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, try my Beer-Braised Corned Beef or Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage.
Before You Start Cooking
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is a one-pot meal that shaves off about an hour from start to finish compared to braising in a Dutch oven. Compared to slow cooker corned beef, which takes 8 to 9 hours, the Instant Pot meal is substantially quicker.
- This recipe was developed using a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus. You’ll need the handled trivet that comes with the Instant Pot—this makes it much easier to lift out the brisket once it’s cooked and tender.
- You’ll need a 4-pound corned beef brisket for this recipe. I use flat cut for the best slices, but readers have told me they’ve also used point cut with good results. (Check out Brisket: Flat Cut vs. Point Cut from Cuisine at Home to read about the differences between the cuts.)
How to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Before cooking, remove the corned beef from its packaging and rinse brisket thoroughly with cool water (2-3 times) to remove excess brine from the surface of the meat. This will help prevent the corned beef from being too salty after cooking.
I don’t recommend trimming the fat cap before cooking. The fat adds flavor and moisture to the meat, and can be trimmed before serving, if needed.
Step 1: Fill the Instant Pot
Add peeled and sliced yellow onions, whole peeled garlic cloves, and pickling spice (or the spice packet included with your corned beef) to your Instant Pot insert. Pour in 2-1/2 cups of cool water.
Place the rinsed corned beef brisket, fat side up, on the trivet that came with your Instant Pot. Nestle the trivet into the pot, then pour a 12-ounce bottle of beer over the brisket.
Tip: Choosing the Right Beer
As with my Beer-Braised Corned Beef, I prefer to use a lager that isn’t too strong or hops-forward. I most often use a bottle of Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Organic Lager or Sam Adams Boston Lager.
If you want to use stout, go for a milder one like Guinness Draught, which is less bitter than Extra Stout, or Murphy’s Irish Stout.
Before sealing the lid, check the liquid level—it should reach up the sides of the brisket. The amount of water you need may vary by your brisket’s dimensions.
While the Instant Pot might only need 1 to 1-1/2 cups of liquid to pressurize, this is not enough to draw the salt out of the meat. Adjust the quantity of water as needed, but don’t exceed the insert’s 2/3 fill line.
Step 3: Pressure Cook the Corned Beef
Lock the Instant Pot lid in place and set the vent to sealing. Cook the corned beef at high pressure for 85 minutes for a 4-pound brisket, followed by a 20-minute natural release. With this timing, the meat comes out fork-tender but still sliceable against the grain without falling apart.
Keep in mind that the Instant Pot takes about 15 minutes to come up to pressure for this recipe, so the total cooking time comes out to approximately 2 hours.
We always make corned beef that weighs around 4 pounds to ensure leftovers, but much smaller briskets will take a little bit less time. We’ve found 70 minutes at high pressure to be sufficient for 2-pound briskets, with a 15-minute natural release.
Once the cooking is complete and the remaining pressure is released from the Instant Pot, carefully remove the corned beef. Strain the cooking liquid, discarding the pickling spices and solids.
To keep the meat warm and juicy, place the corned beef in a dish with a small amount of the strained liquid and cover it with foil while you cook your vegetables.
Step 4: Pressure Cook the Vegetables
Adding vegetables to an Instant Pot corned beef dinner is a breeze. I love the flavor that the pressure cooker infuses into the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage from the beer-based cooking liquid.
I don’t usually get that excited about boiled or steamed cabbage wedges, but I really enjoy the flavor of these.
To cook the vegetables, add 1-1/2 cups of the strained cooking liquid back into the Instant Pot insert. Layer in baby carrots, creamer potatoes (red and/or yellow, about the size of golf balls), and a head of cabbage cut into 8 wedges (leave the core intact so they don’t fall apart.)
Be sure not to layer the vegetables past the pot’s 2/3 fill line. Pressure cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes (depending on how soft you like your vegetables), with a manual (quick) release.
Don’t want to cook vegetables in the Instant Pot? Skip this step and try my Roasted Cabbage Wedges on the side or a bowl of creamy Colcannon instead.
