Instant Pot Corned Beef and cabbage is one of the easiest ways to prepare corned beef brisket with vegetables. You can enjoy a delicious homemade corned beef anytime you have a craving. The brisket will be so tender, you never knew it was possible to make it so tender.
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Corned Beef and Cabbage
Sitting down to a dinner of corned beef and cabbage is all about comfort. It may not be fancy, but it sure is a hearty, satisfying and delicious meal. There’s just one huge problem when it comes to eating corned beef and cabbage at home: It takes so long to cook!
Making corned beef on the stovetop takes over 3 hours of constant babysitting. Although using a slow-cooker is a more hands-off method, slow-cooking corned beef needs up to ten hours! Who has time for that?
But if you have a pressure cooker, you can make perfectly tender corned beef in about 90 minutes with this quick Instant Pot Corned Beef recipe. Now there is no more excuse to restrict corned beef and cabbage to special occasions!
Every year for St. Patricks Day, I make corned beef. Later this corned beef turns into Olivier salad. There are many ways to prepare corned beef. In fact, there are 13 ways to prepare corned beef.
What is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a versatile way to prepare beef, and you have probably have eaten it with cabbage, between two slices of rye bread, or even in your breakfast hash, But what do you know about corned beef?
The name “corned beef” has nothing to do with corn, the vegetable, but the meat’s preparation process. Corning, or salt curing, was a popular way of preservation before the invention of refrigeration.
Corned beef comes from the brisket, a large, tough cut of meat that requires plenty of cooking before it is tender enough to eat. Typically, supermarkets sell corned beef brisket in two different sections, the pointcut, and the flat cut.
- The pointcut has significantly more fat, and therefore it is more tender than the flat cut when cooked and usually more expensive.
- Flat cut corned beef is much leaner and more uniform in shape that helps it cook more evenly.
Recipe Ingredients
For the corned beef brisket:
- Corned beef keep the package of pickling spices!
- Water, beef broth, or flat beer
- Cabbage, potatoes, or carrots (optional vegetables)
For the horseradish cream sauce:
- Sour cream
- Prepared horseradish
Treat Your Corned Beef Well
Quality corned beef can be a little on the pricey side, especially if you choose the pointcut. You don’t want to make a mistake when cooking. While cooking in an Instant Pot helps prevent the main pitfalls like under or overcooking, there are still a few things you need to keep in mind to get the best results.
- Always wash your corned beef before using. Since corned beef is essentially pickled, you need to get rid of the extra salt before cooking. Don’t worry. Rinsing off the corned beef will not cause any flavor loss or end up waterlogging the meat.
- Let the corned beef fully rest before cutting. Give the meat about twenty minutes to cool before slice. Doing this will give the meat time to reabsorb any liquid.
- Cut against the meat fibers. Look closely at the meat, and you will see thin lines of muscle running across the surface. Slice the corned beef across these lines to get the most tender meat.
How to Cook Corned Beef in an Instant Pot
Here are the simple recipe steps for cooking corned beef in an Instant Pot:
- Place the corned beef in the Instant Pot.
- Add seasoning packet and the liquid of your choice.
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to the meat setting for 90 minutes.
- Allow the Instant pot to do a natural release unless you will be adding a vegetable. If so, do a quick release.
- Add quartered cabbage, quartered potatoes, or carrots.
- Set the Instant pot for 5 minutes on high pressure. When the 5 minutes are up, do a quick release.
- While the corned beef is cooking, mix the sour cream and horseradish together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Tips for Making and Serving Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- You don’t have to adjust the time for smaller or larger cuts of corned beef. The Instant Pot takes all the guesswork out of ensuring your corned beef is perfectly cooked.
- Potatoes and carrots are a great addition. Carrots add a bit of sweetness to the dish, while potatoes help fill you up without eating a lot of meat. You will need to cook them after you cook the corned beef just another 4 minutes!
- English mustard is an excellent alternative to horseradish sauce. Dried English mustard is easy to prepare with just a little cold water and gives you the same nasal clearing benefits as horseradish without all the trouble.
What to Serve with Corned Beef
Here are a few ideas for what you can serve with corned beef brisket:
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Rye Bread, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Mustard, and Cheese for sandwiches.
- Steamed Green Beans
If you have any leftover corned beef brisket the next day, make a corned beef breakfast sandwich!
If you have not tried an Instant Pot, I highly recommend it. This handy kitchen appliance can saute, steam, make porridge, yogurt, pressure cook, and slow cook.
