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Real Food Instant Pot Corned Beef

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Instant Pot Corned Beef … salty, herby, sweet and spicy real food brine makes the most amazing, tender brisket cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot.

Slices of corned beef with carrots, cabbage and red potatoes.

There’s just nothing like salty, fork tender, corned beef.

I have loved corned beef since I was a little girl. It’s the one meat entree that I truly loved and looked forward to when I was little. It was my mom’s favorite too. I loved when she made it every year for St. Patrick’s Day.

I also love corned beef hash. My mom used to take me to a restaurant in Berkeley called Bette’s Oceanview Diner and she would always get it {with scrambled eggs instead of the poached eggs that the “Maryland” comes with}. It was a super special treat for us. She always let me have bites of her corned beef hash so I could order pancakes.

Such fun memories. I miss my mom like crazy. Always. Daily.

This time of year makes me think of her. She always felt a strong connection to Ireland. She dreamed of traveling there, but sadly never got to. But she sure loved Irish inspired food.

Slices of corned beef on a cutting board with carrots, cabbage and red potatoes.

As many of you know, as I got older I became a vegetarian so enjoying corned beef was out of the question for me. But I still loved celebrating with my mom. She would make corned beef and I would make Colcannon {her favorite}. We enjoyed our meal together, even though I skipped the corned beef.

Those vegetarian {turned vegan} days are way behind me and I’ll never go back {you can read more about my health journey here}. I love being able to enjoy corned beef again!

There’s just something about that salty, herby, sweet and spicy brine. It makes the most amazing, tender brisket.

Slices of corned beef on a cutting board with carrots, cabbage, red potatoes and Dijon mustard.

The best method to cook corned beef is in the Instant Pot. It comes out perfect every time!

Please note, this corned beef does NOT use chemically processed saltpeter {which is used in almost all store-bought packaged corned beef}. Will this change the flavor? No. It just means that the meat isn’t going to have that bright pink color that most corned beef has.

Slices of corned beef on a cutting board with carrots, cabbage and red potatoes.

Instant Pot Corned Beef

Real Food Instant Pot Corned Beef

Real Food Instant Pot Corned Beef

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Inactive Time: 3 days
Total Time: 3 days 1 hour 35 minutes

Instant Pot Corned Beef ... salty, herby, sweet and spicy real food brine makes the most amazing, tender brisket cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Corned Beef:

  • 2-3 pound grass-fed beef brisket, remove excess fat*
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed or sliced
  • 1-2 fresh or dried bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • Filtered Water

For the Brine:

  • 8 cups filtered water
  • 1/2 cup sea salt (<-- this is my favorite sea salt)
  • 4 tablespoons raw honey
  • 4 fresh or dried bay leaves
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed or sliced
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns (optional)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 4 whole cloves

Instructions

For the Brine:

  1. Add 2 cups of water to a medium saucepan, reserve the remaining 6 cups of water for later use. Add all other brine ingredients to saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir until salt is completely dissolved. Allow to cool a bit.
  3. Transfer brine mixture to an 8 cup mason jar or large mixing bowl. Add remaining 6 cups of water. Stir to combine. Place brine mixture in the refrigerator to chill.
  4. When brine mixture is cold, add brisket to a large brining bag or airtight container. Pour brine mixture over the brisket, making sure the brisket is fully submerged. Place in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Make sure to rotate or shake the meat in the bag every day.

Cooking Corned Beef Brisket in the Instant Pot:

  1. Remove brisket from brine and place in stainless steel Instant Pot bowl.
  2. Add just enough water to nearly cover the brisket.
  3. Add smashed garlic, bay leaves, mustard seeds and caraway seeds.
  4. Cover with lid making sure it's in the locked/closed position. Make sure the steam release handle is in the sealed position.
  5. Press the "Meat/Stew" button under high pressure and increase the time using the "+" until you reach 55 minutes. [Note: If you're using a larger brisket, you'll need to increase the cooking time. 55 minutes will produce a tender slice-able corned beef. If you prefer the meat to be falling apart-fork tender and not slice-able, you can increase the cooking time to 60-65 minutes.]
  6. Walk away. Don't worry, the Instant Pot will start to work. Within a minute it will switch to "On" and slowly start to build the pressure. You will hear it making some noises and possibly release a little steam. Once the Instant Pot reaches the necessary pressure, you will see the screen switch from "On" to the timer. It will then start to countdown the time.
  7. Once finished the Instant Pot will beep and the display will switch to LO:OO - the warming setting. Press the cancel/off button. You can unplug the Instant Pot at this point. Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally for about 15-20 BEFORE removing the lid. 
  8. Remove lid and carefully remove brisket with tongs to a serving platter/cutting board.
  9. Slice brisket and serve with your favorite Irish sides like Colcannon or vegetables like cabbage, carrots and potatoes. [See Notes]

