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.
This reader-favorite recipe was originally published on March 3, 2018. We’ve updated this post in 2022 with additional cooking tips and photos.
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Why Make Corned Beef and Cabbage in the Instant Pot?
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 tender, succulent, and full-flavored.
Instant Pot Corned Beef is a one-pot dinner that saves you about an hour of time from start to finish, 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.
What You’ll Need to Make Instant Pot Corned Beef
- 4-pound Corned Beef Brisket. You’ll find Corned Beef (salt-cured brisket) in flat and point cuts at the market. You can use either for this recipe, but I most often buy flat cut. (To read about the difference between the cuts check out Brisket: Flat Cut vs. Point Cut from Cuisine at Home.)
- Lager-style 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.
- Water. To help pressurize the pot and draw salt out of the corned beef as it cooks.
- Pickling Spice. A classic mixture of whole spices such as cinnamon, peppercorns, mustard seeds, cloves, bay leaves, ginger, and coriander. If your corned beef comes with a spice packet, you can substitute it for the pickling spice.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic. Adds additional flavor the braising liquid. Peel and slice the onion, and peel the garlic cloves, leaving them whole.
- Carrots, Potatoes, and Cabbage. Make this a one-pot corned beef and cabbage dinner! I like to use baby carrots and creamer potatoes (red and/or yellow, about the size of golf balls), in addition to a wedged head of green cabbage.
I developed this recipe using a 6-quart Instant Pot; specifically, the 6-quart Duo Plus. I find that using the included handled trivet makes it easier to remove the tender brisket from the insert after cooking.
How to Make A Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
Prepping the Brisket
Before cooking, rinse the corned beef thoroughly with cool water (2-3 times) to remove excess salt from the surface. 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.
Add the sliced onions, garlic cloves, pickling spices, and water into your Instant Pot insert. Place the rinsed corned beef (fat side up) onto the trivet that came with your Instant Pot.
Nestle the trivet into the pot, and pour the beer over the brisket. Check the level of the liquid in the insert before sealing the pot; it should reach up the sides of the brisket.
Note: 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 fill line.
Pressure Cooking the Corned Beef
For a 4-pound corned beef, we like the texture of the meat best when cooked at high pressure for 85 minutes, with a 20-minute natural release. The meat comes out 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.
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. We’ve found 70 minutes at high pressure to be sufficient for 2 pound briskets, with a 15 minute natural release.
Remove the cooked corned beef from the Instant Pot, and strain the cooking liquid, discarding the pickling spices and solids. Place the corned beef in a dish with a bit of the strained cooking liquid and cover with foil to keep the meat warm and juicy.
Cooking the Potatoes, Carrots, and Cabbage Wedges
Adding vegetables to an Instant Pot corned beef dinner is a breeze. 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 enjoy the flavor of these.
Add 1-1/2 cups of the strained cooking liquid back into the Instant Pot insert, layering in the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage wedges. Cook the vegetables on high pressure for 3-4 minutes, with a manual (quick) release.
Serving Your Corned Beef Dinner
When ready to serve, slice the corned beef against the grain into 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 treat the vegetables to a light drizzling of melted butter and sprinkle them with chopped fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness.
Have leftovers? Try making my Corned Beef Hash and Eggs for breakfast, Reuben Sandwiches, or Deli-Style Corned Beef Sandwiches for lunch!
More of our Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
- Roasted Cabbage Wedges
- Cabbage and Leek Colcannon
- Stout Beer Braised Short Ribs (Dutch oven or Instant Pot)
- Irish-American Soda Bread
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
- 2-1/2 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)
- grainy 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.
Elaine says
First time trying corned beef in the instapot, it really was a time saver. Used an Amber Ale for the beer and and the flavor infused in the meat and veggies was amazing. Let’s just say my dream of having leftovers to make Rueben’s was a no go. Will definitely make again. 2.8 pound roast for 75 minutes – potatoes, carrots and cabbage for 5 minutes.
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.
Linda Soucy says
Deliciousness in an Instant Pot! Tender, tasty, easy. I had a 3,3 lb and used high pressure for 82 minutes, then I did the vegees for 4 minutes. Next time I’ll try 3 minutes on the vegees. They were really good, but could have been just a tiny bit less done for my liking. Total time between from start to finish of everything was about 2-1/2 hours. **A hint for those who don’t like waiting for IP to come up to pressure…I throw it on saute before pressure with just the liner in for about 30 seconds. It’s just enough heating of the element so that it comes up to pressure much quicker!
Tricia M Murphy says
Oh my goodness the cook time was PERFECT. So tender and falling apart!! I just suggest using math to figure out your exact cook time. The recipe called for 85 minutes for 4 pounds, so just do 85÷4.. (21.25 minutes per pound) then multiply 21.25 by your brisket weight (outs weighed 2.74) and that will give you the exact number of minutes to cook your brisket!
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.