Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is an easy go-to recipe for many American’s who like to celebrate the flavors of St. Patrick’s Day.
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. A few years ago I started experimenting with my Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe cooked in the Instant Pot. I knew it could be done, but wasn’t sure how it would all work out. After testing countless times I perfected my Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe.
In this post you’ll find the following information:
- Ingredients
- Directions
- Tips for Cooking Corned Beef in the Instant Pot
- What vegetables do you cook with corned beef
- Irish Leftover Recipes
Ingredients
Here are the basic ingredients you’ll need to cook corned beef and cabbage in a pressure cooker.
- Corned Beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Water
- Mini Potatoes
- Baby Carrots
- Cabbage
Directions
- Place the corned beef in the Instant Pot fat side up. Add the onion, garlic, and water. Close lid and pressure cook on “Meat” setting for 70 minutes. Allow a Natural Release for 15 minutes. Then, release the remaining pressure by turning the venting knob from sealing position to venting position. Open lid carefully (always away from your face).
- Remove the corned beef from the Instant Pot and drain half of the liquid from the pot.
- Place the mini potatoes, baby carrots and cabbage in the Instant Pot. Close lid and pressure cook on Manual at High Pressure for 2 – 3 minutes, followed by a Quick Release. Open the lid carefully away from your face.
- Slice the Corned Beef in half-inch thick pieces cutting against the grain. Divide evenly among plates and enjoy.
Tips for Cooking Corned Beef in the Instant Pot
The Corned Beef has to cook for 70 minutes, and I knew if I was to put all the vegetables in with the meat they would be shriveled to nothing by the time the meat was done cooking.
I did something I don’t always do… I cooked the meat first, and then removed the meat and then cooked the carrots, potatoes and cabbage together. The veggies took minutes compared to the meat.
Best of all–one pot and cooked within 2.5 hours. Not 8-10 hours in a slow cooker or a few hours on the stove top. If you cook the corned beef on a stove top you know you have to be home the entire time.
At least with this method you can put the meat into the Instant Pot, and then leave to run a few errands. Coming back to your home knowing that your house will be fine and in tact and dinner is just about cooked.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always cooked my Corned Beef & Cabbage in the slow cooker. One of the first things I was surprised by when the beef was done cooking in the Instant pot was how much the meat shrunk. Be prepared–with this method the meat reduces down by almost half. I was shocked. Here I was planning all these ways to use up the leftovers, and instead I had just enough to have dinner with my family.
However, once I sliced into the corned beef and we began eating I realized this was the most tender corned beef I had ever had! So my consensus–I’m okay with cooking my corned beef in the Instant Pot and it shrinking to half the size of the original cut I bought.
Because of the tenderness it yielded was perfection. It’s what I strive to do each and every year when I make this meal. Which by the way–I try to not reserve this meal for just on St. Patrick’s Day. I try to make it at least 2-3 times a year.
What vegetables do you cook with corned beef
For this recipe in the Instant Pot I used baby potatoes and baby carrots. I found by not using larger potatoes and carrots it cut down on the prep time (you know all that chopping and peeling).
It’s all a preference and to me a big time saver to use the smaller no-prep version. I just had to rinse and place them in the Instant Pot. I didn’t need to peel and chop. It cut down about 10 minutes of time, and with two little ones to run after I’m all about quick prep!
Here are the vegetables I like to cook with my corned beef.
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Cabbage
- Onion
- Garlic
Everyone in my family enjoyed corned beef and cabbage. Of course I’m going to let you in on a little secret. To get my almost 4 year old to eat Corned Beef and cabbage we told him it will make him fart. True story. One thing I’ve learned as a boy mom –if you base everything around bodily functions they tend to eat more of it. You better believe he ate every single piece of corned beef and cabbage on his plate.
Irish Leftover Recipes
If you happen to have any corned beef leftover here are a few of my favorite ways to use up the leftovers!
- Sweet Potato Corned Beef Hash
- Reuben Panini’s
- Sweet Potato Irish Fries
- Corned Beef Hash & Egg Breakfast Skillet
- Irish Breakfast Wrap
- Corned Beef Hash
If you own an Instant Pot and ever wondered if you could cook your favorite Irish dinner in it–then give it a try this St. Patrick’s Day!
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs Corned Beef + spice packet or 1 tablespoon pickling spices
- 2 onions quartered
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 cups water
- 2 lbs. mini potatoes
- 2 lbs. baby carrots
- 1 cabbage head cored and quartered
Instructions
- Place the corned beef in the Instant Pot fat side up. Add the onion, garlic, and water. Close lid and pressure cook on “Meat” setting for 70 minutes. Allow a Natural Release for 15 minutes. Then, release the remaining pressure by turning the venting knob from sealing position to venting position. Open lid carefully (always away from your face).
- Remove the corned beef from the Instant Pot and drain half of the liquid from the pot.
- Place the mini potatoes, baby carrots and cabbage in the Instant Pot. Close lid and pressure cook on Manual at High Pressure for 2 – 3 minutes, followed by a Quick Release. Open the lid carefully away from your face.
- Slice the Corned Beef in half-inch thick pieces cutting against the grain. Divide evenly among plates and enjoy.
Nutrition
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Originally published March 5, 2018. Updated with new text on March 6, 2020.
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