Name: Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Total time: 7 h
Ingredients: 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) corned beef brisket roast, about 2 inches thick, rinsed, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch; 1 tablespoon pickling spice; 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes , unpeeled; 1 pound carrots , peeled and halved crosswise; 1 small head green cabbage (1 1/4 pounds); 6 cups water; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Why This Recipe Works

When cooking corned beef and cabbage in the slow cooker, placement of the ingredients was key. We put the meat in the slow cooker first, sprinkled the seasoning (pickling spice) over it, and placed the potatoes and carrots between the meat and the wall of the slow cooker. This arrangement gave us enough room to be able to add the cabbage at the get-go, rather than at the end of cooking.

Before You Begin

Be sure to buy a first-cut or flat-cut brisket, not the point cut, which is thicker and fattier. Cabbages that weigh more than 1½ pounds will be hard to fit into the slow cooker. To ensure even cooking, do not buy potatoes that are larger than 2 inches in diameter.

Instructions

Set beef in slow cooker and sprinkle with pickling spice. Tuck potatoes and carrots between beef and sides of slow cooker. Cut cabbage into six 2-inch wedges through core, leaving core intact so wedges stay together while cooking. Arrange cabbage on top of beef. Add water. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6 to 7 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low.

Turn off slow cooker. Gently push cabbage aside, remove beef from slow cooker, and transfer to carving board. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Cover slow cooker to keep vegetables warm while beef rests.

Slice beef thin against grain; transfer to serving platter. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter with beef. Dot vegetables with butter. Serve.