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    Home » Dinner

    Published: Mar 8, 2021 · Modified: Mar 15, 2022 by Cynthia · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Crispy Corned Beef

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This isn't your mother's boiled corned beef! Made in a slow cooker, or your oven, this Crispy Corned Beef couldn't be easier or more delicious!

    sliced crispy corned beef on a wooden cutting board.

    Crispy Corned Beef beginnings

    I've always loved corned beef sandwiches, but not the traditional St. Patrick's Day meal of boiled corned beef and cabbage, also known as a New England Boiled Dinner. Mmm... you boiled my dinner. No. That method of cooking just doesn't do it for me. If I'm going to make my own corned beef, it has to be done my way: highly seasoned, with a delicious crispy crust. Because most foods are better with some crispy bits.

    I first came up with the idea for this version of corned beef a few years ago, when I auditioned for Masterchef in New York. I wanted to make something that represented the Southern-Irish half of my DNA, so I served up my Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy with homemade corned beef hash. Using corned beef I cured myself, then crispy braised, using the method I'm about to share with you. It's that good.

    Spoiler: Chef Ramsay's culinary team definitely loved my food and advanced me to meet with the producers, but I was ultimately disqualified because I was a professional baker at the time. Ugh. The world really missed out 😩

    What are the ingredients for this Corned Beef?

    • Corned Beef I am not going to ask you to go through the five day process of curing your own corned beef. Not many of us are that obsessed. Thank goodness! I used a 4 pound corned beef from the Mega Market, the kind that comes in a bag with a little spice packet. If you have an excess of fat on top of your corned beef, you can trim that down a bit, but you do want at least ¼ inch of fat. It melts down and adds more flavor to the meat as it cooks.
    • Dijon Mustard I mean, corned beef is best friends with mustard, right? Also, the mustard will help your spices adhere to the top.
    • Apple Juice (or cider) and Apple Cider Vinegar These two together complete the flavoring of the meat in a way you just can't get with a traditional boiling in water.
    • Sugar and Spice Definitely makes everything nice here. You'll combine the spice packet that came with your meat along with garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and fennel seed to create a flavor garden on top of your corned beef. This is one of the only times I'll ever tell you not to include salt, because the meat is already cured in salt.
    ingredients for crispy corned beef.

    How do I make Crispy Corned Beef?

    • Season the meat You'll brush the mustard on top of the meat (fat trimmed, if desired) and pat your sugar and spice combination all over the top.
    Brushing mustard on uncooked corned beef.
    Seasoned corned beef in slow cooker.

    • Leave it alone If you're using a slow cooker, you'll pour the apple juice and vinegar into the bottom of your slow cooker insert, place the spiced meat into the slow cooker, cover, and cook for 6-7 hours, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Alternatively, you can bake this in your oven. Just place everything in a baking pan, cover, and bake at 325°F for 50 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145°F.
    • Crisp under the broiler You'll move the meat to a sheet pan and place under the broiler for about five minutes to let the top crisp up. That's eat. Slice and serve. You'll never go back to your boiled dinner again. Sorry, New England.

    The perfect sidekick:

    Looking for the perfect side dish to serve with my Crispy Corned Beef? My Sautéed Cabbage and Sauerkraut is an even tastier version of my Grandma’s Southern Fried Cabbage. It’s an easy way to add so much flavor to your plate!

    Get the recipe here
    Sautéed Cabbage and Sauerkraut in a cast iron pan.
    sliced crispy corned beef on a wooden cutting board.

    Crispy Corned Beef

    This isn't your mother's boiled corned beef! Made in a slow cooker, or your oven, this Crispy Corned beef couldn't be simpler or more delicious!
    4.36 from 14 votes
    Author: Cynthia
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 6 hrs
    Total Time 6 hrs 15 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American, Irish, Irish-American
    Servings 8 Servings
    Calories 367 kcal

    Equipment

    • Slow Cooker

    Ingredients
     

    • 3 to 4 pounds corned beef with spice packet
    • 1 tbs Dijon mustard
    • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
    • 2 tbs brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper coarse ground
    • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 cup apple juice or apple cider
    • 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

    Instructions

    Season the Corned Beef

    • Rub 2 tbs of Dijon mustard on the top (fatty side) of the corned beef. Mix the spice packet with minced garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and fennel seed and sprinkle on the top of the mustard.

    Slow Cooker Instructions

    • Pour the apple juice (or apple cider) and apple cider vinegar into the slow cooker. Add prepared corned beef, seasoned side up, to the pot of your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
    • Just before serving, place corned beef on a small foil-lined sheet pan and place under a broiler (6-7 inches away) for 5-6 minutes to caramelize and crisp the top. Keep an eye on it, as it browns quickly.

    Oven Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325°F. Pour the apple juice or apple cider and apple cider vinegar into the bottom of a roasting pan. Add prepared corned beef, fat side up, and cover the pan with a lid or with aluminum foil . Cook for about 50 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Take off the cover and place pan under the broiler for 5-6 minutes, or until your corned beef is browned and crispy.
    • Serve sliced for sandwiches or with cabbage and potatoes. You can also dice or shred with a fork and make your own corned beef hash!

    Notes

    Nutrition information provided is only an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1294mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 3mg

    The nutritional and caloric information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s or doctor’s counseling.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @butfirst_webrunch or tag #butfirstwebrunch!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sean says

      March 17, 2022 at 9:03 pm

      5 stars
      This meal was absolutely delicious! What a great way to spice up boring boiled corn beef!

      Reply
      • Cynthia says

        March 17, 2022 at 9:09 pm

        Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Leslie says

      March 15, 2023 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious. Thank you.
      I subbed some ingredients so I didn’t have to go to store, pineapple juice for apple, za-tar in place of fennel, damrera sugar in place of brown…

      Absolutely best corned beef!

      Reply
      • Cynthia says

        March 16, 2023 at 7:00 am

        That’s amazing! I’m glad you like it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cynthia! In our house, we get up with the sun and most of us don't stop working until late in the night, so breakfast and brunch are our family meals. So join me at the kitchen counter, where I cook up delicious food for my busy family, starting first thing in the morning!

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