Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage

It is an Irish American tradition to serve Corned Beef And Cabbage for St Patrick’s Day, and the best way to cook it is in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker because the corned beef comes out incredibly tender and juicy and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.

Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage

While it is a tradition in the United States to serve corned beef and cabbage on St Patrick’s day, it is so delicious and such a great comfort food that many people eat it year-round.  Like our other comfort food Beef Recipes, like Beef Tips and Rice, Instant Pot Beef Stew, and Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup, Corned Beef is a comfort food staple.

What Is Corned Beef?

What is Corned Beef? It is a salt-brined cured brisket. The salt originally used to cure the brisket looked like corn and that is where corned beef got its name.

With the tender, juicy, and flavorful corned beef and the cabbage, carrots and potatoes, it makes a hearty and comforting family dinner.

Is Corned Beef and Cabbage From Ireland?

I did some research at History.com, and typically in Ireland, pork was the preferred meat as it was less expensive. Their favorite cut was Irish bacon, which is similar to Canadian bacon.

However, when the Irish immigrated to the United States, especially in New York City, pork was extremely expensive. However, the Irish immigrants often shopped at the Jewish delis in New York, and it was there that the Irish first tried corned beef.

It became popular with the Irish immigrants because it was cured and cooked in a similar manner as the Irish bacon. Then the Irish cooked the corned beef with cabbage and potatoes in the same pot, and Corned Beef and Cabbage was born in New York.

As a matter of fact, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City, not Ireland. And we have been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the United States ever since.

Wear your best Irish green for St. Patrick’s Day, and have some Irish coffee or Guinness, and make this Corned Beef and Cabbage.

Why Make Corned Beef And Cabbage In An Instant Pot?

Like many Instant Pot recipes, the Instant Pot infuses the corned beef, broth and vegetables with seasoning to make it extra flavorful, and cooks faster than other methods of cooking. No brining is required, nor is slow cooking. While I can’t say it cooks in an instant, it does cook in a couple of hours instead of cooking all day.

Why Make This Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage Recipe

While there are many recipes for corned beef and cabbage, I like this one because it is made easy by using the Instant Pot, and includes tips and tricks to help ensure success every time. It is also a tried and true traditional recipe, and includes easy to understand instructions with step by step photos, as well as a video to make it as easy as possible.

Furthermore, it includes a discussion of possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient, answers Frequently Asked Questions, and provides serving suggestions, and ideas for other similar recipes. It truly is a one-stop-shop for making Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage.

What Do I Need To Make Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage

Below are tools that you will need to make this recipe. These affiliate links will allow you to see the product on Amazon.com. If you choose to purchase one of the items, I will receive a very small commission on the product at no additional cost to you.

Equipment

• 6-quart Instant Pot Duo60 from Amazon.com (affiliate link) – This is the model Instant Pot that I use.
• Chef’s Knife  from Amazon.com (affiliate link)
• Slotted Spoon on Amazon.com (affiliate link)

Ingredients, Substitutions, and Preparation

• 3 to 4 pound corned beef brisket. This usually comes in a package with a seasoning packet inside. Keep the seasoning packet as we will use that to season the corned beef, broth, and vegetables while it pressure cooks.
• 3-1/2 cups Chicken Broth, Water or Beer. Liquid, you need 3-1/2 cups of some type of liquid to pressure cook the corned beef and cabbage. You can use water. I chose to use chicken broth. However, you could use a dark lager beer like Guinness, or use beef broth. The choice is yours. 
• 2 Small Onions. Use two small onions or one large onion. I used a white onion, but you could use a sweet, yellow, or Vidalia onion. You would need to cut the onions in quarters.
• 4 Garlic cloves. You don’t even have to mince the cloves. Just make sure they are peeled.
• 2 Bay Leaves. If you don’t have bay leaves, just leave them out. I don’t recommend any substitutes.
• 1 Pound Carrots. Peel and slice the carrots so they are about the size of baby carrots. Or just use 1 lb baby carrots.
• 1 Pound Potatoes. Small to medium potatoes that have been quartered. You can use new potatoes, small to medium russets, or gold potatoes.
• 1 head Green Cabbage. Slice the cabbage in half and then slice each half into 3 to 4 slices each, so you have a total of 6 to 8 thick slices of cabbage.

