• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Platings and pairings logo.
Start Here
All Recipes
Perfect Pairings
Wine Travel
About
Home

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Glazed Corned Beef

Jump to Recipe

|

Posted by:

Erin Lynch

|

Updated:

March 8, 2025

|

5 from 23 votes

This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Disclosure policy.

  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Brown sugar corned beef pinterest image.

This Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Corned Beef is made in the crock pot and finished off under the broiler with a brown sugar-mustard glaze, giving it a nice crispy crust.

Overhead shot of slow cooker corned beef

Save This Recipe!

Enter your email address to get a link to this post conveniently in your inbox!

Save Recipe

ez-toc

Want to make this recipe even faster? Be sure to try my Instant Pot Corned Beef recipe.

I have long been a huge fan of corned beef. Maybe it’s the Irish in me? I’m a redhead named Erin, so it was only natural for me to always gravitate towards my Irish roots… Although, the other half of me is Italian, and I could easily eat pasta every day of my life too…

As a child, I would request corned beef & cabbage on my birthdays for my special meal. I liked that the meat was salty and flavorful, and almost like string cheese in that you could pull off piece by piece and nibble away. Technically, you’re supposed to cut across the grain, so that your meat isn’t stringy, but I always liked it cut with the grain – it gave me a reason to play with my food.

And although I grew up eating corned beef & cabbage, the recipe that I use to make it has definitely evolved over time.

This is a recipe that I’ve used since college and it actually was created by my friend and college roommate Jim (did I ever tell you that I lived with five guys in college?). 

As college students, meals weren’t anything too fancy. I seem to recall lots of canned soup, chicken breasts, and ramen noodles. But, cooking yummy food on the cheap was one of Jim’s specialties. We’d trade recipes and food quite often. After moving out, Jim sent me this recipe for Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage, and I’ve been making it for Saint Patrick’s Day ever since.

PS – I’ve discovered that the Instant Pot is also amazing for making tender and delicious corned beef – Be sure to check out that recipe here if you’ve got an IP! 

Ingredients needed

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Meat and Vegetables

  • Red Potatoes – You can also use small russet potatoes, or baby potatoes.
  • Carrots & Celery
  • Corned Beef Brisket – You can use a point cut or flat cut for this recipe. Be sure to save the pickling spice packet that comes with it too, as we’ll use some of it for seasoning.
  • Cabbage Wedges
  • Garlic
  • Dark Beer – This is optional. You can also use chicken stock or beef broth.

Corned Beef Glaze

  • Brown Sugar
  • Brown Mustard
  • Water
  • Butter

Honey Mustard Sauce

  • Honey – You can also use agave.
  • Brown Mustard – Or dijon mustard or whole grain mustard.
  • Greek Yogurt – Makes the sauce nice and creamy. But it’s optional. You can also use sour cream.
Vegetables in slow cooker
Corned beef in slow cooker

How to make crock pot corned beef

  • Add some potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, corned beef and that little spice packet that comes with the corned beef to the slow cooker. A bottle of beer adds great flavor and you’ll want to add water to cover the meat.
  • Let it cook away on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the brown sugar-mustard glaze.
  • Remove the corned beef from the slow cooker and coat with a bit of the glaze. Pop it under the broiler set to LOW and let it get nice and golden for 30 minutes, adding more glaze every 10 minutes or so.
  • While the corned beef is finishing, we’ll strain the cooking liquids from the crock pot and boil our cabbage in there.
Overhead of corned beef cut on platter

This recipe also serves a honey-mustard sauce on the side that’s perfect for drizzling over the cooked cabbage, potatoes and carrots. So, so good.

Although this Glazed Corned Beef & Cabbage is amazing for St. Patrick’s Day, I could honestly eat it every day of the year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

How to make ahead and store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.

Using corned beef leftovers

Leftover corned beef is great for making reuben sandwiches! Or, shred the fork-tender meat to make a corned beef hash.

FAQs

How many hours does it take to cook corned beef?

In the slow cooker, corned beef will take 8-9 hours on LOW heat, or 4-5 hours on HIGH heat.

What happens if you don’t rinse corned beef before cooking?

It’s okay if you forget to rinse your corned beef before cooking. However, it may be a bit saltier than you’d like.

Does corned beef get more tender the longer it is cooked?

Yes, cooking corned beef low and slow is the best way to get the most tender corned beef. That’s why the crockpot is great for making corned beef!

Wine pairings for corned beef

  • I suggest a light-bodied, fruit forward red like a Beaujolais or Grenache to pair with the salty-fatty corned beef and the traditional spices of bay leaves and peppercorn.
  • On the white wine side, I’d suggest a Pinot Blanc or dry Riesling.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef on platter.

More slow cooker recipes

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Slow Cooker “Better Than Botox” Bone Broth
  • Slow Cooker Chipotle Lentil Soup
  • Slow Cooker Osso Buco Recipe
  • Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken // Taco Lettuce Wraps
  • Slow Cooker Pork Chops
  • More → 37+ Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes

More St. Patrick’s Day recipes

  • Guinness Beer Bread
  • Smoked Corned Beef
  • Roasted Cabbage Steaks
  • Instant Pot Glazed Corned Beef & Cabbage
  • Green Bloody Mary
  • More → 37+ BEST sides for Corned Beef

Did you try this glazed corned beef?

If you loved this crockpot corned beef, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on  Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.

PS – Don’t forget about the 9+ BEST Sauces for Corned Beef too!

Save This Recipe!

