This tender, beer-infused Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Using the pressure cooker function makes it easy and convenient to cook a traditional corned beef dinner in less time. For a recipe without an Instant Pot, check out my Beer-Braised Corned Beef.
Since I got my Instant Pot, I’ve been having fun adapting and testing some of my classic recipes in it, mostly to see how the results differ using the pressure cooker function.
Being perfectly honest, I’ve found that I do prefer some dishes cooked with traditional processes. As I’ve said before, I don’t think my heart will ever stray from its devotion to slow-braises in my Dutch oven!
Many times, though, the dishes that have emerged from my pressure cooker have been just as well-enjoyed as their slowly-cooked counterparts, with an added bonus of the convenience of not having to watch a pot for 3 or 4 hours on the stove or in the oven. Our yearly Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner has been one of those.
Adapting my beer braised corned beef for the Instant Pot was one of the first things I had in mind when I bought it. We were not disappointed! The pressure cooker corned beef, infused with aromatic pickling spices and lager, was just as tender, succulent, and full-flavored as when I make it in my Dutch oven.
Making Instant Pot Corned Beef
As with most classic recipes I’ve adapted for the Instant Pot, I found that I needed more spices and less liquid than when I cook a corned beef on the stove or in a Dutch oven. I doubled my usual pickling spices from 1 tablespoon to 2 to infuse into the brisket, and only needed 4 cups of liquid total, as compared to 5-6.
Unlike other meats, I don’t recommend making Instant Pot Corned Beef with the minimum amount of liquid required for the unit (usually 1 to 1-1/2 cups). Corned beef can be very salty, and without adding enough liquid to reach to the sides of the brisket, you won’t draw enough of that salt out of the meat during the cooking process.
How Long Does it Take to Cook Corned Beef in a Pressure Cooker?
Instant Pot corned beef saves you about an hour of time, as compared to braising in the Dutch oven. In comparison to crockpot corned beef recipes, which can take up to 8 hours, it’s substantially quicker.
For a 4-pound corned beef (flat or point cut), we liked the texture of the meat best when cooked at high pressure for 85 minutes, with a 20-minute natural release. The meat was fork-tender, but still sliceable against the grain without falling apart. Adding about 15 minutes to the cooking process for the Instant Pot to heat up to pressure, the corned beef itself takes about 2 hours total.
Read about the difference between flat and point cut brisket in “Tips for Buying Brisket” from Cooks Illustrated.
We always make a corned beef around 4 pounds to ensure leftovers for sandwiches and corned beef hash, but if you make a much smaller brisket, it will likely need a shorter cooking time. Instant Pot recommends 70 minutes at high pressure for 2 pound briskets, with an abbreviated natural release.
Cooking Vegetables for a Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Dinner
Adding potatoes, carrots, and cabbage to an Instant Pot corned beef dinner is a breeze. I like to strain the cooking liquid after I remove the corned beef from the pot, and discard the pickling spices and solids. Then, I just add some of strained liquid back into the pot with the vegetables, and cook on high pressure for 3-4 minutes, with a manual release.
I love the flavor that the pressure cooker infuses into the vegetables from the beer-based cooking liquid. I don’t usually get that excited about boiled or steamed cabbage wedges, but I really enjoyed the flavor of these.
Serving Instant Pot Corned Beef
When the corned beef comes out of the Instant Pot, I like to place it in a dish with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid and cover with foil to keep the meat warm and juicy. When ready to serve, slice the brisket against the grain in 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices.
Check Out: Here’s How (and Why) to Slice Meat Against the Grain from Kitchn.
If there is a substantial fat cap on the corned beef, you might want to trim it down or remove it entirely before slicing. This is entirely a matter of personal preference. We like to serve the brisket with some of the fat left on.
When serving, spoon a little bit of the strained cooking liquid over the sliced corned beef on the platter, and offer guests whole grain mustard on the side. I sprinkle the vegetables with chopped fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness, and sometimes, treat them to a light drizzling of melted butter.
Have leftovers? Try making my Corned Beef Hash and Eggs for breakfast!