How to store leftover corned beef
Store your corned beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. You can freeze corned beef double wrapped in plastic for up to six months.
How to reheat corned beef
If you have a larger amount of it, I recommend reheating it in a 350-degree oven. Cover the corned beef with foil, and if you have some of the pan juice, be sure to add some of that to the baking dish. Reheat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until warm.
I recommend thawing corned beef completely before reheating. Use the same process as listed above.
Looking for great Instant Pot recipes? Be sure to check these out!
- Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Instant Pot Sausage Pasta
- Instant Pot Beef and Potatoes
- How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs In Instant Pot
- Best Ever Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Pulled Chicken
- Easy Pulled Pork Recipe
Popular Beef Recipes
- Beef Shanks Recipe
- How to Cook a Roast in the Oven
- Best Way to Bake Corned Beef
- Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe
And there’s more! Take a look at the best Instant Pot recipes and easy beef recipes.
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Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 5 pounds corned beef
- 1 3/4 cup water beef broth, or flat beer
Optional Vegetables
- 1/2 head cabbage cut into large pieces
- 1 pound potatoes quartered
- 1 pound carrots peeled and quartered
Horseradish Cream Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
Instructions
- Place the corned beef into the instant pot.
- Add the seasoning packet that came with the beef, as well as the water, beef broth, or flat beer.
- Close the lid, and set on the meat setting for 90 minutes.
- When the active time has finished, If you intend to add vegetables, do a quick release. If you do not intend to add vegetables, do a natural release.
- Add the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, and set the instant pot for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Perform a quick release when the cooking time is complete.
- If desired, make the horseradish cream sauce by combining the sour cream and horseradish.
- Serve the corned beef along with the sauce.
Ruth Vrbac
I own a 10 quart pressure cooker different brand its awesome. Question is how long to cook 10 pounds corned beef? They all work the same just need time for 10 pound
Stephanie
They are dependent upon the time under pressure, not necessarily the time of pressurization. If you have meat setting, you should use that. It will take longer go get to pressure, but then the cook time should be the same.
Chuck
You mention cabbage and carrots, but they’re not in the recipe. When do you incorporate them?
Stephanie Manley
After you finish cooking the corned beef. Slip them into the Instant Pot leaving the corned beef in the pot, and cook on high for 4 additional minutes.
Katy
Would I cut the time in half for 2.54 lb corned beef ?
Stephanie
Not in a pressure cooker. I would leave the time as is.
Joanie Griffin
Is this high pressure setting or low pressure setting to cook corned beef ?
Stephanie
The Instant Pot cooks at about 11.6 psi.
Laura
I have a low pressure or high pressure setting. That’s probably why they’re asking.
Stephanie
I believe meat is cooked at high pressure.
Marg
i tried hard boiled eggs for the first time in my Instant Pot. I followed directions, 1 cup water, used my trivet and put 8 eggs in. Put it on for 7 min, pressure release for 5min. Removed them and placed in an ice water bath. After I coloured them and had one later, the yolk had a huge ring of the olive green color around it. I threw them all in the garbage and was not impressed. Everything else I have made has been excellent!
Stephanie Manley
I am just curious here, what size of eggs did you use? I typically buy large or extra large eggs. I think my recipe is for 7 minutes of pressure, then a quick release. Your eggs were overcooked. I think it works, but the problem was waiting 5 minutes to release.
I promise it does work well.
Terri Schrader
I use low pressure for 5 minutes. 7 Large or extra large eggs. 1 cup of water. I use natural release but am sure to open the pot as soon as the button drops. Mine are always perfect!
jj
i used the “egg” button and set the time to 3 minutes awesome
Vic
TOO LONG!! I cup of water, 5 minutes cook, (on rack or steamer basket), 5 minutes release, cool water bath. Shells peel off in one piece, I PROMISE you!!
Patty
I call my recipe 5-5-5. Under pressure for 5 minutes, 5 minutes on off (then quick release), then 5 minutes in an ice bath. If your eggs are very large and you find the center of yolk is a bit “under” cooked, next time experiment with adding a minute to the release time (5-6-5) to see if you like the results better. It is important to not leave eggs in the ice bath beyond 5 minutes as it tends to make the egg whites rubbeey. Shells slide off quite easily!
Nathan
I make boiled eggs in my instapot with no problems. Six minutes time, six minutes release, cold water. No problem, no green, or grey. Some may want to use the 7/7/cold time.
