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Sliced corned beef and cabbaged cooked in an electric roaster oven.

Corned Beef and Cabbage in an Electric Roaster

This Corned Beef and Cabbage in an Electric Roaster recipe simmers corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in apple juice or cider.
Servings: 16 servings
Chef Alli
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 12 pounds corned beef "flat" cut brisket with seasoning packets, using 3, 4-lb. briskets works great
  • 8 ounce jar whole grain mustard
  • 2-3 large sweet yellow onions quartered
  • 12 whole garlic cloves peeled and smashed, this is about 1 head of garlic
  • 1/2 ounce package fresh thyme sprigs may substitute 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
  • 4 whole dried bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup melted butter optional but does add good flavor
  • 2 cups apple juice
  • 3 pounds mini red potatoes unpeeled and left whole
  • 2 pounds baby carrots
  • 2 medium heads cabbage

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Electric Roaster. Remove the insert and add 1-2 cups of water to the roaster, then replace the pan. Spray the insert well with non-stick spray, then preheat the roaster to 275 degrees F.
  • Create the Aromatics Layer. Spread the quartered onions over the bottom of a greased electric roaster in an even layer. Scatter the garlic cloves over the onions, followed by the fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves; drizzle with melted butter.
    2-3 large sweet yellow onions, 12 whole garlic cloves, 1/2 ounce package fresh thyme sprigs, 4 whole dried bay leaves, 1/2 cup melted butter
  • Add the Simmering Liquid. Gently pour the apple juice over the onion layer.
    2 cups apple juice
  • Unpackage the Corned Beef Briskets. Discard any liquids (this is the brine) that remain in the packaging.
    12 pounds corned beef "flat" cut brisket with seasoning packets, using 3, 4-lb. briskets works great
  • Arrange the Briskets in the Roaster. Place the beef briskets fat-side-up on top of the vegetables in the electric roaster; It's ok if you have to stack one on top of the other two.
    8 ounce jar whole grain mustard
  • Spread the Mustard. Pat the top of each brisket dry with paper towels, then spread the jar of whole grain mustard over the top of each brisket, dividing and slathering it fairly equally between them.
  • Add the Spices. Open the spice packets that came with the corned beef briskets; sprinkle each one evenly over the mustard on each brisket. **Note: Sometimes the seasoning packets are in a separate ltitle package in with the brisket and sometimes thesese seasoning packets have already been added to the brine that the brisket is contained in.
  • Cook the Corned Beef. Let the corned beef briskets braise for 5 hours; they will be getting fairly cooked throughout at this point but still not fully tender.
  • Prepare the Cabbage. While the corned beef cooks, slice each head of cabbage in half, then cut out the hard core. Slice each cabbage half into 6-8 wedges.
    2 medium heads cabbage
  • Add the Vegetables. At the 5-hour mark, place the carrots and whole baby potatoes around the briskets, then spread the cabbage out, completely covering everything in the roaster.
    3 pounds mini red potatoes, 2 pounds baby carrots
  • Continue Cooking. Cover the electric roaster with the lid once more and continue to cook everything (still at 275 degrees F.) for another hour, or until the briskets are very fork-tender when tested with a fork at the center, as well as potatoes and carrots.
  • Rest and Carve the Corned Beef. Remove the briskets from the electric roaster to a large cutting board with a channel around the edge for the meat juices to gather when slicing the corned beef. Tent the briskets with foil and let them rest for 30 minutes so they can get more fully tender. Carve the briskets across the grain into 1/2-inch slices.
  • Serve. Place the corned beef slices alongside the vegetables onto plates then drizzle with the pan juices and enjoy.

Notes

Cooking Tips

When cooking corned beef, the most important thing is that it turns out TENDER. Corned beef often gets a bad rap because it hasn't been cooked long enough for the connective tissues within the meat to fully breakdown so the meat is tough to chew.
Here's how to know when it's really tender and ready. Stick a fork into the brisket and gently twist, pulling the fork towards or away from you. If that speared piece comes easily away from the brisket, you're golden! The brisket is ready!
If the meat remains in one big hunk and doesn't easily give to the pressure you put on the fork when you test it, keep cooking the brisket (covered) until it's fork tender.
If you want perfect slices of corned beef (instead of meat that's falling apart into chunks), cool the fully cooked briskets, then refrigerate them until chilled throughout, at least 6-8 hours. Once chilled, the briskets will carve into beautiful slices that can be reheated to eat.

Make This Corned Beef Recipe in the Slow Cooker

If you'd like to make a smaller version of this recipe for your crock pot, it's totally doable.
Quarter an onion and scatter it over the bottom of a large, greased slow cooker; top with a couple of smashed garlic cloves, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a bay leaf, three tablespooons of melted butter.and 2/3 cup apple juice. Lay a 3-4 pound corned beef brisket on top, fat-side-up, patting the fat nicely dry with paper towels. Spread 3 tablespoons mustard over the top then sprinkle the seasoning packet over the mustard.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the brisket is beginning to get tender when tested with a fork. Uncover the slow cooker and add 1/2 lb. baby carrots, 1 pound whole baby potatoes, and half a head of cored and sliced cabbage. Cover and continue to cook on low for an additional 1-2 hours or until the corned beef and vegetables are nicely tender and cooked throughout.
Remove the corned beef to a cutting board and tent with foil. After 30 minutes, carve the brisket across the grain into 1/2-inch thick (or thinner, if desired) slices. Serve with the vegetables on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 687kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 43gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 3500mgPotassium: 1420mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 6526IUVitamin C: 109mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 6mg
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