Gluten-Free Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day (updated 2020)
/Our slow cooker gluten-free Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe was so well received we are reposting the recipe with a printable link for St. Patrick’s Day 2020. Unlike many traditional Irish favorites that contain gluten such as breaded Fish and Chips, Boxty (potato pancakes), or Irish Pasties (beef and cabbage turnovers), Corned Beef and Cabbage is an Irish favorite that can easily be made gluten-free.
This easy slow cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is made extra tasty with the addition of a flavorful gluten-free beer that marinates the corned beef as it slow cooks to fork-tender delicious mouthfuls. This recipe is so good you may want to buy extra Corned Beef to freeze so you can make it again after St. Patrick’s Day.
Start Out Early - 9 hour cooking time
Start out early, this dish slow cooks on low heat for 9 hours for tender crisp vegetables and fork-tender meat. If you are pressed for time you can prepare this dish on high heat to decrease the cooking time but you will have to watch the slow cooker so the vegetables and meat don’t get overcooked and mushy.
If you don’t have a favorite gluten-free beer try RedBridge which is a gluten-free American Amber / Red Lager beer that is made from sorghum which is a gluten-free grain. It is readily available at Walmart, BevMo, and many well-stocked liquor stores.
Glutenberg also makes an assortment of gluten-free beers. The Glutenberg brand is available at most BevMo stores as well as some well-stocked liquor stores. If you like to drink beer you will be pleasantly surprised to find that Glutenberg offers a wide selection of gluten-free beers including Blonde, American Pale Ale (APA), Red Ale (dark amber beer), India Pale Ale (IPA), White (Witbier) beer, and Stout (similar to Guiness Stout).
Glutenberg is a dedicated gluten-free beer manufacturer so if you are highly sensitive to cross-contamination with gluten you won’t have to worry about unintentional gluten in your beer.
I find that the amber beers provide the best flavor for this recipe.
Glutenberg
Glutenberg offers a large selection of gluten-free beers.
Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
This easy slow cooker Corned Beef recipe gets extra flavor from the addition of a flavorful gluten-free beer that marinates the beef as it slow cooks to fork-tender delicious mouthfuls.
Photo Credit: Harlan Harris “Corned Beef and Cabbage” (unmodified) Copyright 2013 Click photo for attribution link
Time in Slow Cooker on LOW heat: 9 hours
Page Down for Printable Recipe
Ingredients
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into thick crescents
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed flat
3 to 4 lb corned beef brisket with spice packet
12 oz (1 1/2 cups) gluten-free beer (such as RedBridge or Glutenberg)
2 1/2 cups water
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into wedges
1 lb carrots, ends trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small head cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs), cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch thick wedges
Cookware
6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker
1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium mixing bowl
Kitchen timer (optional)
Ladle
Large slotted spoon
Plastic (non-wood) cutting board
Instructions
1. Peel the onions and cut them into thick crescents. Place the onion crescents flat side down in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker to form a base for the corned beef brisket.
2. Peel the garlic cloves. Smash each clove flat with a kitchen mallet or the flat side of a table knife. Place the smashed garlic cloves in an even layer over the onion crescents.
3. Trim excess fat from the corned beef brisket if necessary. Reserve the spice packet. Lay the brisket with its flattest side down on top of the layer of onions and garlic.
4. Sprinkle the contents of the spice packet evenly over the top of the brisket. Press the spices into the top surface of the brisket.
5. Carefully pour the gluten-free beer into the slow cooker, pouring to the side of the brisket so as not to disturb the spices coating the top of the brisket.
6. Mix the water, sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium mixing bowl. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved into the liquid.
7. Slowly pour the water and apple cider vinegar mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker, pouring to the side of the brisket so as not to disturb the spices coating the top of the brisket. Only pour enough of the water and apple cider vinegar mixture to barely cover the brisket. Discard any unused liquid. If you have a larger slow cooker it may be necessary to add additional water to cover the brisket.
8. Add the bay leaf to the slow cooker, submerging it under the liquid.
9. Place the slow cooker on a heat-resistant surface (a raised broiler pan works well for this if your countertop is not heatproof). Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Turn on the slow cooker and program it to cook on LOW heat for 10 hours. Set your kitchen timer or program your cell phone to alert you to add the vegetables after 4 hours of cooking time.
10. Scrub the potatoes and carrots under running water and lay them on a clean kitchen towel on your countertop so that they can come to room temperature before being added to the slow cooker.
11. When 4 hours of cooking time has elapsed cut the potatoes into wedges. Trim the ends from the carrots and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Take the lid off the slow cooker and layer the potatoes in an even layer over the corned beef brisket. Layer the carrots over the potatoes. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and continue cooking on LOW heat for 3 more hours. Set your kitchen timer or program your cell phone to alert you to add the cabbage after 3 hours of cooking time. Transfer the cabbage to your countertop so that it comes to room temperature before adding it to the slow cooker.
12. After 7 hours of cooking time has elapsed (3 hours after adding the carrots and potatoes) prepare the cabbage. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom and carve out the tough inner core from each half of the cabbage. Discard the core material. Cut the cabbage into 1 1/2-inch thick wedges.
13. Take the lid off the slow cooker. Use a ladle to remove excess liquid if necessary so that there is enough room to add the cabbage. Leave enough liquid to cover the brisket. Layer the cabbage wedges flat side down over the carrots and potatoes.
14. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and continue cooking on LOW heat for 2 more hours until the cabbage is tender-crisp (9 hours total cooking time). Set your kitchen timer or program your cell phone to alert you that the meal is done after 2 additional hours of cooking time.
15. When the cabbage has cooked for 2 hours and the brisket has cooked for a total of 9 hours take the lid off the slow cooker. Use a slotted spoon to lift and drain the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Arrange the vegetable on the serving plates, leaving room for slices of the brisket. Discard the bay leaf.
16. Lift the brisket out of the slow cooker and transfer it to a non-porous (plastic) cutting board. Slice the brisket into thick slices. Arrange the slices of brisket on the serving plates next to the vegetables.
17. If desired, use the slotted spoon to lift and drain the onions and garlic from the slow cooker. Arrange the onions and garlic on the serving plates. Serve immediately while warm.
Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
ingredients:
- 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into thick crescents
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed flat
- 3 to 4 lb corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) gluten-free beer (such as RedBridge or Glutenberg)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 TBSP sugar
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 lb carrots, ends trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small head cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs), cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch thick wedges
- 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker
- 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium mixing bowl
- Kitchen timer (optional)
- Ladle
- Large slotted spoon
- Plastic (non-wood) cutting board
instructions:
How to cook Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Peel the onions and cut them into thick crescents. Place the onion crescents flat side down in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker to form a base for the corned beef brisket.
- Peel the garlic cloves. Smash each clove flat with a kitchen mallet or the flat side of a table knife. Place the smashed garlic cloves in an even layer over the onion crescents.
- Trim excess fat from the corned beef brisket if necessary. Reserve the spice packet. Lay the brisket with its flattest side down on top of the layer of onions and garlic.
- Sprinkle the contents of the spice packet evenly over the top of the brisket. Press the spices into the top surface of the brisket.
- Carefully pour the gluten-free beer into the slow cooker, pouring to the side of the brisket so as not to disturb the spices coating the top of the brisket.
- Mix the water, sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium mixing bowl. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved into the liquid.
- Slowly pour the water and apple cider vinegar mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker, pouring to the side of the brisket so as not to disturb the spices coating the top of the brisket. Only pour enough of the water and apple cider vinegar mixture to barely cover the brisket. Discard any unused liquid. If you have a larger slow cooker it may be necessary to add additional water to cover the brisket.
- Add the bay leaf to the slow cooker, submerging it under the liquid.
- Place the slow cooker on a heat-resistant surface (a raised broiler pan works well for this if your countertop is not heatproof). Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Turn on the slow cooker and program it to cook on LOW heat for 10 hours. Set your kitchen timer or program your cell phone to alert you to add the vegetables after 4 hours of cooking time.
- Scrub the potatoes and carrots under running water and lay them on a clean kitchen towel on your countertop so that they can come to room temperature before being added to the slow cooker.
- When 4 hours of cooking time has elapsed cut the potatoes into wedges. Trim the ends from the carrots and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Take the lid off the slow cooker and layer the potatoes in an even layer over the corned beef brisket. Layer the carrots over the potatoes. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and continue cooking on LOW heat for 3 more hours. Set your kitchen timer or program your cell phone to alert you to add the cabbage after 3 hours of cooking time. Transfer the cabbage to your countertop so that it comes to room temperature before adding it to the slow cooker.
- After 7 hours of cooking time has elapsed (3 hours after adding the carrots and potatoes) prepare the cabbage. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom and carve out the tough inner core from each half of the cabbage. Discard the core material. Cut the cabbage into 1 1/2-inch thick wedges.
- Take the lid off the slow cooker. Use a ladle to remove excess liquid if necessary, so that there is enough room to add the cabbage. Leave enough liquid to cover the brisket. Layer the cabbage wedges flat side down over the carrots and potatoes.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and continue cooking on LOW heat for 2 more hours until the cabbage is tender-crisp (9 hours total cooking time). Set your kitchen timer or program your cell phone to alert you that the meal is done after 2 additional hours of cooking time.
- When the cabbage has cooked for 2 hours and the brisket has cooked for a total of 9 hours take the lid off the slow cooker. Use a slotted spoon to lift and drain the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Arrange the vegetable on the serving plates, leaving room for slices of the brisket. Discard the bay leaf.
- Lift the brisket out of the slow cooker and transfer it to a non-porous (plastic) cutting board. Slice the brisket into thick slices. Arrange the slices of brisket on the serving plates next to the vegetables.
- If desired, use the slotted spoon to lift and drain the onions and garlic from the slow cooker. Arrange the onions and garlic on the serving plates. Serve immediately while warm.
NOTES:
New Cookbook
For those of you that like to use a print cookbook, we’ve compiled the recipes from our 3 previously published electronic cookbooks into a single volume.
Easy Delicious Gluten-Free One-Pot Meals contains all the recipes in all of our electronic cookbooks plus new recipes. All these recipes are one-pot: complete meals with minimal cleanup so you can spend more time doing the things you want and less time cooking and cleaning the kitchen.
Easy Delicious Gluten-Free One-Pot Meals can be purchased at the online stores for Barnes & Noble, Walmart.com, Amazon, and Books A Million. It’s available as Print on Demand meaning that it’s never out of stock; when you order a copy it will be printed and shipped to you within a few days.