How To Make Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage

• Prep the corned Beef. Before pressure cooking the corned beef, be sure to do the following:
  • Rinse the corned beef with cool water.
  • Pat dry with a paper towel.
  • Place the trivet (that comes with the Instant Pot) in the inner liner pot of the Instant Pot with the handles up.
  • Then place the corned beef brisket on top of the trivet with the fat side down. Make sure the handles of the trivet are facing up after placing the corned beef on the trivet.
• Add the Liquid.
  • Pour in the chicken broth. (Can use an equal amount of water, beer, or beef broth instead if you choose.)

• Add The Onions and Garlic. 
  • Add the two quartered onions, and the 4 peeled garlic cloves.
• Add The Seasoning. 
  • Add 2 bay leaves.
  • Sprinkle the entire contents of the seasoning packet (that came with the corned beef brisket) evenly all over the top of the corned beef.
• Pressure Cook High Pressure 85 Minutes. 
  • Close the lid.
  • Move the pressure release valve to the SEALING position. 
  • Press PRESSURE COOK and HIGH PRESSURE.
  • Adjust the + and – buttons to set the cooking time to 85 minutes or 1 hour 25 minutes. (NOTE: The Instant Pot will display “On” for the time that the pressure cooking is coming up to pressure. This may take 10, 15, or 20 minutes to come up to pressure. When it reaches the correct pressure, it will beep and start counting down the pressure cooking time.) 

• Natural Release. After the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking, it will beep 10 times and then it will display “L” and then the time will start counting up from zero. DO NOTHING. Let it release pressure naturally. This process may take 20 minutes. 
• Remove The Corned Beef and Bay Leaves. After the Instant Pot has released all the pressure and the pin has dropped, move the pressure release valve to the VENTING position, and carefully remove the lid, and then remove the corned beef brisket and place into a 2 quart casserole dish or other baking pan. Pour about 2 cups of broth from the Instant Pot over the corned beef. Cover the dish with the corned beef with foil and set aside. Also, remove the bay leaves from the Instant Pot and discard.
• Add The Vegetables. Add the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage into the Instant Pot with the liquid and the onions.
• Pressure Cook 3 Minutes High Pressure. After adding the vegetables, close the lid on the Instant Pot and move the pressure release valve to the SEALING position. Press the PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL button (depending on model) and adjust the + or – buttons up or down to set the time to 3 minutes.
• Quick Release. After the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking for 3 minutes, carefully do a quick release by moving the pressure release valve to the VENTING position. It may take 5 or 6 minutes to release the pressure. After the pressure is fully released and the pin has dropped, then carefully remove the lid. 
• Remove The Vegetables. Remove the vegetables and place on a serving platter with the corned beef.
• Slice The Corned Beef. Slice the corned beef into thin slices against the grain. 
• Serve! Serve the sliced corned beef with the cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Corned Beef Brisket Thickness And Cook Time. The thickness of the corned beef, rather than weight, will determine the cooking time. If your corned beef brisket is greater than 2″ inches thick add 5 minutes for each 1/2 inch of thickness.
• Quick Release Vegetables. The cabbage, carrots and potatoes cook very quickly and require only 3 minutes pressure cooking. Be ready to do a quick release as soon as the Instant Pot finishes pressure cooking. If you are not paying attention and let it do a natural release, the vegetables will overcook and can get mushy. I recommend setting an alarm, if necessary, in order to not delay a quick release.
• Slicing the Corned Beef. Be sure to slice the corned beef against the grain to help it stay tender and juicy. If you slice it with the grain, the corned beef can be tough.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

• Can I freeze Corned Beef And Cabbage?
  • Yes, you can freeze the corned beef. However, I don’t recommend freezing the cabbage. Place the corned beef in a freezer safe bag or air-tight container. It can remain in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• How Long Does It Take to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef And Cabbage from the start of food prep to when it is ready to be served?
  • Ingredient Prep: 15 minutes (estimate)
  • Time for Instant Pot to come up to pressure: 15 minutes (estimate)
  • Pressure Cooking time:  85 minutes (1-hour, 25 minutes)
  • Natural Release:  20 minutes (estimate)
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• What Can I Make With Leftover Corned Beef And Cabbage?
  • Corned Beef And Cabbage Soup
  • Corned Beef Hash
  • Corned Beef And Cabbage Grilled Cheese

What To Serve With Corned Beef And Cabbage

• Serve Corned Beef and Cabbage with the carrots and potatoes that cook with them in the Instant Pot.
• Apple Walnut Cranberry Salad
• Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

More Instant Pot Beef Recipes

• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
• Instant Pot Beef Stew 
• Instant Pot Beef Tips And Gravy or Beef Tips And Rice