Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage

This was my first attempt ever to make the traditional Irish meal corned beef and cabbage. I was nervous, but with a little bit of shamrock luck, it turned out delicious! It was especially easy to make in the Crockpot because I was able to leave it to cook while I went to class and work. The house smelled so good when I came home. Students in the dorms may not be able to hide a huge slow cooker when the RA's come on safety checks, but that doesn't mean you can't celebrate the Irish with this delicious boiled meal! This dish can also be made in a Dutch oven (a large pot with a tight cover) or a pressure cooker.

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 cups water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket, spiced
• 1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges

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Place the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of your slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, and pepper. Pour spice mixture over vegetables. Place brisket fat side up on top vegetables. Add cabbage on top of brisket. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, on high for 4 to 6 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.

To serve, remove bay leaf and cabbage. Place brisket on a large cutting surface. Cut diagonally with the grain in about 1 inch slices. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and carrots to a serving plate, and enjoy.

I used the low setting on a 7-quart slow cooker for this recipe. The garlic, sugar, vinegar, and pepper really gave the meat a wonderful flavor. I have discovered in my adventures with my Crockpot that it is important to use extra spices, otherwise dishes often come out bland, so this recipe is perfect! I was lucky that I had the cider vinegar on hand, but it you don't, it is not critical. I also added a few dashes of caraway, a very common Irish spice, which I had only thanks to my very cool 12-variety spice rack. The brisket I bought came "spiced" but often they are sold with a spice packet. If this is the case, just add the spice packet to the water and other spices.

Also used a few more potatoes than the recipe calls for, so when I placed the brisket on top of the vegetables, it wasn't quite covered in the water. I added another cup of water, and after about six hours, I flipped the meat over just to make sure both sides got well cooked. The brisket shrinks in size after being cooked, but maintains a juicy red color. It should be relatively easy to slice, and definitely will be extremely flavorful! The cabbage doesn't have to be totally submerged in the water, because it mostly cooks by steam. You could also just boil the cabbage separately if you prefer.

I am planning to use the leftovers of this dish to make corned beef hash. To prepare this, melt two tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan, add corned beef and potatoes, and using a spatula, firmly press down until the undersides are brown. Then flip, and brown other side. It is a good meal for weekend brunch.