Enter your email address to get a link to this post conveniently in your inbox!

Save Recipe – Before Recipe Card

Close up of Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage arranged on a platter.

Full Recipe

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Corned Beef

This Slow Cooker Glazed Corned Beef & Cabbage is made in the crock pot and finished off under the broiler with a brown sugar-mustard glaze, giving it a nice crispy crust.
5 from 23 votes
Print Pin
Serves 6 servings
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 7 hours hrs
Total Time: 7 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

Meat and Vegetables:

  • 6-8 baby red potatoes (cut into large wedges)
  • 3 medium carrots (thick sliced)
  • 2 ribs celery (thick sliced)
  • 3-5 pounds corned beef brisket ((fat trimmed off and rinsed))
  • 1 head cabbage (cut into large wedges (about 2 pounds))
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 small bottle dark beer (about 12 ounces)

Glaze:

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup brown mustard
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 Tbsp butter

Honey Mustard Sauce:

  • ½ cup honey ( or agave)
  • ½ cup brown mustard
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream, optional)

Instructions

  • Layer the potatoes 1/2 cup celery and ½ cup carrots in the bottom of slow cooker. Place corned beef on veggies. Add garlic and packet of seasoning that comes with the corned beef. Add beer and water until meat is covered. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours (or HIGH for 4-5 hours). 
  • Just prior to corned beef being done, melt butter in small saucepan — add water and brown sugar. Heat over medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, stir in mustard. Simmering another 2-3 minutes. Pour in dish and set aside.
  • When corned beef is ready, remove and place on cookie tray and tent with foil. Place large pot in sink with colander inside. Pour out the slow cooker ingredients saving both liquid and potatoes. Discard cooked carrots and celery. Preheat broiler. Place pot of liquid on stove on medium-high until boiling. Boil the remaining carrots and celery for 3 minutes then add cabbage and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain liquid.
  • Remove foil tent. Brush glaze on top of corned beef and broil on low, 6-inches from the element for 30 minutes adding glaze every 10 minutes. Always keep an eye on the broiler to avoid burning. After 30 minutes remove corned beef and place on cutting board. Cut corned beef across the grain. Serve with veggies and honey mustard sauce.

Notes

How to make ahead and store: 
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.

Nutrition

Calories: 725kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 2827mg | Potassium: 1210mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 119.4mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 7.3mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

This post was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2023. The glazed corned beef recipe remains the same but the content has been updated. 

  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • Email
5 from 23 votes (18 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

13 responses

  1. Catherine @ Ten Thousand Hour Mama
    February 27, 2018

    mm, I love mustard in sauces, seasonings and dressings. I’m such a sucker for anything with mustard!

    Reply
  2. Devin Vond
    February 27, 2018

    5 stars
    My wife would love this! I’ll have to try it out 🙂

    Reply
    1. Erin
      February 28, 2018

      I hope she enjoys it Devin!

      Reply
  3. Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife
    February 28, 2018

    5 stars
    I haven’t ever really been a corned beef and cabbage fan but this looks so delicious and flavorful! Love that you updated the recipe to include Instant Pot instructions – thanks, Erin!!

    Reply
    1. Tara M Staton
      March 18, 2020

      5 stars
      This was absolutely amazing. Will be adding this in as a rotation more often than March 17….even my kids gobbled it up!!

      Reply
      1. Erin
        March 19, 2020

        So excited to hear that Tara!

        Reply
  4. Meg
    February 28, 2018

    5 stars
    My mouth is watering! This looks fantastic! I’ve never made corned beef before but this looks pretty easy.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      March 6, 2018

      Give it a try Meg – It really is SO easy!

      Reply
  5. Katherine
    March 12, 2019

    Try adding a large onion to the crock pot in the beginning, and stud it with cloves! It adds a wonderful flavor to the whole dish! From an Irish Colleen!

    Reply
  6. Kelle
    March 18, 2020

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe. My very picky family really enjoyed it.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      March 19, 2020

      Yay! So happy to hear that Kelle! Hope you guys had a great St. Patrick’s Day!

      Reply
  7. Col K
    March 19, 2025

    Delicious recipe. Corned beef came out great and the broiling on low was a nice touch – wasn’t too crispy or dried out at all but had just the right amount of texture. Will be my go-to recipe from now on for corned beef. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Erin Lynch
      March 25, 2025

      Thank you so much!!!

      Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

Know More

Follow Me on Social!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • X
  • YouTube

Recent Recipes

  • Chicken Piccata Meatballs
  • Easy Crab Spaghetti (15-Minute Recipe)
  • American Lamb Sausage Rolls
  • Avocado Hot Sauce
  • Caramelized Cabbage Pasta with Pecans
  • Marry Me Beans
  • Cauliflower Potato Salad
  • Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce

Dish Type

30 Minute Meals
Appetizer Recipes
Cocktail Recipes
Dessert Recipes
Healthy Recipes

Cooking Method

Air Fryer Recipes
Grilling Recipes
Instant Pot Recipes
Slow Cooker Recipes
Sous Vide Recipes

Ingredient

Beef Recipes
Chicken Recipes
Lamb Recipes
Pork Recipes
Seafood Recipes

Cocktails

Classic
Gin
Margarita
Moscow Mule
Vodka

Sides

Bread
Potatoes
Rice
Salad
Vegetables

Travel

Australia
California
Europe
Hawaii
Italy
About Me
Contact
Privacy Policy

© All Rights Reserved.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.