Instant Pot Corned Beef

This Instant Pot Corned Beef makes a cozy, complete dinner with tender, sliceable beef and perfectly cooked veggies in under 2 hours. It’s a one-pot, classic comfort meal with an easy, hands-off method that turns out juicy every time.

Instant Pot Corned Beef on a plate with potatoes and vegetables

Flavor: Savory corned beef with that signature pickling-spice flavor, gently mellowed with beer and broth, served alongside potatoes, carrots, and buttery cabbage.
Recommended Tools: A 6-quart Instant Pot, a trivet, and a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon make this recipe effortless.
Serving Suggestions: This is great with mustard or horseradish sauce.
Leftovers: This is one of those go-to winter comfort dinners, and the leftovers make easy, satisfying lunches all week long. They are great for Reuben sandwiches, corned beef hash, and baked Reuben-style casseroles.

cabbage , beer , carrots , potatoes , broth , onion , garlic , beef brisket with labels to make Instant Pot Corned Beef

Ingredients That Make it Work

Beer: Choose a mild lager. A darker beer can taste slightly bitter after pressure cooking. No beer? No problem. Replace it with additional broth or a mix of broth and water.
Broth: For a deeper flavor, use beef broth. For a lower sodium content, use water or a low-sodium beef broth.
Beef: Use either a point cut (fattier and more tender) or a flat cut (easy to slice) brisket. If very salty, give it a quick rinse and pat dry. If it comes with the spice packet, add it on top so it seasons the beef as it cooks.
Spice Packet Substitute: If your corned beef doesn’t have a packet, replace it with about 1 tablespoon of pickling spice.
Vegetables: Waxy potatoes hold their shape and don’t need peeling (russets can get a bit crumbly), while chunky-cut carrots keep their texture instead of turning soft. Add the green cabbage after the beef cooks and cut it into wedges or large pieces so it stays tender-crisp.
Variations: Add parsnips, turnips, or rutabaga along with the potatoes and carrots for extra heartiness.

adding beef to pot with broth and onions to make Instant Pot Corned Beef

adding potatoes annd vegetables to pot to make Instant Pot Corned Beef

The One Pot Game Plan

Combine beer, beef broth, onion, and garlic in the Instant Pot (full recipe below).
Add the corned beef to the Instant Pot on the trivet. Sprinkle with seasoning. Cook.
Remove the corned beef. Add veggies and cook.
Slice the meat across the grain and serve with the veggies.

Let the brisket rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
For extra tender slices, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release.
Slice across the grain (look for the long lines in the meat) to keep it tender.
If the potatoes are small, add them whole. If they are larger, halve them so everything finishes at the same time.
Save the cooking liquid and spoon a little over sliced beef when serving and again when reheating leftovers.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store leftover corned beef (and a little cooking liquid) and vegetables separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 4 days.

Freeze the corned beef with a little cooking liquid in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.

Reheat with a splash of broth or cooking liquid in a covered skillet or microwave at reduced power to prevent drying.

Cozy St. Patrick Day Spread

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

In a 6-quart Instant Pot, combine water, beer, broth, onion, and garlic.
Add the trivet to the bottom of the pot and place the corned beef brisket with the *spice mixture, fat side up (if your corned beef doesn’t have a spice mixture, see the notes).
Close the lid and ensure the pressure release valve is in the sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes.
Once the cooking time is done, release the pressure. Open the lid, remove the brisket, and place it on a plate to rest. Lightly tent with foil.
Leave about 1 cup of liquid in the Instant Pot. Add cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Close the lid and set to high pressure for 5 minutes.
Quick-release pressure and remove the lids. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a serving plate. Top with butter or juices from the Instant Pot.
Slice corned beef across the grain and serve with vegetables.

No Spice Packet? No Problem! Corned beef often comes with a seasoning packet to be added during cooking. If you don’t see a spice packet, sometimes the spices are already in the beef, and the packet is not separate. A corned beef spice packet can be substituted with about 1 tablespoon or so of pickling spices.
You can use all broth or all beer with the water. Darker beers can produce a slightly bitter flavor depending on the type/brand.
I prefer baby potatoes because they hold their shape and don’t require peeling/chopping, but you can use any potatoes. Russet potatoes will need to be peeled. Baby carrots will work in this recipe.
Keep leftover beef and vegetables separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Entree, Instant Pot, Main Course

Cuisine American, Irish

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