Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
/A Celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day With A Modern Day Twist on an Old Family Tradition
Go Behind The Scenes
Watch the recipe and tablescape I made for this St. Patrick's Day on my YouTube Channel.
A few years ago, I wrote a blog for St. Patrick’s Day which is under Food & Cocktails, about my Irish heritage giving way to the ceremonial presentation of our traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner served every year on March 17th, regardless of the day of the week it fell on. I called it the Leprechauns Pot of Gold, which it most certainly is. My mother is of Irish descent, born to an Irish immigrant who migrated to NYC from Ireland as a young girl. And became a chamber maid in a NYC hotel. Everything and anything about Ireland was celebrated in our home; green beer, dark stout, green bagels, dressing up in green, St. Patrick’s Day parades and of course, parties.
Festivities amp up the hype and really create a stir of a celebration, almost a rite of Spring. Rivers are dyed green, like the river in Chicago which has been dyed Kelly green each St Patrick’s Day since 1962, with the exception of 2020. We lived in Tampa, FL recently, right on the river, which is also dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. Recreational boats would be out all day with people drinking and celebrating! And boy, does that cause quite a partying spirit. It’s lots of fun filled with lots of revelry!
This year life is very different. We have been confined to our homes, the result of the Covid 19 pandemic that swept across the world. Feeling contained and isolated, we’ve been challenged to swim our way through unchartered territories. Beyond all the responsibilities facing families to keep life going and their families safe, there has been the challenge of creating three meals a day, everyday for a year
So this year, on St. Patrick’s Day, I‘d like to help you celebrate with ease by making this classic dinner in my new best friend, the Instant Pot!
What is “corned beef”? Corned beef is actually a brisket, a tough cut of meat, that has been salt-cured to make it more tender. Packages of corned beef ranging from 3-5 pounds are readily available this time of year in most markets, sold in a vacuum sealed bags of brine with a package of spices in it. I usually try to find the larger cut of meat because is shrinks down considerably. It’s also fun to have leftovers for tasty sandwiches or corned beef hash and eggs the next day. The accompanying spice packet makes it super-easy. Rip open the bag and toss into the pot. DONE! and YUM!
The spice packet is a delicious combo of bay leaves, coriander seeds, whole peppercorns, anise seeds, whole cloves, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and allspice berries.
Have everything ready before you begin
6 qt Instant-pot (I have a Duo Evo Plus from Williams Sonoma…(I know, it’s a lot of words)
Cutting board
Pairing knife
Meat Cutting Knife
Pan for hard-boiling eggs
Measuring cups
Measuring Spoons
Bread Cutting Knife
Tiny Butter Crocks
Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
3-5lb Corned Beef brisket
1 Packet of Seasoning (It comes in the Corned Beef package for the holiday)
12 oz bottle of Guinness Stout
1/2 C Water
1 Lg Onion Cut into Quarters
2 Cloves of Minced Garlic
6 Strips of Bacon Chopped
I lb New Potatoes peeled (yellow or red)
6 Hard-boiled eggs (optional, but our family tradition)
1 Lg Green Cabbage cut into 3 inch slices
6 Lg Carrots cut on a diagonal (my favorite) into 2 inch chunks
Malt Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Pepper
1/4 C Chopped Parsley for Garnish
Two loaves of Irish Soda Bread
Sauces
Honey Mustard Sauce
1/4 C Clover Honey
1/4 Dijon Mustard
OR
Sour Cream & Horseradish Sauce
1C Sour Cream
3 TBS of drained Horseradish
S & P to taste
3 Snippets of Chives (or to taste)
Let’s Cook!
Meat
Remove the top of your Instant Pot
Rinse the meat thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry
Place onions and garlic in bottom of pan (You can use the rack if you wish)
Place meat on top of onions
Sprinkle Packet of Spices on top of meat
Add Whole Bottle of Guinness Beer
Add 1 Cup of Water
Place Lid to Lock Position
Turn on Pressure Cook
Turn on Custom ~ High
Turn Timer knob to 90 minutes
Press Start !VOILA!
***When timer goes off, Quick release pressure (according to your manufacturer’s directions)
Remove meat from pan and loosely cover with foil on a cutting board to rest the meat
Eggs
While meat is cooking, Hard-boil 6 eggs
Peel, cut in half and set aside
Veggies
Add Carrots, Potatoes and Cabbage Directly to Liquid
Close Lid to Lock
Turn on Pressure Cook
Turn on Custom ~ High
Turn Timer Knob to 3 minutes
Press Start. !VOILA!
***This is a bit tricky, as overcooking will yield a more stew-like macerated vegetable presentation which you may prefer. I prefer a more al dente vegetable presentation
When timer goes off, quick release pressure (according to your manufacturer’s directions)
Drain vegetables immediately
A BOBBY FLAY HACK
In the meantime, here’s a little tasty trick I learned from Bobby Flay. Cook up some chopped bacon or bacon strips in a pan. Remove bacon but leave fat. Slice the corned beef into thick slices and gently sear on both sides in hot bacon fat. Some seriously ridiculous flavor! YUM! Remove.
I mean if we’re going for it, let’s just go for it!
Sauce Options
Honey Mustard Sauce
Mix 1/4 Cup of Honey with 1/4 Cup of Dijon Mustard
Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce
Mix Sour Cream and Horseradish
S&P to taste
Add Snipped Chives ( to taste)
Let’s Eat!
Serving Suggestions
Arrange slices in a layered circular pattern and surround with vegetables. I prefer each vegetable to be separate, but you can scoop it out all together, too.
Sprinkle with a tad of Malt Vinegar
Arrange Hard-Boiled Egg Halves around Platter
Sprinkle with S&P to taste
Sprinkle with Chopped Parsley
Serve Sauces
Serve one or both sauces in separate bowls for passing
Irish Soda Bread
Place loaves of Irish Soda Bread on cutting boards with small crocks of Irish butter.
Go the extra step and add a four-leaf clover to each butter crock!
And Lots of Stout Beer for Drinking!