Serving Your Instant Pot Corned Beef Dinner
When ready to serve, slice the corned beef against the grain into 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices.
If the corned beef has a substantial fat cap, 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 to keep the meat juicy. While the meat is flavorful on its own, I usually offer guests whole grain mustard or horseradish sauce (like my Creamy Horseradish Sauce or Roasted Garlic Horseradish Sauce) on the side.
When adding the vegetables to the serving platter, I like to drizzle them with a little bit of melted butter and finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley for a pop of color and freshness.
Don’t forget loaf of Irish Soda Bread, sliced and slathered with Irish butter!
Storing and Using Leftovers
Store leftover corned beef and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To keep the meat from drying out, add a small amount of the strained cooking liquid over the slices.
Looking for ways to enjoy your leftovers? Try these favorite recipes:
- Corned Beef Hash: A classic breakfast with crispy potatoes and eggs.
- Reuben Sandwiches, Reuben Sliders, or Reuben Dip: With tangy sauerkraut and melty Swiss cheese.
- Corned Beef Sandwiches with Coleslaw: A deli-style favorite.
- Corned Beef and Potato Cakes: Pan-fried and crispy!
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
- Stout Beer Braised Short Ribs (Dutch oven or Instant Pot)
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Irish Scones
- Stout Braised Short Rib Cottage Pie
Craving more? Check out my full collection of St. Patrick’s Day recipes.
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 (or the seasoning packet that came with your corned beef)
- 2-1/2 cups water
- 4 pound corned beef brisket , rinsed in cool water to remove excess salt/liquid brine
- 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)
- grainy mustard or horseradish sauce , 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.
Video
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
Editor’s Note: This reader-favorite recipe was originally published on Striped Spatula on March 3, 2018. We’ve updated this post in 2022 and 2025 with improved copy to best serve our readers.
Outstanding! Used a Costco Bill Bailey 3lb cut. Just laid it on a bed of sliced onions, added water, garlic, and a bottle of Blue Moon. Dropped cooking time to 80 minutes due to 3lb instead of 4lb. 20 minute natural release, and it’s perfect. Far more tender that previous slow cooker. My pot is an 8 qt.
Thanks for the guidance
Fantastic! Thank you for letting us know how it came in the 8-quart. Weโve had a lot of inquiries about it. Happy St. Patrickโs Day!
I’ve made many corned beef using other recipes but this one by far is the best we ever had! I made one last week (as a trial run) before I cook 2 for my boys and their families. Thank you. I followed the recipe to a T!
Have used this recipe twice now. Perfect each time!
I have a five pound brisket. Do I need to add to cooking time or keep it the same?
I used your recipe last weekend with a little over 3# corned beef from Costco, used same time and it was PERFECT! Did not shed at all; very impressed. (Hence larger corned beef) Btw, used 4 cups water bc we are gluten free. Thank you for great recipe!
Hi Annie,
Iโm so glad youโve been enjoying the corned beef! The brand Costco carried this year was excellent. I made several of them myself over the past few weeks.
We had a reader comment just the other day that she made a 5 pound and didnโt adjust the time. She said it came out great. Based on that, if you can fit the 5 pound in your IP model without overfilling with the liquid, Iโd say go with the recipe as written. Let me know how it turns out!
Happy St. Patrickโs Day!
Best Corned Beef ever. I have cooked in oven and boiled on stove in the past and will use this method from now on. Used a flat cut brisket and low sodium beef broth in place of water and beer. Four pound brisket devoured by three of us. Shrunk down to almost half the original size.
I’ve never made a corned beef dinner in my life. This recipe helped so much. Thanks!
I have an 8QT IP. Cooked two briskets at the same time. I put some thickly sliced onion rings between the two. Used the spice packets from the briskets and enough water to reach the bottom of the first hunk. Then poured the beer over. Not being a drinker I asked the guy and the beverage store for his recommendation. He wasn’t sure but I ended up with a 16oz can of Narraganset. Being in the bigger pot the time took 30 minutes longer than the total two hours this recipe stated. Strained the liquid and I used it in the same pot for the the veggies…increased the time to 5 minutes instead of 3-4. Took about 25 minutes (the 8qt takes forever to come up to pressure). I was skeptical that 5 minutes was enough time to cook them. But they came out perfect!