Roxanne Strouf
I always cook my eggs in my pressure cooker but my cooks perfect at 4 min. No olive ring and they peal great.
Kristi
How long would you cook it in the pressure cooker for a 3.3 lb corned beef?
gary
go to amazing ribs website it will tell you a lot about corned beef and more
Stephanie
Thank you for your suggestion.
Steve Brown
I’ve made 2 batches of the corned beef from his website. Absolutely amazing and easy!
Rhonda
What is the seasoning packet?
Stephanie
Many corned beef briskets are sold with a seasoning package in the cryovac.
Diane
The seasoning packet contains pickling spices. I never use the packet it goes into the garbage. I use “fresh” pickling spices that are sold in your grocery store is the spice section. No preference in brands. Use a small amount poured into your cupped palm. If you don’t want to buy a jar then the packet is fine. I do it the way my mother taught me.
Dale Ogan
I Use fresh pickling spices also but put them in cheese cloth and tie with string so the spices don’t get all over the brisket .
Linda Vadnais
Just wondering how long is the natural release and how long does it need to sit after you take it out to start cutting it up? Thank you!
Stephanie
I think the natural release is about 15 minutes or so. I have not let the meat rest when I have sliced it. It is cooking in liquid, so I wasn’t certain that I needed to allow the juices to work though the meat.
BartM
Just started my 3.5lb corned beef set on manual high pressure for 80 minutes since it was smaller than the 5-7lb noted in your recipe. You likely won’t see this in the next 80 minutes but if you do feel free to reply with any suggestions. Thank you!
Stephanie
I am sorry I didn’t see that in the next 80 minutes. I hope you enjoyed the corned beef.
Stephanie
The recipe is now visible. I am sorry sometimes recipes disappear from the page for no apparent reason.
Schmaltz
My instant pot arriving today and I’ve already got my corned beef ready to throw in. So excited. I did figure out that the reason one of my corned beef’s was tough from a prior pressure cooker (XL – piece of garbage with terrible inside TOTAL STICK inner pot) – that if you manually release the pressure, the meat will come out tough (if filipino, that’s prounounced “tupf” – lol). Seriously. the natural release is super important and worth the extra wait as the meat is then extra tender. I eat half for sandwiches and the other half is chopped up with potatoes that have been baked, sauteed some onions and have the best hash ever.
Dale
Easy recipe but what does the spice packet contain?
Karl Weimer
Still wondering what the seasoning/spice packet is or contains.
Stephanie
The spice packet comes from the meat packer of the corned beef. It often contains mustard seeds, allspice, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dill seed and others.
Leslie
We get our Corned Beef from our butcher here in Ireland, so it doesn’t come with any spices. Do you have any recipes?
Stephanie
I don’t think you need any spices for your pre-corned beef from your butcher.
Nancy Gryzmala
I use pickling spices
Holly
I think maybe she is referring to the season packet that comes with the corned beef roast
Stephanie
Yes, I was referring to the spice packet that comes with the corned beef.
Stephanie
The spice packet comes from the meat packer of the corned beef. It often contains mustard seeds, allspice, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dill seed and others.
Mike Julian
I do perfect rice. Coat the bottom of the pot with olive oil or other oil, add rice (each pound of rice gets 1 cup of water). If you wish, you can also saute garlic and onions, even crushed birds nest pasta if you wish, prior to adding the rice. Add just a small amount of salt in the palm of your hand (1/2 – 1 tsp at most), then set the rice setting and let it go. I’m a field engineer and this has become my favorite cooker when I am on the road. The recipes are fast and wonderful.
Jan Arthur
Hi Mike, Are you saying that you make the rice in your instant pot WITH the corned Beef?
Thank you
Stephanie
I don’t think this would work, I think that the rice would be way overcooked if it was in there for that long.
Cathy Herard
One day I hope to own a pressure cooker and I’ve never made corned beef before, but this sounds like a dish my husband would love!
Michael Pringle
Until now I had never heard of an “Instant “Pot” pressure cook. I have a Pressure Cooker Pro and have used it with great results. I will not have to use it for Corned Beef. Thank you. Do you cook cabbage or do you boil it along with potatoes for your corned beef?
