Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

For the Main Dish:

• 1 (3-4 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet

• 1 large onion, quartered

• 4-6 small red potatoes, halved if larger than 2 inches

• 2 cups baby carrots or 2 large carrots, chopped

• 2-3 ribs celery, cut into 3-inch pieces

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled

• 2 bay leaves

• 2½-3 cups beef broth or water

• 1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch wedges

• 2 tablespoons pickling spice (optional, if no spice packet included)

Instructions

1. Rinse the beef: Remove corned beef from packaging and rinse well under cold water; pat dry with paper towels

2. Layer vegetables: Place onion chunks, potatoes, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker

3. Add the beef: Place corned beef brisket on top of vegetables with fat side up

4. Season: Sprinkle the seasoning packet that comes with the corned beef over the meat; add bay leaves

5. Add liquid: Pour beef broth or water into the slow cooker until it just barely reaches the top of the corned beef

6. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours

7. Add cabbage: About 1-2 hours before serving, add cabbage wedges around the brisket in the cooking liquid

8. Continue cooking: Cover and cook for another 1-2 hours until cabbage reaches desired tenderness

9. Rest: Remove corned beef from slow cooker and let rest for 5-15 minutes on a cutting board

10. Slice and serve: Slice beef against the grain and arrange on a platter with vegetables; serve with spicy mustard or horseradish sauce if desired

Yield: 6-8 servings