americanized Irish favorite, it’s still good and easy.

corned-beef-with-horseradish-sauce-and-veggies-slow-cooker

Corned Beef Dinner {Slow Cooker}

8-10 hours
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 pounds corned beef brisket with seasoning package
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 turnips, peeled and quartered
  • 1 small head green cabbage, outer layers and core removed, cut into 4 wedges
  • 4 – 6 small new potatoes, halved if larger than a golf ball
  • 16 ounces beef broth or beef stock (dark ale or stout may be substituted)
  • 10 – 12 Brussels sprouts, optional
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • cracked black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 whole cloves or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • Water to cover
  • Prepared horseradish sauce

Instructions:

  1. Remove brisket from package, rinse well and pat dry. In a large skillet, brown it on all sides in 2 tablespoons of canola oil; remove from the skillet and set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, slightly brown the onions, carrots, parsnips and turnips.  Place half in the slow cooker and sprinkle with the seasoning packet that comes with the corned beef. I prefer my veggies to remain firm and with color so I set the remaining half aside to add toward the end of the cooking.
  3. Add thyme, bay leaves, garlic, cloves, allspice, and cracked black pepper. Place the corned beef on top. Pour in beef broth and cook on low 8 – 10 hours depending on your crock pot.
  4. About 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving, add the reserved veggies, cabbage wedges, potatoes and Brussels sprouts. If the brisket is tender, remove and cover with foil; allow to rest before cutting across the grain.  Serve with prepared horseradish sauce.

Erin go Bragh!

connor-leprachan

debbieaArkansas Women Blogger member and co-administrator Debbie Arnold pontificates and eats at Dining With Debbie.  She and her Hubby split their time between Central and Northwest Arkansas.  She loves to cook, develop recipes and have play dates with her two perfect grands.  Mostly, she has play dates with the Perfect Ones (shown above).