Next time, I will be trying the Whiskey Mustard Glaze! Bookmarking this recipe and hoping to find some discounted briskets to freeze for future meals.
Thank you for your detailed review, JL! We’ve had a few readers wondering about making two briskets in the 8-quart model, so this is great info. Were they both 4 pound briskets?
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
They were both smaller – 2.5lbs. I hope to buy a couple of larger ones (at a discount this week) and I’ll try two in the 8qt and see how they come out. My (adult) sons were disappointed there weren’t more leftovers. So this should do the trick. Will report back! Thanks for the recipes!
No store had any hunk of meat over 3.25 lbs. But last night I cooked a flat and a point totaling 6.25lbs in the 8qt pot (without the lager). Set for 90 mins. Came out fine (although I do think the beer makes a difference). The corner was more moist – possibly fatty… than the flat. Anyway, sorry I couldn’t provide a result for cooking two 4lb hunks. But I really think it would only be a matter of adding a few more minutes to the cook time. Thanks again for the recipe!
Hi JL – the quantity you made in the 8qt is helpful, thanks! I think I’m going to pick up an 8-quart model when I catch a sale and start testing. So many people have been asking about the timing in them for single and multiple briskets! Your results will be a great starting point as I test. Thanks!
New to cooking: can I use beef brisket to make this? Or do I need to buy a CORNED beef brisket? Our grocery store only sells a cooked corned beef (which I heard isnโt very good) or an uncooked beef brisket.
Hi Denean,
Yes, for this recipe, you’ll need an uncooked corned beef brisket. It goes through a brining process that gives it the characteristic color, texture, and flavor. Do you have a Costco near you? They sell them as well.
(If you can’t find corned beef and want to make one, you can also brine the brisket yourself. Here’s a link that explains how to do it: http://ruhlman.com/2010/03/corned-beef-how-to-cure-your-own/)
From the directions to the rave reviews, Iโm definitely trying this recipe for our St. Patrickโs Day meal. Question – which cut do you prefer and why? Which one was used in the posted recipe?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Mary,
Iโve made this recipe with both flat and point cut. The flat cut will be leaner, and will give cleaner, more uniform slices since thereโs less variation in thickness from end to end. The point cut has more fat/marbling in the meat (as opposed to just the fat cap on top), which adds flavor and juiciness, but I do find that the slices tend to fall apart a bit more. Both are delicious!
Iโm giving them a totally unsolicited plug here, haha, but I’ve made this recipe twice so far this year with the Mortonโs of Omaha Black Angus flat cut corned beefs (sold at Costco) for my leftovers recipes, and they were excellent. Juicier than I expected for flat cut.
Hope that helps!
Amanda
I used the flat cut only because I had no idea and asked the shopper next to me. I’ve been told the corner is fattier. Nothing wrong with that but the flat had enough fat across the top for me.
The recipe states 55 minutes prep time. But in the blog the only prep you mention is the 15 minutes to bring the pressure up. Is it a typo on the recipe or am I missing something? Also, should you bring the brisket to room temp before cooking?
Looks good. Canโt wait to try.
Hi Kathy,
The prep time isnโt a typo. It includes all processes that arenโt dialed into the instant pot controls as active โcook timeโ, including ingredient prep, two rounds of pressurization for the corned beef and vegetables, natural release, and the time it takes for manual depressurization. This all adds up to a total time of about 2 hours for the brisket (referenced in the blog post), and 2 hours and 23 minutes (give or take a few minutes by model) for the whole meal.
The brisket doesnโt have to be brought to room temp before pressure cooking.
Happy Cooking,
The Striped Spatula Team
Perfect recipe for this dish. Wonโt make it any other way from now on. Good olโ can of Bud worked just fine. Thanks for sharing.