Instant Pot Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion , sliced (use 1/2 if large)
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and lightly smashed with the back of a knife
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 2.5 cups water
- 4 pound corned beef brisket , rinsed
- 12 ounces lager-style beer (nothing too bitter)
- 1 pound tiny potatoes (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter), or red-skinned potatoes cut into 1-1/2 inch wedges
- 1 head cabbage , cut into 8 wedges
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley , for garnish
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted (optional)
- whole grain mustard , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine onion, garlic, pickling spices, and water in the insert of a 6-quart Instant Pot. Place the corned beef brisket, fat side up, on a rack on top of the onions. Pour beer over the brisket.
- Seal lid and set the unit to HIGH pressure for 85 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure.* Remove corned beef and place on a dish or a cutting board, spooning a bit of the cooking liquid over the top. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Strain cooking liquid and discard solids. Return 1-1/2 cups of liquid to the Instant Pot and add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges. (Reserve remaining cooking liquid.) Seal lid and set the unit to HIGH pressure for 3-4 minutes, depending on how soft you like your vegetables. Quick release pressure.
- Slice corned beef against the grain. Spoon a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid over the corned beef slices on your platter. Sprinkle parsley over the vegetables, and if desired, drizzle with melted butter. Serve corned beef with mustard.
Notes
To Glaze The Corned Beef (Optional)
This corned beef is also delicious served with my Irish Whiskey-Mustard glaze. The ingredients and directions can be found in my recipe, Beer Braised Corned Beef with Whiskey Mustard Glaze. After fully cooking the corned beef in the Instant Pot (instead of Dutch oven braising), follow the directions to "Glaze and Serve".Nutrition Estimate
More Instant Pot Recipes on Striped Spatula
Kaitlyn says
We’re anyone else’s potatoes not cooked after 4 minutes?
Striped Spatula Team says
We haven’t received that feedback from reviewers. Larger potatoes or different potato varieties than pictured may take longer.
Kimberly Chase says
Just made this recipe for our family of four and it came out awesome! Thanks for the advice about the timing for 4 lbs. It worked out great!
Paul says
Hi all,
We made this tonight with the 8qt IP & it came out 5 stars too! For the 8qt pot we had a slab that entirely filled the circumference of the pot. That said, it just took a bit more ingredients to even out the size difference is all (full onion, 5 or 6 garlic cloves, 4 TBSP of pickling spice, a bit more water, but still only used “1 beer” (11.9oz. or something goofy) & that was enough to help tenderize the meat. The liquid line came 1/2way up the sides of the meat… just how it worked out.
BTW, I cooked the veggies in only water& kept the drippings separate to let everyone use what they wanted.
Great recipe, Thank You!
Paul,
Flagstaff, AZ
Lin white says
In the middle of the coronavirus lockdown here. Made the corned beef, however I didn’t have carrots or cabbage. But I did have potatoes. It was spectacular. Easy to prepare and absolutely delicious!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I look forward to trying more.
Stay safe and please stay healthy.
Ed says
What’s dumber than the slow release? The point of an instant pot is time savings
Amanda Biddle says
Dear Ed,
While the appliance is called the “Instant Pot,” many recipes prepared in it are not “Instant” at all. As an electric pressure cooker, it does cut time from slow cooking methods, even when you account for the time to release the pressure naturally.
Natural release is a very important technique in pressure cooking (using the Instant Pot or any other pressure cooker) when making recipes that contain a lot of starch or liquid. It allows the pot to depressurize at a slower rate. If you were to quick release the pressure immediately with these types of recipes, hot liquid could shoot out of the valve, which can be both hazardous and messy.
When working with large cuts of meat, adding in a natural release time also helps to tenderize the meat. It is just as much a part of the cooking process as the time at pressure itself.
The cooking times I’ve provided include both time to reach pressure and the natural release. With these figured in, the total time for this recipe from prep to table is about two and 3/4 hours, including cooking the vegetables. Compare that to a traditional slow cooked corned beef dinner, and you’re saving quite a bit time.
Hope that helps to clarify the importance of natural or slow release.
Doug Rapp says
I’ve been cooking this dish for many years and have tried every way that has been printed. That said this 73 year old cowboy has just fell in love with a recipe. Girl ,you have a winner here and I wish I had found this when I discoverd an instapot. My wife (Irish) said she has never in her life had corned beef melt in her mouth and vegetables so tender in her life,but she’s younger than me a couple of years. I followed the recipe,used Kilt Lifter beer and sliced a whole sweet onion under it. Cooked it for 85 min. and NR after 20. Placed two cups of that great stock back in and added whole baby carrots,3 russsets in large cubes,cabbage wedges and sweet onions in wedges,. I used 2 oz of spices and garlic the crowd went wild. Let it rest tented for 25 mins and high pressured the veg for two min. quick release. If the gave Oscars for recipes you just won one in Arizona. Anyone who does’t find this to be the tenderest,easy clean slicng corned beef needs to stick with bologna . Winner,winner,corn beef dinner
Laurie says
Prepared last night and delicious! Thank you for sharing this. My family asked same question, “why not prepare this more often?” Meat tender with wonderful flavor and veggies were just perfect.
