Slow cooker corned beef is a retro classic still popular today. Make this easy recipe and you’ll see why! It’s a nostalgic and economical family meal, made even simpler thanks to the convenience of the slow cooker.
Serve with the quick and creamy horseradish sauce and your favourite vegetables. Plus any leftovers are great in sandwiches and toasties, and corned beef hash.
Short on time? Try our pressure cooker corned beef recipe.
Ingredients
Method
Rinse beef under cold water; pat dry with absorbent paper. Place beef, onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns, vinegar and sugar in a 4.5-litre (18-cup) slow cooker.
Add enough of the water to barely cover beef. Cook, covered on low for 8 hours.
Remove beef from cooker; discard liquid and vegetables. Cover beef to keep warm.
Make horseradish sauce. Heat milk until hot. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in horseradish cream and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve beef with sauce.
The horseradish sauce is best made just before serving. However, if you make it earlier, cover the surface of the sauce with plastic wrap to stop a skin from forming. Reheat gently in a saucepan, stirring, until heated through.
Test Kitchen tip
What is corned beef?
Corned beef, also called corned silverside, is a true classic that gets its name from the corn kernel-sized grains of salt that it was packed in to cure it.
It is simplicity itself to make, and serving it with a piquant sauce, like horseradish, adds bite to the sweet, gentle saltiness of the meat.
What to serve with slow cooker corned beef
A mix of steamed seasonal vegetables make a good accompaniment to slow cooker corned beef. Try baby potatoes, carrots, peas or beans, or zucchini.
Can you freeze corned beef?
We’ve chosen to say ‘not suitable’ when large pieces of meat are an ingredient in our slow cooker recipes. However, if you don’t mind the food looking a bit sad after it’s thawed, almost anything will tolerate freezing.
Slow cooked meals will freeze for up to three months. There is usually a large quantity of liquid, so transfer the meat and vegetables to appropriate-sized freezer-friendly containers, then pour in enough of the liquid to cover the meat etc.
Leave a 2.5cm (1-inch) space between the food and the lid to allow for expansion then seal the container. Label and date the container before placing in the freezer.
