Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

A hands-off corned beef dinner: the brisket braises in beer on a bed of potatoes, carrots and onion until it falls apart, and the cabbage goes in near the end so it stays tender. A quick horseradish cream on the side pulls it all together.

Serves 6 · 6 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the corned beef

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• ½ pound small potatoes, halved
• 1 corned beef brisket (3 to 4 pounds), plus its pickling spice packet or 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 2 beers (8 to 12 ounces each), such as an ale or lager
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• ½ head cabbage, cut into 1½-inch wedges

For the horseradish sauce

• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 to 4 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Instructions

In a slow cooker

1. Spread the carrots, onion and potatoes over the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Set the brisket on top, fat side up, and scatter the pickling spice over it.
2. Pour the beer over everything and lay the thyme on top. Cover and cook until the beef is tender, 5 to 6 hours on high or 10 to 12 hours on low.
3. Arrange the cabbage wedges over the beef, cover again and cook until the cabbage is soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour on high (1½ to 2 hours on low).
4. Slice the beef thinly across the grain. Serve with the vegetables, some of the cooking liquid and the horseradish sauce.

In an electric pressure cooker

1. Cut the brisket into 2 or 3 pieces so it cooks faster and more evenly. Put it in a 6-quart pressure cooker, fat side up, and top with the onion, pickling spice, thyme and beer.
2. Cook at high pressure for 90 minutes, then release the pressure quickly.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots and cabbage, seal and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes more. Let the pressure release on its own for 5 minutes, then slice the beef and serve.

For the horseradish sauce

1. Stir the sour cream and horseradish together in a small bowl, adding horseradish to taste. It keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Adapted from FoodieCrush.