Crockpot Beef Brisket & Cabbage

Whether you are Irish, of Irish descent, or just love celebrating with the Irish, St. Patrick’s Day often includes the classic Corned Beef & Cabbage. Corned beef is beef brisket brined in rock salt, or “corns” of salt, along with nitrates that give the beef a pink color.

Salt-cured meat is loaded with sodium. By simmering a trimmed, uncured beef brisket in a blend of aromatic spices, we drastically reduced the amount of salt and cut down on fat, cholesterol and calories.

Irish food may be thought of as heavy and filling, but surprisingly, many dishes are packed with nutrition. Beef brisket is high in protein, zinc, B-vitamins and thiamin, but like all beef, is higher in fat and cholesterol and should be eaten in moderation. Cabbage, of the cruciferous vegetable family including kale and broccoli, is high in vitamin C and folic acid, and fiber.

Along with the beef and cabbage we rounded out our one-pot meal by tossing in carrots and potatoes. Quick to prepare and easy to serve, let it simmer all day on low and come home to a feast. Watch us prepare!

Preparation Time: 30 to 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 to 10 hours

INGREDIENTS

Spice Rub

• 1 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

Meal

• 1 large onion, about 1 ½ cups, sliced
• 3 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of extra fat
• 2 cups reduced sodium beef stock, divided
• 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head cabbage, cut into four wedges
• 2 pounds, about 6 medium-sized red potatoes, quartered
• 1 pound baby carrots, or 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and quartered
• ¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make spice rub by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Place beef brisket on a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap and rub spices into the meat. Keep turning and rubbing spices into meat until absorbed.
3. Place onions on bottom of 5-to-6 quart crockpot, then place beef brisket on top of onions.
4. Combine one cup beef broth with cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic cloves and bay leaves. Pour mixture over the meat.
5. Layer cabbage, potatoes and carrots over top of meat.
6. Pour remaining one cup of beef broth over the vegetables.
7. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Beef will be very tender.
8. Transfer beef to a cutting board and discard the bay leaves. Cut brisket across the grain into thin slices. Cut each cabbage wedge in half.
9. Plate brisket with onions and cabbage and garnish with parsley. Serve potatoes and carrots with the meat or on the side with the broth.

Note: The amount of beef will vary after being trimmed. For example, a 3-pound brisket may weigh 2 ½ pounds after the fat has been removed.
Makes about 10, 4 ounce servings.

Nutritional Information
Per serving: 252 calories; 4.5g total fat (1.7g saturated fat, 0.3g polyunsaturated fat, 1.8g monounsaturated fat); 453g sodium; 46.5mg cholesterol; 25.0g carbohydrate; 3.7g fiber; 5.0g sugars; 27.5g protein; 976.6mg potassium. (A serving is 4-ounces of meat, a wedge of cabbage, a cup of potatoes-carrots, and about ¼ cup broth.)