Kirsten says
How much time would I add if I do 8lbs?
This is the only way I make corned beef, this recipe is AMAZE BALLS!!! The corned beef comes out so tender but still able to slice and the flavor…. Mmmm I’m making it tomorrow for St Patrick’s Day but I’m having people over (and of course am hoping for leftovers) ????????
Amanda Biddle says
Hi Kirsten,
I’m so sorry, but I haven’t tested an 8 pound brisket in the IP! Do you have an 8-quart model? I’m not sure that an 8-pound would
fit in the 6-quart I used to develop this recipe, adding enough liquid to come up the sides of the meat (you might exceed the pot’s fill line for pressure cooking). You could cut the brisket in half and stack it, but again, depending on the thickness, you might have to add too much liquid to draw out the salt for the fill line. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help – I definitely understand wanting to have leftovers!
Kirsten says
Thank you! I actually have 2 – 4lb corned beefs. I decided to make one tonight and one tomorrow. What do you think would be the best way to heat up the one I’m cooking tonight before my guests arrive?
Amanda Biddle says
Cooking them separately is the best call! :) I usually reheat corned beef by slicing it, bringing some of the cooking liquid to a simmer on the stove, and warming the slices through. It’ll only take a few minutes and will keep the meat from drying out. Another option is to place the whole brisket in a baking pan with some of the cooking liquid, cover, and let it steam at 300 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
Alex says
So good! Only recipe I’ll use now. My family devours it. We used to only have it on St. Patrick’s day but it’s so good we’ve eaten it about 4 times already since St. paddy’s. Making it again tonight. Thank you!
Amber says
Very easy and came out perfect! I used a Shock Top Hefeweizen because that’s all I had on hand and it imparted a very subtle wheaty flavor. Very nice!
Nicole Martin says
I’m not a beer drinker and I don’t care for the taste. I do like Angry Orchard. Would that work in place of the beer or what could I substitute???
Amanda Biddle says
Hi Nicole,
Angry Orchard will add a bit of sweetness that the beer doesn’t. I haven’t tried it in this recipe, so I can’t say for certain how good it would be! You might want to look for a drier hard cider. You can also omit the alcohol entirely and substitute no-salt beef broth. Hope that helps!
Donna Howard says
Made this exactly as written and it was SOOO good!!! Everyone loved it!
Emma says
Excellent recipe! Made this with a 3 pound corned beef. It was tender and tasty. Used a Stella Artois beer. Thank you for the great recipe the video was also nice for quick reference!
Irene says
So good! First time using my pressure cooker for a corned beef and I stumbled on this recipe. Who needs to only eat corned beef on St Pats Day? Perfect for a cold/rainy NJ winters day.
Karen says
This is my absolute GO-TO for corned beef! It’s the best out there.
Amanda Biddle says
I’m so glad you enjoy it as much as we do, Karen!
Debbie Tempesta says
I made this with 3 lb corned beef. high-pressure 77 minutes to accommodate for smaller size. It was perfect. Did veggies high pressure 1 minute with quick release. Put potatoes in first then carrots then cabbage. Cabbage slightly underdone carrots slightly overdone potatoes were perfect. Next time I’ll do cabbage first then potatoes then carrots for 1 minute. This is going to be one of my favorite recipes that I go back to a lot it’s the best. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Lee Brittain-Curry says
Made this today with 3.2# corned beef brisket – 85 minutes, then did the veggies afterward as suggested. Used an NA beer for the lager & the pickling spice packet provided with the meat, (which was about 1/2 of what the recipe called for.) It turned out very well. The beer lent a flavor to the meat that seemed almost sweet but it was subtle & yummy. We will make this again.
Kayre says
Absolutely delicious! I added more liquid…another cup of water.
David says
Hands down the best food to emerge from our IP!! You nailed deliciousness with this recipe.