Corn Beef and Sauerkraut in Power Pressure Cooker

This pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage is the most tender and flavorful you may ever eat. The mix of aromatics seasons the brisket and veggies to perfection. This is classic Irish-American comfort food, with a method that takes out all the guesswork to nail it every time!

(Originally posted in February 2017; Updated on content, tips, FAQs and pictures on January 23, 2020)

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. I make it a point to have corned beef and cabbage every year. This will be the fourth year I've made pressure cooker corned beef and cabbage. It was literally the first thing I ever cooked in my Instant Pot, after it sat in the box for 2 months post-Christmas. Well, my life was never the same. And I will never go back to the darkness. Who knew that two years later, I would have written over 100 Instant Pot recipes?!

Is corned beef Irish or not?

It's funny how traditions become traditions sometimes; and how things are thought of in ways that are not actually accurate. To some degree, this is the case with corned beef. In a nutshell, the corned beef we think of in America and associate with St. Paddy's Day is really not Irish at all. In fact, it's more of a Jewish brisket cooked with cabbage.

In this article, they explain that the early Irish immigrants to America began eating Kosher beef once they reached the states; something they did not do in Ireland.

The Old Way

One of my favorite tools in the kitchen is my Dutch Oven. It's basically a cast iron pot with a ceramic lining. But as you can see, the meat has already started to take on a grayish color. And while it still tastes great, it is not nearly as appealing to look at; or tender for that matter. And let's not even get started on the time!

Ingredients You'll Need

Here's a quick snapshot of what you will need to make this dish. You gotta love an ingredient list with 10 or less things on it! I definitely do my best to choose the leanest brisket possible. Unlike many cuts of beef, where fat content will add flavor (especially when cooking with dry heat - like smoking or grilling), I'm of the belief that this corned beef recipe is so highly seasoned that you will not miss the fat. There can be so much waste (up to 25%) with the fattier pieces.

As for the spice packet... It will be included with your corned beef when you buy it and is essentially a pickling spice blend and will vary by brand. They are mostly made up of peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and dill seeds.

How to Make Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Place brisket in pot (fat side down)...

...with broth, onions, garlic, thyme, and seasoning packet. Lock lid and cook at high pressure for 75 minutes.

Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally (about 40 minutes).

Then remove brisket from pot, cover with foil to keep warm, and allow to rest.

Using a fine mesh strainer, pour liquid into separate container...

...then return to pot. Discard the aromatics.

Add carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and salt to pot...

...then top with cabbage wedges. Lock lid and set timer for 0(zero) minutes.

Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure.

Do not stir, but carefully remove each cabbage wedge individually onto your serving dishes, followed by other veggies.

When it's time to serve, be sure to cut the brisket across the grain to keep it from becoming chewy. Serve together and enjoy!

Expert Tips

1. The single most important part of cooking corned beef and cabbage is choosing a good cut of meat. In my opinion, you want to choose the leanest piece of brisket possible. While many cuts of beef benefit from having fat to help season the meat (especially when cooking with dry heat - like smoking or grilling), this recipe is so highly seasoned that you will not miss it. Otherwise, you will waste all of the inedible fat, which can be up to 25% of the total weight.
2. Before you slice the brisket, be sure to remove the layer of fat and discard. Then, thinly slice the brisket across the grain.
3. Leftover corned beef can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze for 2 to 3 months.

FAQs

Which cut should I use, point or flat?I've done it with both. I prefer flat.

When doing a natural pressure release, do I turn off the pressure cooker, or leave it on keep warm? Leave it on keep warm!

Are you using the prepackaged, pre-seasoned corned beef brisket or are you using a plain brisket? For this recipe, we are using pre-seasoned briskets.

Do I have to allow pressure to release naturally? Can't I just do a quick release? I find that a quick pressure release causes meat texture to change – becoming tough and chewy. According to this article by The Kitchn, you should use a natural release when cooking meat, dried beans and legumes, rice, soup, and other foods that are mostly liquid.

Is zero minutes really correct for the veggies? Yes. They will cook as the pressure cooker is coming up to pressure. They will be fully cooked and tender, but not mushy, once the pressure cooker beeps.

