Tender Corned Beef in the Instant Pot: Quick, Juicy Results

Make Perfect Potatoes And Cabbage In Minutes More

You can enjoy tender, flavorful corned beef and perfectly cooked vegetables without babysitting the stove. Make this classic meal in your Instant Pot and let the pressure cooker do the heavy lifting.

The brisket becomes juicy and fork-tender in about 90 minutes plus the natural pressure release. Potatoes, carrots, and cabbage finish in just a few more minutes, so you can have a complete corned beef dinner in roughly two hours with very little hands-on time—a perfect choice for St. Patrick’s Day or any time you crave comfort food.

Corned beef is commonly sold fresh with a spice packet, so you can buy ingredients the same day and cook without defrosting. Pressure cooking shortens the time needed to turn a tough cut like brisket into a succulent, flavorful centerpiece.

Ever Wonder Why It’s Called Corned Beef

The name “corned beef” has nothing to do with corn kernels. It refers to the large grains of rock salt—once called “corns”—used in the brining process. Beef brisket is cured in this salty brine, often with spices such as peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seed, and cloves, which give the meat its characteristic taste and texture.

How To Buy Corned Beef 101

Corned beef comes from the brisket, a well-exercised muscle that delivers deep beefy flavor when cooked properly. When shopping, you’ll typically find two cuts: the flat cut and the point cut.

The point cut is triangular with more internal fat, which yields juicy, shreddable meat and is often slightly less expensive though it produces more trimmings. The flat cut is rectangular and leaner, with a fat layer on the bottom to help keep the meat moist. Flat cut slices more neatly, making it a good choice if you want tidy, uniform slices on the plate.

Guinness Brings Out The Very Best Tender Corned Beef Flavor

Rinse the corned beef and pat it dry. Place a sliced onion and three chopped garlic cloves in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then lay the brisket on top. Add the spice packet that came with the meat, one bottle of Guinness (or a nonalcoholic alternative if you prefer), and one cup of beef broth.

Guinness adds a rich, malty depth that complements the beef. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute a nonalcoholic stout or extra beef broth.

Use a good concentrated beef base or broth for depth of flavor. Seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 90 minutes. When cooking finishes, allow the pressure to release naturally.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and discard the cooked onion and garlic. Reserve about 1½ cups of the cooking liquid. If there’s excess liquid, use the sauté function to reduce and concentrate it, which will intensify the sauce for the vegetables.

Prepare the vegetables: “B” size white potatoes, whole carrots cut into 2–3 inch pieces, and a medium head of cabbage cut into wedges. Add the carrots and potatoes to the Instant Pot, placing the cabbage wedges on top. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes, then quick-release the pressure.

Slice the brisket thinly across the grain, trim any excess fat, and arrange the meat with the vegetables. Spoon some of the reduced cooking liquid over the platter to keep everything moist and flavorful. Serve immediately.

This easy Instant Pot method makes corned beef and cabbage approachable any time of year, not just on March 17. For a complete Irish-inspired meal, consider pairing it with soda bread or colcannon.

Yield: 6 servings

Tender Corned Beef In An Instant Pot

Flavorful, tender corned beef along with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes made entirely in your Instant Pot.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time
30 minutes

Total Time
15 minutes

Ingredients

• One flat cut corned beef brisket with spice packet, approximately three pounds
• 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon beef base
• Three garlic cloves, chopped
• One medium sweet onion, sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1 bottle Guinness beer of your choice (or nonalcoholic substitute)
• Three large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1.5 pounds “B” size white potatoes
• One medium head of white cabbage, cut into six or eight wedges
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the corned beef and pat it dry.
2. Slice the onion and chop the garlic. Place them in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
3. Lay the brisket on top, add the spice packet, pour in the Guinness and the beef broth made with Better Than Bouillon.
4. Secure the lid, set the valve to seal, and pressure cook on high for 90 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally when cooking is complete.
5. Remove the meat to a cutting board. Discard the cooked onion and garlic.
6. Reserve about 1½ cups of the cooking liquid. If desired, reduce excess liquid on the sauté setting to concentrate the flavor.
7. Add carrots and potatoes to the cooking liquid and place cabbage wedges on top.
8. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes, then quick-release the pressure.
9. Slice the beef thinly against the grain, trim any excess fat, and arrange the meat and vegetables on a platter. Spoon some reduced cooking liquid over the dish and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 207Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 366mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 8g

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Love, GB (Betty Streff)