Well, it's March, and almost time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. What better way of celebrating than with this Instant Pot Corned Beef Recipe and a glass of green beer? Maybe shredded Corned Beef Tacos and some tangy vinegar-based slaw?
Why This Recipe Works
I'm finally getting more comfortable with my Instant Pot. I find myself using it more and more. It's no surprise that I decided to cook my corned beef using my Instant Pot this year.
Making corned beef in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker is definitely the way I plan on making it from now on. Not only is it easy to prepare, but you are guaranteed a tender and delicious brisket EVERY. SINGLE. TIME!
You can even prepare it with the traditional fixings, which I'll explain in more detail later in this post.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Corned Beef— You'll need an approximately 4 pound corned beef. If the corned beef is smaller or larger the cooking time will need to be adjusted.
- Corned Beef Spice — Sometimes the corned beef is missing its spice pack or comes without one. In that case, you can make your own corned beef spices. You can also use pickling spices if you don't want to make your own spice mix.
- Beer — If you don't want to use beer, you can try a non-alcoholic beer, low-sodium broth, or apple cider.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1
Remove the corned beef from the packaging, rinse off the salty brine. Rub spice pack contents all over the roast. I know, there's never enough, right? Use my pickling spices (Corned Beef Spice Packet Recipe) to make more!
Step 2
Add two cups of water to the Instant Pot and place the rack inside. Add corned beef (fat-side up) and top with sliced onions and garlic cloves.
Step 3
Pour a 12-ounce bottle of beer over the brisket and sprinkle with more corned beef spices if desired. Lock lid in place and seal.
Step 4
Pressure cook for 90 minutes, then do a natural release for 15 minutes, followed by a quick release.
Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots, and Potatoes
I know what some of you are thinking: What about cabbage, potatoes, and carrots? Personally, I have never liked the fixings that are usually served with corned beef.
But if you would like to make the traditional fixings, you can do so with an Instant Pot. All you have to do is remove the brisket when it's cooked, then strain the broth, and pour it back in.
Add the quartered potatoes, cabbage, and carrots. Lock the lid into place and set the lever to seal. Cook on high pressure for an additional five minutes; it's that simple!
Stove-Top Instructions
I understand that not everyone owns an Instant Pot or wants to make pressure cooker corned beef. If this is the case with you, let's just follow the instructions below:
- Begin by generously seasoning the brisket using my corned beef spices recipe.
- Place seasoned brisket in a Dutch oven and cover with water or a combination of water and beer. The liquid should cover that brisket by approximately four inches.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and cook until the brisket is tender (2 to 2-½ hours).
- Add quartered potatoes, baby carrots, and cabbage, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked to your preference.
Irish Tacos
So once you've enjoyed the Insta Pot Corned Beef, either the traditional way (with cabbage wedges and potatoes) or my personal favorite, (with Cabbage Dolma), what do you do with the leftovers?
I'd like to suggest that you make some corned beef tacos, also known as Irish Tacos. Shred the corned beef and serve it in charred corn tortillas, along with sour cream, your favorite cheese, and either shredded cabbage or coleslaw.
For other St. Patrick's Day menu ideas, check out 20 Tasty St. Patrick's Day recipes.
I recently purchased these great taco holders, which are not only affordable and super convenient, but fun to use!
Related Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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Instant Pot Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 4 pound Corned Beef Brisket (Flat or Round)
- 1 medium onion
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 12 ounce beer
Instructions
- Remove the corned beef from the packaging, rinse off the salty brine. Rub spice pack contents all over the roast. I know, there's never enough, right? Use my pickling spices (Corned Beef Spice Packet Recipe) to make more!
- Add two cups of water to the Instant Pot and place the rack inside. Add corned beef (fat-side up) and top with sliced onions and garlic cloves.
- Pour a 12-ounce bottle of beer over the brisket and sprinkle with more corned beef spices if desired. Lock lid in place and seal.
- Pressure cook for 90 minutes, then do a natural release for 15 minutes, followed by a quick release.
Sherry says
absolutely PERFECT!! I was cooking the corned beef for sandwiches and has so I was not in a hurry for it, so I let the pressure release 100% naturally. I don't know if this changes anything but we loved the corned beef. I was almost fall apart tender but still held together enough to slice for sandwiches. I used the recommended extra seasoning and have no regrets.
Jenny Hardin says
I am cooking a 1 1/2 lb corned beef. Should I cut the cooking time by half?
Thank you,
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Jenny,
Try cooking it for approximately 20 to 22 minutes per pound. In this case, somewhere between 30 to 45 minutes should work. Let me know how it goes!
Kate says
This was super easy to follow and the final product was excellent! So tasty! Thank you!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kate,
Thank you so much for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Samantha says
Trying this recipe right now! Can’t wait!
Hilda Sterner says
Come back and let me know how it goes!
Joe Tinker says
When cooking a brisket on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, I cover with a few inches of liquid. beyond the 2c of water & 12ozs of beer, do I need to add more liquid to cover before pressure cooking?
Thank-you!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Joe, No you don't need to add more liquid than the recipe suggests. Good luck!☘️
Renee says
Do you cook in the instant pot on high pressure?
Thank you. The homemade spice mixture smells absolutely heavenly.
Also, do you have a beer recommendation to use over the brisket? I tried Guiness- hope it tastes good!
Hilda Sterner says
Yes, you do cook it on high pressure.To tell you the truth, I usually use whatever beer I have in the fridge, but it's usually a good quality beer since I don't like cheaper beers. Let me know how the Guiness goes!
Michelle says
I’m doing 2 4 -5 lbs beefs. Should I adjust the cooking time?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Michelle, I'm assuming you have an 8 quart and can fit two in there? Mine is a 6 quart so I can only do one at a time. However, you should be able to do two in there for the same time, maybe add an additional 1/2 cup of water. Good luck, I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Melanie says
Hi, Hilda! I'm going to try this recipe but can I use the round brisket instead of a flat cut? I already bought it!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Melanie,
I actually used a round brisket today and it worked beautifully! I'll update my post to reflect that. 🙂
Mike W. says
Followed your Instant Pot recipe as presented. The corned beef came out great! Your recipe is a keeper!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Mike,
Thank you so much for the review, I really appreciate it. Enjoy! ☘️