This is my go to recipe for corned beef. Comes out perfect every time!
Why I love this baked corned beef recipe
Did you know that corned beef made from beef brisket? It’s just preserved with spices and curing salt which contains sodium nitrate – this is what gives it it’s unique pink color. In general, brisket benefits from low and slow cooking methods, and by baking the corned beef at a low temperature, we can render the fat and connective tissue that can make corned beef tough.
It’s important to note that you can’t just open the corned beef and toss it in the oven. Corned beef is preserved in a ton of salt, and the traditional method of boiling it pulls that salt out. So while my oven heats up, I soak my corned beef in water for about 15 minutes or so. I do this right in the dish that I plan to bake it in to save on clean up.
The cooking method alone will make a better corned beef brisket, but adding flavor is never a bad thing. I like to give my corned beef a nice of coat of brown sugar and whole ground mustard – with that classic seasoning packet mixed in – and I always add some Guinness to the pan the ensure the brisket doesn’t dry out. You can’t go wrong with Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day.
More St. Patrick’s Day recipes: Lucky Charms cookies / dairy free shramrock shakes / sautéed cabbage / chocolate Guinness cake / Dublin coddle
Ingredient notes:
- Corned beef brisket – I used a 4 pound corned beef. Get whatever size you need to feed your family, but make sure it will fit in your baking dish.
- Guinness – You don’t need to use Guinness. You can use any dark beer of your choice, just keep in mind that not all beer is dairy free. If you want to avoid alcohol, try some apple cider or even a cola! It will be a bit sweeter, but should produce great results.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
If you plan to bake your corned beef like I normally do, I recommend soaking it in cold water for at least 15 minutes to reduce the amount of sodium. If you’re boiling it, make sure you rinse your corned beef a few times before adding it to your pot.
Corned beef brisket needs to be baked for about 1 hour per pound at a temperature of 325˚F. If you’re boiling, it should be simmered for about 50 minutes per pound.
Whether you’re baking or boiling corned beef, it should be placed fat side up. When it’s baked, this allows the fat to melt through/over the meat while it cooks and keeps it nice and juicy while adding flavor.
Corned beef needs to cook for a long time to make it tender, so it’s technically cooked fully before it’s ready. You will know your corned beef is ready to eat when it’s fork tender.
As with any meat, it’s best to slice corned beef against the grain, but if you cook your corned beef just right, you should be able to shredded it with a fork and it won’t matter which direction you’re slicing it.
More beef recipes you’ll love: flank steak marinade / Instant Pot Mississippi pot roast / mini meatloaf recipe / shredded beef tacos
Have leftover corned beef?
Baked Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 1 4- pound corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet
- 1 cup Guinness or other stout
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon whole grain mustard
Instructions
- Soak the meat. Preheat your oven to 325˚F and while it heats, soak your corned beef in cold water. This helps remove the excess salt.If your water gets super cloudy after a few minutes, change out the water and continue soaking for a total of 15 minutes.Drain the water and pat the corned beef dry.
- Season the roast. Place corned beef in a baking dish and add Guinness to the pan. Then, in a small bowl, mix the seasoning packet with brown sugar and mustard. Rub this onto the top of the corned beef (fat side up).
- Bake the corned beef. Cover the pan – with a lid or with aluminum foil – and bake for 4 hours*. During the final 30 minutes of baking, remove the lid to allow the seasoning to brown.Remove from the oven and allow the corned beef to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This so good! Flavor is amazing. the last 30 minutes with the cover off makes the mustard brown sugar crunchy and delish! I will never crockpot my corned beef again. As the corned beef was 45 minutes from being done I roasted slices of cabbage with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Next time I’ll a a few carrots.
You will not be dissapointed in this recipe.
This method of cooking corned beef is the best I’ve found! My mother used to boil hers, and that was good. Then I tried oven bags, and that was better. I used that method for probably 30 years. Then my husband got a really good Dutch Oven, and I decided to look for a recipe using that. I found yours, and it’s the best! We didn’t have any stout on hand, so I used your suggested alternative of Coke. (A good way to use up some leftover flat Coke!) I tried cooking cabbage in the Broth from the corned beef once long ago. It was horribly salty. So I just cook my cabbage separately. I flavor it with ham scraps, chicken bouillon, a dash of sugar and a little olive oil. Eat a bowl of cabbage with a generous amount of this corned beef, and it’s hard not to go back for seconds and thirds! My son asked me if I wanted a corned beef sandwich…. Not unless the cabbage has run out!
PS… If you are ever able to get a freshly picked cabbage, it really is better than one from the store. Use as soon as you can. It won’t spoil, but it won’t be as good as day 1 fresh.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.