Irish Boiled Dinner

This boiled dinner of corned beef and cabbage is simple to make and a complete one pot meal. This is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!

Boiled dinner on a white platter.

One of my favorite fall dinners is also one of the easiest meals to make. Throw a corned beef brisket, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions and maybe even some turnips or parsnips into a pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for a few hours. That is it!! Irish boiled dinner is also called corned beef and cabbage and it is a meal that is so simple to make, but wow, is it ever delicious!

Close up picture of sliced corned beef.

Corned Beef And Cabbage Has Many Names

  • Irish Boiled Dinner
  • New England Boiled Dinner
  • Jiggs Dinner (the common name of this dish in Newfoundland and Labrador)
  • Colonial Boiled Dinner

This dish is similar to a popular meal in Ireland, called Bacon and Cabbage. Irish colonists began substituting smoked back bacon for corned beef brisket in the New World. I am not sure where my family ever picked up the tradition of eating this meal, since I do not have Irish ancestry, but I regularly remember having it on St. Patrick’s Day as well as during harvest season in the fall.

Ingredients You Need

  • Corned beef brisket (I look for one that is about 4 pounds in size or a couple pieces that equal 4 pounds)
  • Carrots
  • Green cabbage
  • Potatoes
  • Garlic cloves
  • Onions
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Water

Expert Tip! There are lots of other vegetables that you could use in this recipe including celery, turnips, rutabaga (swede), brussels sprouts and more!

Corned beef and vegetables boiling in a big pot.

The seasoning of this dish comes from the spices on the corned beef. The corned beef can come packaged in different ways. Sometimes, the seasoning is rubbed all over the meat prior to packaging. Other times, the seasoning is in a little packet that comes with the meat. Make sure that you include all the seasoning into the pot.

Experts Tip! If you desire to add more of the seasonings, your can go to your spice cupboard and add a little extra: black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, oregano, bay leaf and salt.

Sliced beef on a platter with carrots and potatoes behind.

How Long To Boil Corned Beef

Place the corned beef in the pot with the chopped onion and garlic cloves. Fill with water. Make sure there is lots of water and enough that once you add the potatoes, cabbage and carrots, the water will still cover everything.

Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a low rolling boil. Let the brisket cook for about 2 hours. Then add the whole medium sized potatoes, cabbage wedges and peeled carrots to the pot.

Continue to let everything boil for about one more hour. By this time all the vegetables should be cooked through and fork tender.

Expert Tip! Irish boiled dinner needs a big pot. Make sure to use a pot large enough for everything to fit in easily. I use a large stock pot which I also use for making large batches of soup.

Irish boiled dinner served on a large plate.

Other great Irish style recipes

Here are some other great recipes that I love to make on St. Patrick’s Day

Irish Boiled Dinner

This classic Irish dish boils corned beef brisket, potatoes, carrots and more. Smoked pork shoulder, turnips, cabbage, or onions can also be added.
4.75 out of 5
4 reviews
Print
Corned beef and cabbage meal popular in Ireland. Boiled corned beef brisket, potatoes, carrots or also smoked pork shoulder, turnips, cabbage, or onions.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 pound corned beef brisket
  • 2 onions , peeled and quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves , peeled
  • 1 head green cabbage , cut into 4-8 wedges
  • 10 medium potatoes , whole
  • 8 medium carrots , peeled and cut in half
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • water

Instructions

  • Place corned beef brisket, onions and garlic cloves into a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. If the corned beef has a separate seasoning packet, include that in the pot as well.
  • Add water, enough to cover the brisket and even try and add plenty that would cover the cabbage, potatoes and carrots when they are added to the pot.
  • Bring to a low boil and cook for 2 hours.
  • Add remaining ingredients. If necessary, add more water to cover all the vegetables.
  • Bring back to a low boil and cook for 1 more hour or until all the vegetables are tender.

Nutrition

Per serving:

Calories: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 43gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 3287mgFiber: 12gSugar: 8g

Nutrition Disclaimer

This recipe was originally published in September 2013.

Categories

Boiled dinner on a white platter.

Did you try this recipe?

Leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. Or, take a picture to share on Instagram and tag me @theblackpeppercorn.

Leave a comment

Recipe Rating




17 comments

  • This is how my mother always made it… and now how I have been making it for over 40 years! ☘️💚🍀

    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    This came out perfectly. I did reduce the time so things didn’t get mushy and the cabbage remained a bright green. Great flavor. Will make this my annual go-to on St. Patty’s Day. My only challenge was fitting everything in the pot. Had to omit a few potatoes but they won’t be missed.

    • Reply
  • The recipe I like has smoked sausage and smoked pork onions sweet potatoes truffle oil instead of butter parsley (carrots and celery chopped small ) I do use chicken broth a low sodium . I also take 3 pieces of Apple wood smoked bacon cut the fat off and throw it in yes I loved your recipe thats the way my mother made it. I’m irish so ive had it many ways but like the recipe I have and moms of course. Thank you love your style

    • Reply
  • Made this for st. Patrick’s day. So delicious

    • Reply
  • I grew up on traditional Irish boiled dinner.. hmmmm mmn.

    • Reply
  • Such a delicious meal. Your pictures make me hungry! Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday. Hope to see you next week.

    • Reply
  • I have a 5 quart crockpot with a grate at the bottom that I use to cook my corned beef brisket. All that fat in the bottom goes in the frig in a glass jar or bowl until the fat congeals to the top. I throw out the heavy fat, keeping the juice. I then boil my cabbage & other vegetables in a separate pot with this seasoned juice. Delicious!

    • Reply
    • WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL DO YOU NOW..

      • Reply
    • Variety is the spice of life. Never met a boiled dinner i didnt like. 😘

      • Reply
  • Such a classic and hearty dinner idea! Thanks for linking up with Merry Monday this week!

    • Reply
  • Looks very good. Love the simplicity.
    Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday.

    • Reply
  • Hi there, love this. Would you like to share this with the other participants in Food on Friday over at Carole’s Chatter? I have a weekly link up party – each week there is a different ingredient or theme. The current theme is Beef!

    You can see upcoming themes in one of the pages at the top of my home page. If you would like to join in the fun please schedule a reminder for each week. The collection starts at 7am Friday New Zealand time – which might be some time Thursday your time – I do find time zones quite confusing. Hope to see you soon. Cheers, Carole

    • Reply
  • 4 stars
    This looks amazing!!

    • Reply
  • Forgot to mention, I found you on Mostly Blogging. Making this next week! Thanks for the tips.

    • Reply
  • 5 stars
    So simple and looks so delicious!

    • Reply
  • Simple food like this is so comforting. There’s a very similar Russian dish that my mom makes 🙂

    • Reply
  • In Sri Lanka, this is a favorite dinner to have if we ate a heavy rice and curry meal for lunch. I think we feel better with all the boiled veg. Love this. 🙂

    • Reply

Subscribe to the newsletter and never miss a recipe!