Cooking corned beef and cabbage is not a difficult dish to make. For those in charge of cooking up their 2017 St. Patrick’s Day dinner, we’ve got your covered with four super easy ways how to cook the holiday recipe.

Crockpot

If you have a crockpot handy, this is the easiest way to cook corned beef and cabbage. The most important part if making sure you have a crock pot big enough to fit your corned beef and enough time to cook it.

You’ll need several hours to get your meat tender before serving. If you have more time, consider cooking it on a low setting for 10-12 hours. If not, cook it on high for 7 hours.

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To prepare your St. Patrick’s Day meal this way, simply cut up a large white onion and place it in the bottom of the crockpot. Then, place the meat on top with the fat side facing up. Next, pour two cans or so or ginger ale on top of the meat. Top it off with some pickling spice (it is usually included in the meat packaging) and you’re good to go!

If you want cabbage with your meal either cook it separately in a boiling pot of water for 12 minutes prior to dinner or place it in the crockpot for the last hour to cook alongside the meat. (We suggest the first option for a more tasty result!)

Stove Top

If you want to cook your corned beef and cabbage on a stove top, you’ll need a pot large enough to fit your meat, so plan accordingly. Food.com suggests starting off by placing your corned beef in a pot of cold water and allow it to soak for up to 30 minutes to draw out some of the salt.

From there, pour out the water and add a new batch of water, just enough to cover the meat. Then, sprinkle in some picking spice and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the temperature on the stove top to allow the meat to simmer for three. Use a spoon to take out any foam that rises to the top.

You’ll know your corned beef is done when it’s fork tender and reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

For those wanting cabbage, you can either cook it separately or add it to the pot of corned beef 30 minutes before the beef is done cooking.

Oven

Corned beef can also be cooked in the oven. To do it this way, set the oven for 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the meat fat side up in an inch of water in a covered oven-safe container. The corned beef will need one hour of cook time per pound.

Microwave

The USDA approves cooking corned beef in a microwave. For this method, place the meat in a casserole dish with 1 to 1.5 cups of water. Cover the dish with a ventilated top and microwave the meat on medium-low for half the cook time (you’ll need up to 30 minutes per pound). Halfway through the cooking process turn the meat over, rotate the dish in the microwave and change the heat to high. You can add vegetables during the final 30 minutes of this process.

Slicing Tips

No matter how you cooked your corned beef, you’re going to need to know how to serve it when it’s ready. Most recipes suggest trimming the fat from the meat (it will separate itself if cooked in a crockpot) before serving and to cut the meat across the grain.

Happy St. Patrick’​s Day!

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