Easy Instant Pot Corned Beef Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why is my corned beef not tender enough in the Instant Pot? ›

If your Instant Pot corned beef is tough, it's probably because it was not pressure-cooked long enough. Usually, 90 minutes of pressure cooking time does the trick.

Slow cooker: Corned beef cooks well in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. In a slow cooker, add the brisket, enough water to cover it, and the spices from the spice packet or your own spices. Cook on low for 9 to 11 hours or high for about 4½ hours. For cooking in an Instant Pot, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Simmering corned beef on the stovetop is a tried-and-true method that results in very tender beef. One of the keys to simmering corned beef correctly is the amount of water in the pot. When there's not ample liquid to cover the meat, your dreams of tender corned beef may be replaced by a tough, chewy result.

It's a very lean cut of beef, hence why the slow cooker or braising in the oven are the best cooking methods for a tender finished product. While mostly associated with Ireland, Corned Beef gained its popularity in the United States during the 19th century.

Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145 °F, with a three minute rest time, but cooking it longer will make it fork-tender. Corned beef may still be pink in color after cooking. This does not mean it is not done. Nitrite is used in the curing process.

Place the corned beef fat-side up in a roasting pan with a rack or use an oven-safe rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. If you don't have either, set the corned beef on top of a bed of chopped onions so it's elevated from the pan.

It's a good idea to do so. Don't worry that you will be rinsing away flavor. Rinsing the corned beef means it will be less salty. Also, keep the seasoning packet if one came with it.

It's easy to make in the oven, or in a slow cooker, after a 5 day brine in the fridge. The corned beef seasoning adds so much flavor to this traditional recipe, and a low, slow cook in beef broth makes this corned beef brisket juicy, tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

For a two to three-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. For a three to five-pound corned beef brisket, cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. STOVE: Place brisket fat-side up in a large pot and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer, allowing about 1 hour per pound.

The Best Way to Cook Corned Beef

Place your corned beef brisket in a large pot or Dutch oven with a lid along with some aromatics like carrot chunks, celery stalks and a quartered onion. These vegetables will infuse the cooking liquid with flavor as the corned beef simmers away. Cover the corned beef with water.

What to add to corned beef when cooking? ›

I recently boiled my corned beef in a liquid consisting of half apple cider and half water. It sure beat the tar out of just using water. Of course I also added onions, potatoes, cabbage, whole garlic cloves and carrots. It turned out better than any corned beef I'd ever made in the past.

To make the corned beef, open the sealed package right over the slow cooker, because you want to include the brine in the cooking liquid. Don't discard the brine.

Because corned beef comes from brisket, a tough cut of meat. You need its connective tissue to break down so you can have tender results. Some like to braise their corned beef in an all-water liquid, with various spices and salt; others add beer to the mix to further tenderize the meat.

Not filling the pot with enough water.

From start to finish, when there's not ample liquid to cover the meat, your dreams of tender corned beef might be crushed with a tough, chewy result. Do this instead: Start by filling a stockpot with enough water so the beef is totally submerged.

The pressure will in fact make your meat super tender, almost as if you slow cooked it for the better part of a day. You still have to figure out how long to cook it though so for that I invite you to read a little further.

Turn heat to a low simmer; cover and cook for 6 hours or more. CROCKPOT: Set on high cover; cook for 8-10 hours. When done, using 2 large spoons or spatulas, carefully remove briskets to serving platter and let rest. The meat will be extremely tender, and will easily break apart if you use a meat fork.