Stephanie
The instant pot is a brand of pressure cookers, they do more, like they slow cook, saute, can act as a steamer, and they can make yogurt. I do not cook the potatoes/cabbage in the pressure cooker with the beef. I think it would turn the vegetables to mush. You could do them after and use some of the liquid left over from the beef cooking to add additional flavor. I would try for 5 minutes on high heat with a natural release of pressure to cook the potatoes, again I would do this after I cooked the beef.
gridflash
After years of fiddling with a Cuisinart I finally bought an Instant Pot… something I should have done in the first place. Stainless steel pots are a lot better than Teflon. And the Instant Pot cooks at a higher pressure. Amazon has over 6500 4.5 star reviews for a reason.
Stephanie
I completely agree with you on the Cuisinart, I gave my old one to a Co-Worker. I kept reading the reviews, and I fell in love. I am not a fan of Teflon either.
Rene
I purchased the large pressure pot can I cook more then 1 corned beef at a time and if so how much more time do I add
Durinda
Is an instant pot like an electric pressure cooker? I have the pressure cooker & love it. Thanks!
Stephanie
It is a type of pressure cooker. It is a brand name of a pressure cooker.
Amy@Frugale.org
An Instant Pot is new to me as well, now I have to get one.
Jean
Where can I purchase am instant pot<
Stephanie Manley @CopyKat.com
I got mine at Amazon.com
Anton Gully
They also sell them at amazon.co.uk
I don’t know if you do affiliate links (so you get paid for your content) but… you should link it and amazon.de as well – most Germans speak English, as do the French though they’ll deny it!
Kudos for the copykat.com website name. That alone is worth a fortune, but with you attached, it’s priceless.
Claudette Tipton
I got mine at Walmart
San
I agree with Susan! More Instant Pot recipes! I love mine! The “Pot” has become my go-to appliance!
Susan
Stephanie, more Instant Pot recipes, please. I have one and I’ve used it for rice and various stews, but I need more.As you know, the recipe book that comes with it is pretty lame.
Baltisraul
I have never heard of Instant pot but now I want one. We got away from boiling corned beef quite awhile back and now braise them low and slow @ 220 degrees until the internal temp reaches about 195 degrees internal. There is nothing like a good corned beef meal or Reuben sammie. The only conflict in our home is, my Reuben has Russian Dressing and the rest of the family must have 1000 Island Dressing. What could they be thinking???
Stephanie @CopyKat.com
I love this Instant Pot. I cook rice in there all of the time. I think it only suffers from bad marketing. It is an appliance that doesn’t come from a major company so it doesn’t have the money behind it others have. Love this pot. I personally would go for the Russian Dressing too!
Baltisraul
I’m bowing up your response about Russian Dressing and putting it on the fridge!! A stamp of approval from a real pro. Do you think it is to subtle?
Going to research the Instant Pot today!
Bonnie A.
I have a friend who has teen kids and recently started teaching in a city 45 mins from home. She told me that her pressure cooker has made her life so much easier. I researched and the number one pressure cooker is Instant Pot, for 2016, go figure…I can’t wait for someone to put all their favorite Instatnt Pot pressure cooker recipes together and share them. I just got my Instant Pot from Amazon 🙂 I will be using it as soon as I find a really easy recipe to use haha!
Margaret
Start by hard boiling eggs….add as many eggs as you want…up to 10 or less. Add 1 cup of water. Turn to manual, then cook for 7 minutes. Depressureize and put eggs to cool in fridge when not so hot. You will be amazed how easy the shell comes off. A perfect egg and delicious!!!????????
Stephanie
Don’t you just love your Instant Pot.
Joseph
I don’t find the Instapot to make rice as well as a rice cooker, a little too mushy for me. But then I experimented and found that browning the rice in a little avocado oil (or other oil of your choice) first before you cook it in the Instapot improves both the flavor and texture immensely. If you don’t mind butter, caramelize the rice in that (on the Saute setting) and you will be delighted with the results. Just make sure you stir constantly while heating it and remove the inner pot as soon as the rice browns.
The Instapot is made by a canadian company and is pretty popular in Canada. I have had mine for a number of years and find it indispensable.
Beth S.
You can make perfect rice in any pressure cooker. Tablespoon butter, melted. Add one cup rice and stir to coat. I also add salt at this point. Add 1 1/2 cups water and place the lid on. On the stove top, bring to high steam, reduce heat until it’s just keeping the steam and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, let sit for 7 minutes then quick release. Perfect rice, every time. In an electric pressure cooker, same steps with the butter, rice and water – set to cook 3 min on high. Let sit 7 minutes and quick release. I’ve made it in both and it turns out perfectly every time.