More Instant Pot Entrée Recipes

• Pot Roast
• Baby Back Ribs
• Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze
• Pulled Pork
• Pickle Chicken
• Ham with Apple Cider and Brown Sugar

★ Did you make this Pressure Cooker Corned Beef? Please give it a star rating below! ★

• ▢ 4 lb. corned beef brisket with seasoning packet - cut in half if needed
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
• ▢ 6 garlic cloves peeled
• ▢ 8 thyme sprigs
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 head of cabbage chopped into wedges
• ▢ 1 lb. carrots peeled, chunked
• ▢ 2 lbs. red or gold potatoes roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 tsp. sea salt

Method 1 - Lean

• Place brisket in Instant Pot (fat side down) with broth, onions, garlic, thyme, and seasoning packet.

• Lock lid and cook at high pressure for 75 minutes.

• Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally (about 40 minutes). Then remove brisket from pot, cover with foil to keep warm, and allow to rest.

• Using a fine mesh strainer, pour liquid into separate container, then return to pot. Discard the aromatics.

• Add carrots, potatoes, and salt to pot, then top with cabbage wedges. Lock lid and cook for 0 (zero) minutes at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure.

• Do not stir, but carefully remove each cabbage wedge individually onto your serving dishes, followed by other veggies.

• When it's time to serve, be sure to cut the brisket across the grain to keep it from becoming chewy. Serve together and enjoy!

Method 2 - Luscious with Crispy Top

• Add one sliced onion, 6 thyme sprigs, and a bay leaf to the pot. Then, put the trivet on top of them. Place the brisket on the trivet (fat side up).

• In a small bowl combine 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of course black pepper, and the contents of the spice packet included with the corned beef. Spread the spice blend evenly over brisket.

• Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth along the sides of the pot. There are two goals in this step: 1- to avoid washing the spices off of the brisket; 2- to add just enough broth that the beef is about halfway submerged.

• Lock lid and cook at high pressure for 75 minutes.

• Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally (will take about 40 minutes). Then transfer the brisket to a baking sheet. Turn on your oven's broiler and set it to high. (You can also use an air fryer lid for this next step. And obviously you would not remove the brisket from the pot).

• Place the corned beef on the bottom rack of your oven and broil for 7-10 minutes. Once the fat renders and begins to crisp, the process will go really fast. So after about 5 minutes, keep a close eye on it to avoid burning.

• Once the brisket has reached your prefered char level, set it aside and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Always slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.

As of March 13, 2021, you will see that there are now two methods to this recipe - and here's why. As a recipe developer, it's in my nature to keep trying to make things better. However, my first method for corned beef is so delicious and so popular that it makes no sense to just do away with it. I would hate to ruin someone's day who is not about change like I am.

So I chose to add a new method rather than replace the old one. Method 1 removes the fat layer for a leaner cut and lighter meal, while method 2 uses the fat layer to create a crispy layer. It really is just a matter of preference. I will update the entire post soon with new process shots, but the video now shows both methods.

Expert Tips

1. The single most important part of cooking corned beef and cabbage is choosing a good cut of meat. In my opinion, you want to choose the leanest piece of brisket possible. While many cuts of beef benefit from having fat to help season the meat (especially when cooking with dry heat - like smoking or grilling), this recipe is so highly seasoned that you will not miss it. Otherwise, you will waste all of the inedible fat, which can be up to 25% of the total weight.
2. Before you slice the brisket, be sure to remove the layer of fat and discard. Then, thinly slice the brisket across the grain.
3. Leftover corned beef can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze for 2 to 3 months.

FAQs

Which cut should I use, point or flat?I've done it with both. I prefer flat.

When doing a natural pressure release, do I turn off the pressure cooker, or leave it on keep warm? Leave it on keep warm!

Are you using the prepackaged, pre-seasoned corned beef brisket or are you using a plain brisket? For this recipe, we are using pre-seasoned briskets.

Do I have to allow pressure to release naturally? Can't I just do a quick release? I find that a quick pressure release causes meat texture to change – becoming tough and chewy. According to this article by The Kitchn, you should use a natural release when cooking meat, dried beans and legumes, rice, soup, and other foods that are mostly liquid.

Is zero minutes really correct for the veggies? Yes. They will cook as the pressure cooker is coming up to pressure. They will be fully cooked and tender, but not mushy, once the pressure cooker beeps.

Serving: 4 oz. | Calories: 256 kcal | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Protein: 15 g | Fat: 12 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 40 mg | Sodium: 997 mg | Potassium: 909 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 6425 IU | Vitamin C: 59.1 mg | Calcium: 66 mg | Iron: 2.6 mg

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Source: https://thefoodieeats.com/pressure-cooker-corned-beef-and-cabbage/

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