Name: Corned Beef with Pickled Cabbage and Potato Salad
Total time: 195 min
Ingredients: One 5-pound corned beef with seasoning packet; Two 12-ounce bottles pale ale; 1 large onion, quartered; 6 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 bay leaves; water; 1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, halved if small or quartered if large; 3 cups distilled white vinegar; 2 tablespoons mustard seeds; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 pounds green cabbage, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick; 1 cup chopped parsley; 2 tablespoons each whole-grain mustard and Dijon mustard, combined

Corned Beef with Pickled Cabbage and Potato Salad

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To freshen up a springtime favorite, we braise corned beef in pale ale until it’s tender, then serve it alongside a bright and refreshing potato salad with cabbage.

Justin Chapple

Updated on December 10, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Frequently asked questions

What's the best way to cook corned beef?

Though corned beef can be baked or made in a slow cooker, cooking it on the stovetop is straightforward and traditional. Here, we use meat that's already been cured and comes with a seasoning packet. We combine the seasoning with a couple bottles of pale ale, water, garlic, onion, and bay leaves to make an aromatic simmering liquid that imparts the beef with deep flavor as it cooks.

How do you cut corned beef?

Once the beef has finished cooking, you'll transfer it to a cutting board to rest for 15 minutes. Then, you'll slice it as you would a steak — against the grain, perpendicular to the parallel lines running through the meat. Thin slices create the most tender texture.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The corned beef will need to simmer for about two and a half hours to become perfectly tender, which is plenty of time to prepare the accompanying potato salad with cabbage. When the meat is done, don't discard the cooking liquid! Any leftover sliced corned beef can be refrigerated in the cooking liquid for up to three days.

Ingredients

1 (5-pound) corned beef with seasoning packet
2 (12-ounce) bottles pale ale
1 large onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
15 cups water, divided
1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, halved if small or quartered if large
3 cups distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds green cabbage, cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons each whole-grain mustard and Dijon mustard, combined, for serving

Directions

In a large pot, combine the corned beef and its seasonings with the beer, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and 12 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the beef is tender, about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes with the vinegar, mustard seeds, sugar, salt and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool completely in the liquid. Stir in the cabbage and refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain well, transfer to a serving bowl, and stir in the parsley.
Transfer the corned beef to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes, then slice against the grain. Serve alongside the salad, passing the mixed mustards at the table.

Originally appeared: March 2017