Would white grape or apple juice work as a beer substitute in this recipe? Thanks in advance!
Hi Rachel,
White grape juice and apple juice would both be a lot sweeter than the beer is, so I would recommend either using an extra 12 ounces of water, or a sodium-free beef broth as substitutes for this recipe. (The liquid is designed to pull salt out of the corned beef as it cooks, so you wouldn’t want to use a salty broth.)
Hope that helps!
Hello. I’m planning on feeding approximately 10 people… plan on making 2 roasts, 4.5lbs each. Do I need to adjust the cooking time? Any other tips you can provide will be appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your question! Since the recipe was developed and tested with a single brisket in the 6-quart IP model, we aren’t able to advise with certainty for significantly larger or multiple briskets in the 8-quart model. (The instant pot can only be 2/3-full for pressure cooking, so two corned beef briskets won’t fit in the 6 quart for cooking at the same time; if you’re using a 6-quart model, they’d have to be made separately.)
With regards to the 8-quart model, we wouldn’t want to steer you wrong with instructions for something we haven’t personally and extensively tested!
Can I make two cornbeef briskets in 6qt intapot? And if possible how much time and temp? Thank you.
Hi Carl,
We don’t recommend making two, 4-pound briskets in the 6-quart model at the same time. For pressure cooking, the max line for the pot is around 2/3 full, and in our tests, that fits a single brisket plus cooking liquid.
Best corned beef Iโve ever made! This recipe is a keeper. Your photos are gorgeous too. I didnโt plate mine quite as nicely but it sure tasted good!!!
How many servings will this yield? I have 8-10 adults to feed!
Hi Sara,
You can find the yield for any of the recipes on the site at the top of the recipe card. For a 4 pound brisket youโll feed 4-5. For corned beef, generally plan on 3/4 pound per person, up to 1 pound per person with leftovers (the brisket will shrink when itโs cooked).
Happy Cooking!
The Striped Spatula Team
Can I use Michelob beer for the corned beef
Hi Mary, yes, a lager like Michelob original should work fine.
Happy Cooking!
What would be the cooking time for a smaller brisket? Let’s say 2 -3 lbs?
Hi Janice,
Amanda talked a little bit about this in the blog post above. While she hasnโt personally tested this recipe with a 2-pound brisket, recipes on Instant Potโs website call for 70 minutes at pressure with either a straight quick release or a 15 minute natural release for 2 pounds. We recommend allowing some period of natural release given the beer in this recipe.
Happy Cooking,
The Striped Spatula Team
I made this with a 5.27 lb.. point roast. It’s the best we’ve ever had. I didn’t change the time even though it’s larger and it was perfect. I didn’t add water. I used 4 cups beef broth and a light colored NA beer instead of dark. Even though it was excellent ill try a good dark next time. Thank you for the best recipe! I love your simple complete instructions also! Thanks again! You rock!
Can’t wait to try this. I don’t have a rack for my Instant Pot. Can I just set the brisket on top of the onions and liquid? Thank you in advance.
Hi Chanda,
You can, yes. The meat will be very tender after cooking, so youโll have to be careful lifting it out. You might try using a meat fork and a large spatula to take it out of the pot.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
The Striped Spatula Team
Hello!
What beer you would recommend using with this recipe? TYIA!
Hi Samantha,
Most commercial lagers will work well. You just don’t want to use anything that’s very hops-forward, so that the braising liquid isn’t too bitter. For an imported beer, we’ve used Samuel Smith Brewery’s organic lager (England) several times. Amanda also made this recipe last week with a bottle of Sam Adam’s Boston Lager for her upcoming reuben sandwich post, and it came out great.
Happy Cooking!
The Striped Spatula Team
Hi, would love to make thos tonight but my brisket is still frozen. Do you think I can still use this recipe and make time adjustments or wait until my meat has thawed? Thanks!
Hi Lyn,
For the best results and most even cooking, we recommend fully thawing the corned beef first.
Happy Cooking!
The Striped Spatula Team