Sous Vide Corned Beef

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This sous vide corned beef is an absolute game changer! If your a fan of this Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage, you're going to LOVE this version.

It's ultra tender and buttery soft, with that traditional corned beef flavor that we all love.

sliced corned beef on a plate with vegetables and a fork

Now, true to the sous vide method, it takes a bit to cook this corned beef...but it's 99% hands off and is totally worth that bit of extra waiting time.

The long cook gives the corned beef a texture that is just about fork tender. And the seared exterior gives that extra caramelization and crispness that makes this dish perfect.

Plus, don't miss the instructions on roasting the most incredible cabbage and carrots to go with this and make the perfect St. Patrick's Day meal!

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking."

If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and some tips.

Tools Used

side view of corned beef and vegetables on a plate

Why This Recipe Works

Cooking the corned beef low and slow gives it the most amazing buttery texture.
Rinsing the corned beef before cooking it prevents it from getting too salty while cooking.
It's great served on it's own, but also awesome used in fried rice, in this chicken congee or these grits.
It's easy to make in advance so your meal can be super easy to serve!

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

I use a point cut corned beef brisket (including the seasoning packet) in this recipe for the best results (see below for the difference between flat and point cut).

A touch of beef stock and a chopped onion add a little extra flavor, but the corned beef itself has a ton of flavor and does not need much more!

Point Cut vs. Flat Cut

The point cut of a brisket tends to be thicker an contains more fat than the flat cut. The flat cut is, well, flatter and also contains less fat and more connective tissue.

I recommend using a point cut for this recipe as the extra fat will help give the corned beef more flavor.

However, the point cut can be more difficult to find sometimes, so the flat cut will still work if that's all you can find.

Cooking Options

This recipe call for cooking the brisket for 48 hours at 145F degrees as I believe it results in a tender, buttery consistency that is amazing. Here are some other cooking options you can try as well:

140-145F degrees	36-48 hours	Ultra tender, buttery and sliceable - great for sandwiches!
155F degrees	24-36 hours	Tender a sliceable, with a little more moisture loss.
165F degrees	12-24 hours	Tender, flakier and more fall-apart
180F degrees	10-12 hours	Most moisture loss, but closest to "traditional" corned beef texture - fall-apart with more grain.

Step by Step Instructions

Heat a sous vide water bath to 145F degrees.

Rinse the corned beef thoroughly and let it soak in cool water for 30-60 minutes.

**It's important to rinse the brisket as the solution it is in is very salty and will add extra salt to the corned beef while cooking that we don't want. Typically, corned beef is boiled in water or liquid which reduces the salt, but because we don't do that here we want to eliminate some of the excess salt before cooking.

raw corned beef being soaked in water in a bowl

Rinse again and place in a vacuum seal bag (or freezer bag if using the water displacement method) with the seasoning packet, beef stock and onion.

beef in a bag with seasonings and aromatics

Seal and cook in the water bath for 48 hours.

a bag of seasoned beef in a sous vide container

Remove from the bag and pat dry.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.

Brown the brisket for 1-2 minutes on each side and remove.

corned beef brisket being seared in a pan

Slice and serve with roasted cabbage and carrots (below) or one of the amazing recipes listed below!

Corned beef being sliced on a wood cutting board

How to Roast Cabbage and Carrots:

Heat the oven to 400F degrees.

Chop 1 head of cabbage into 8 pieces and place on a baking sheet.

Chop 6-8 carrots into 2" pieces and place on a baking sheet.

Drizzle the cabbage and carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

Use your hands to massage the oil, salt and pepper into the vegetables.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping everything over halfway through.

Serve with corned beef.

a plate of sliced corned beef with cabbage, carrots and potatoes

Serving Options

Corned beef can honestly be served so many different ways, you've got your traditional corned beef and cabbage like we showed you above, or you can service it with some of these options:

Serve it with these Instant Pot cabbage, Instant Pot carrots, Instant Pot creamed corn, garlic mashed potatoes,
Use it in place of spam for in this spam and eggs, or chopped up in this breakfast fried rice,
Make sous vide pastrami and/or serve it on sandwiches,
Serve with Instant Pot scalloped potatoes or Crockpot au gratin potatoes,
Chop it up and serve it in tacos with this green salsa.

Expert Tips

Make sure to rinse the corned beef and soak for at least 30 minutes to remove any excess salt before putting it in the water bath.
Make it ahead of time and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks (in the bag) or freezer until ready to use. Heat for 30-60 minutes in a 145F sous vide water bath.
Make sure the corned beef stay submerged while cooking - otherwise you risk it cooking unevenly and can also promote bacteria growth in the bag. Use a sous vide sinker weight if your bag is floating.
You can also place the cooked corned beef under the broiler (or over a grill) instead of using a cast iron skillet to brown it.

slices of beef on a plate with cabbage and carrots

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Should I Sous Vide Corned Beef?

For the most tender, buttery results, it is best to sous vide corned beef for 48 hours at a temperature of 145F degrees. Some recipes call for cooking for 10 hours at 180F degrees, but I find the meat comes out less tender that way.

What Temperature do you Sous Vide Corned Beef at?

The best temperature to sous vide corned beef is 145F degrees. It is high enough so the fat cooks down, but doesn't allow to the meat to overcook.

Can You Sous Vide Corned Beef in the Package?

I do not recommend cooking it straight from the package as it should be rinsed before cooking it in a water bath to avoid it becoming too salty.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw frozen leftover in the fridge overnight before reheating. Can reheat right in the microwave, or place in a freezer bag and reheat in a 140F degree water bath.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

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