Slow-Cooker Corned Beef with Root Vegetable Puree

The slow cooker is a corned beef's best friend: set the brisket to braise in beer in the morning, and by dinner it is fall-apart tender with almost no effort. This version dresses it up beyond the usual boiled dinner — a silky root-vegetable purée, cabbage sautéed with bacon, and a piquant mustard sauce — so the ease of the method meets a plate that feels thoughtfully composed. It is comfort food that practically cooks itself.

The Slow-Cooker Brisket

Convenience is the whole appeal here. Nestle the corned beef brisket into the slow cooker with beer and aromatics and let it braise on high for 7 to 8 hours, hands-off, until it is meltingly tender. The gentle, unattended heat breaks the brisket down completely while the malty beer infuses it with savory depth — and you don't have to watch the pot. Slice it against the grain for the most tender result, and it will pull apart at the fork.

Bacon Cabbage, Purée & Mustard Sauce

The sides make it a meal worth setting the table for. Whip the root vegetables into a smooth, comforting purée, and sauté the cabbage with bacon so it turns tender and smoky rather than plain and boiled — the bacon is a small addition that transforms it. Then a piquant mustard sauce brings the sharp, tangy bite that cuts the rich, salty beef. Slice the brisket over the purée, add the bacon cabbage, and pass the mustard sauce at the table.

Jorj Morgan

Slow-Cooker Corned Beef with Root Vegetable Puree

This exquisite slow-cooked corned beef melts into tender perfection, complemented by a silky root vegetable puree and savory bacon-sautéed cabbage. A piquant horseradish sauce adds a bright flourish to this deeply comforting and elegantly plated meal.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course, Dinner Party

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

The Brisket & Beer Braise

• 1 (4 pound) raw corned beef brisket
• 2 (12-ounce) bottles dark beer
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

The Root Vegetable Puree

• 6 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 small white onions, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper

The Bacon-Sautéed Cabbage

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ pound bacon, about 4 to 5 slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium head Savoy cabbage, cut into 2-inch slices

The Piquant Mustard Sauce

• 2 tablespoons horseradish
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

Method

 

Slow-Cook the Brisket

1. Place the corned beef into the slow cooker.
2. Cover with beer.
3. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns and mustard seeds.
4. Cook on high for 7 to 8 hours.

Make the Vegetable Puree

1. During the last 2 hours of cooking, add the veggies to the slow cooker. Cook until the veggies are fork-tender.
2. Transfer the beef to a platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables from the slow cooker to the bowl of a food processor.
3. Add the butter and pulse to puree. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Rendering the Cabbage

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Cook the bacon in the pan until browned and crisp, abut 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Remove the bacon from the pan and place onto paper toweling to drain.
3. Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cabbage to the pan and cook until just soft, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer the cabbage to a bowl. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle on top of the cabbage. Keep warm.

The Piquant Sauce & Assembly

1. Whisk together the horseradish, sour cream and mustard. You can add a spoonful or two of the corn beef cooking liquid to thin and add flavor to the sauce.
2. Cut the corn beef, across the grain, into thin slices.
3. Place a generous spoonful of puree onto a plate. Top with a spoonful of sautéed cabbage. Lay slices of corned beef on top. Dollop with a tablespoon of sauce.