Notes

YOU WILL NEED: Instant Pot, Brining Bag or Large Air-tight Container, Medium Saucepan

Please note, this corned beef does NOT use chemically processed saltpeter (which is used in most store-bought packaged corned beef). Will this change the flavor? No. It just means that the meat isn’t going to have that bright pink color that most corned beef has. 

*Use kitchen scissors to discard any large amounts of excess fat. 

I prefer corned beef without super cooked/boiled cabbage, carrots and potatoes. If you prefer to cook those vegetables in the corned beef broth, that's fine. Once the corned beef is cooked, add the broth to a stockpot. Add carrots and large chunks of potatoes and cabbage wedges to the corned beef broth then bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 709Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 240mgSodium: 9593mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 66g

This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

© Emily
Cuisine: Irish / Category: Instant Pot Recipes

Are you on Pinterest? I pin lots of yummy real food recipes + more there. I have a board just for Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Recipes and one for Main Dishes too. Come follow along. 

The Art of Great Cooking With Your Instant Pot Cookbook - 80 INSPIRING GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES MADE EASIER, FASTER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS IN YOUR MULTI-FUNCTION COOKER | Recipes to Nourish // Instant Pot Recipes | Pressure Cooker Recipes | Gluten Free Recipes | Healthy Recipes | Real Food Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. I just bought corned beef yesterday. My son is a ginger redhead, and I’m auburn. We’re not Irish but Mexican. 🙂 Regardless, we love to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Reply

  10. I feel like I NEED an instant pot now! I have been looking at one for a while but I always worry that I will not be able to use it for enough recipes and it will just take up room. I love this recipe though and I like the idea of using it in this manner. I may have to have my kids try corned beef this year!

    Reply

    • You’ll love it Alison! Once you start using it you’ll kind of get hooked. It takes up less space than my slow cooker and I use it so much that I don’t mind it being out on the counter. But – it isn’t too big, so it stores nice in cabinets too. It’s a total game changer, especially on week nights.

      Reply

  12. I must make this! as soon as I get my IP! This is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. I’m sure your mom would be so proud to see your version, so beautiful. xoxo

    Reply

  18. I am a pescetarian but I have a meat eater in my house that will love this. 🙂 I’ve never made corn beef so it’s time to roll up my sleeves and take a crack at it. I’m attracted to this recipe because it doesn’t use chemically processed saltpeter.

    Reply

  20. Sounds delicious, I can feel I need it now. Thanks for sharing us how to make this yummy dish.

    Reply

  28. I haven’t had corned beef in so long. This is mouth watering! I’ll have to check out your health journey post too. I gave up meat and dairy in my early twenties, but that only lasted a year or two before I felt that I had to eat meat again. It’s always nice to read someone else’s journey to see what they went through. Heading there now!

    Reply

  30. My mom always made corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day… but I have never made it for my family because it was too time consuming. Thank you so much for this quick and easy instant pot version!

    Reply

  32. I love corned beef in the IP – you’re right, it really is a great way to cook it. I love how food can help us remember special moments in life, thanks for sharing your special memories.

    Reply

    • Isn’t that weird? I think it’s really just for the color – because “brown” meat isn’t as “pretty” as pink. LOL it really is silly, but we live in a world with food coloring in everything, so I’m not surprised.

      Reply

  36. The piece or corn beef is in the brine since Tuesday. I will make it tomorrow in my IP. However I have a question. Once you take it out of the brine, you don’t rinse it?
    My first time making it for my husband. Hope he loves it. Will let you know how it comes out tomorrow.

    Reply

      • My husband said it was the best corned beef he had so far. Thanks for the recipe. I cannot comment for myself as I am vegan but got to feed the man..lol

        Reply

        • I’m so happy to hear that Nicole! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. 🙂 I can relate, I was a vegan for many years (but had to change my diet). I still have trouble touching meat. I think that’s so kind of you to cook meals for him that he enjoys.

          Reply

  38. I love corned beef, but have yet to make it in the instant pot. Pinned this one and I can’t wait to try it. I’m definitely not waiting until St. Patrick’s Day! 🙂

    Reply

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