It’s that time of year again! The only time of year when corned beef flies off the shelf and people embrace cabbage. St. Patrick’s Day. Take my word for it, using an electric pressure cooker is the best and easiest way to cook corned beef!
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is the best way to prepare brisket. Fork tender meat made with a delicious spice blend and root vegetables.
Instant Pot Corned Beef, or any other pressure cooker corned beef, is tender and flavorful. It will literally fall apart with just a fork. I even had a hard time to get my cut of brisket out in one piece. It is even better than corned beef and cabbage in the slow cooker.
How to cook corned beef can be a matter of personal taste, but the most widely approved methods are boiling, braising and cooking in a slow cooker. However the rise of the electric pressure cooker, like an Instant Pot has been a game changer.
I brined my own brisket, but you can buy yours pre brined. Instead of using my proprietary blend of pickling spices, you can use the little plastic bag that comes with your packaged brisket.
The key to making a delicious corned beef in an Instant Pot is to prepare the meat and vegetables separately. If you pressurize the vegetables as long as the brisket, they would be pulverized and I like mine to have a little snap.
So instead, I cook the brisket, remove it to rest while I quickly cook the vegetables using the same broth. Since the broth is already warm, it isn’t doesn’t take nearly as long to pressurize and is done at the same time the beef.
After you get done enjoying the best corned beef recipe, use your leftovers (if you have any) to make Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup, Corned Beef Hash or even Corned Beef Sandwiches using thousand island dressing and your favorite toppings.
Whether this is your first time using an Instant Pot or you use it all the time, check out my Instant Pot Basics.
If you are looking for even more St. Patrick’s Day recipes, check these out:
Tools for making Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage:
Instant Pot
– If you don’t have one, you are seriously missing out. Make a whole chicken dinner in just minutes. Recipes that take hours, will take only minutes. Any slow cooker recipe can be adapted to an Instant Pot.
Wood cutting board – wood won’t dull your knives like plastic and if treated properly, has natural antimicrobial properties.
Good knife – Global is my favorite! They are worth the price, I promise. I am kind of obsessed with them and store them tucked away so no one else can use them. Including hubby. Hands off my good stuff!
- 2 pounds brisket
- 2 tablespoons pickling spices
- 1 onion , quartered
- 2 garlic cloves , lightly smashed with the side of a knife
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cups water
- 1 head cabbage , cut into 8 pieces
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 2 cups baby carrots
Cut brisket in half so it will fit in the bowl of your Instant Pot. Place into inner bowl of Instant Pot.
Add pickling spices, onion quarters, garlic cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and water.
Lock lid in place and set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow for quick release.
Quick release and remove corned beef brisket. Set aside to rest.
Ladle out liquid, leaving only 1 inch in the bottom of the inner pot.
Layer potatoes, carrots and then cabbage. Place lid back on and set to manual high pressure for 2 minutes. Use quick release pressure.
Slice brisket against the grain and plate along with cooked vegetables.
If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
Recipe Video
I grew up on a pressure cooker – chicken and potatoes was often the meal my mom would make. Received my first cooker of my own in my 20’s and I’ve been using one ever since! I now have one that is stainless steel so it’s easier to clean than the old Presto model – it also has an easy release button to vent the steam when done.
I like the combination of the beef and the cabbage, thanks for publishing this post.
Your recipe sounds so clever and quicker than using the slow cooker!
I tend to cook the meat and the vegetables together, and this might be the reason I never got the unique taste of the greens.Trying your way, right away. Thanks for the recipe! xoxo
Doing them together, even in the slow cooker, loses the flavor of the veggies and they get all soggy. Let me know how you like it!
I love this time of year, because corned beef becomes forefront in Pinterest and FB.
And I am such a fan of the delicious tender meat.
What a great idea cooking it in the IP.
This looks just perfect! My husband’s favorite meal is corned beef and I’m always looking for more opportunities to use my Instant Pot, so I’ll have to try this!