This corned beef recipe gives you tender, juicy silverside with a creamy parsley sauce. Choose the stovetop, slow cooker or pressure cooker. All three work.
The golden rule is simple: never boil the meat. A gentle simmer keeps it soft and stops it drying out.
Table of Contents
Pick your corned beef method
| Method | Time (1.5 kg) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Stovetop | About 1 hour 45 minutes | Sunday dinner, best control |
| Slow cooker | 8 to 10 hours on low | Workdays, set and forget |
| Pressure cooker | 75 to 90 minutes, plus 15 minutes release | Quick weeknights |
Whichever you choose, check it’s done by pushing in a fork. It should slide in easily. Then rest the meat for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
What is corned beef?
Corned beef is beef that’s been cured in a salty brine. The cure seasons the meat all the way through and gives it that pink colour.
In Australia, the cut sold as corned beef is usually silverside. Brisket works too and is a little richer.
Choosing the right cut
- Silverside: leaner and slices neatly. The classic Aussie choice.
- Brisket (flat): more fat, softer texture.
- Point end brisket: the juiciest, but harder to find.
Buy 1.2 to 1.8 kg for a family dinner. Some packs are saltier than others. If you’re worried, soak the meat in cold water for 30 minutes first.
How to cook corned beef so it stays tender
Keep the water just below a simmer, with small bubbles around the edge and no rolling boil. Boiling pushes out moisture and makes the meat stringy.
Add flavour to the water with onion, garlic, carrot, celery, peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, a few cloves, orange peel, a splash of vinegar and a little brown sugar.
Corned Beef Recipe With Creamy Parsley Sauce
Course: MainCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes1
hour35
minutes510
kcal1
hour50
minutesTender corned beef simmered gently with onion, spices and herbs, served with a smooth parsley and mustard sauce. Works on the stovetop, in a slow cooker or in a pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- For the beef and broth
1.5–1.8 kg corned beef, rinsed
Cold water to cover (about 2.5–3 litres)
1 large brown onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery sticks, cut into chunks
12 peppercorns
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
A strip of orange peel (use a peeler)
2 tbsp malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar or golden syrup
- For serving
800 g baby potatoes, halved
4 carrots, peeled and cut into batons
300 g green beans or ½ cabbage, wedges
- Parsley–mustard sauce
40 g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1½ cups hot milk (375 ml)
½ cup hot beef cooking liquid
2 tsp Dijon mustard (or seeded mustard)
½ tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
½ tsp fine salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
- Prepare the pot
- Place the corned beef in a large heavy pot. Cover with cold water by 2–3 cm. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, cloves, orange peel, vinegar and sugar.
- Gentle simmer
- Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat. Skim any foam. Reduce the heat so the surface trembles lazily; you should see tiny bubbles around the edges, not a rolling boil. Partially cover and cook for 30–40 minutes per 500 g. Turn the meat once or twice during cooking.
- Cook the vegetables
- About 30 minutes before the meat is done, add the potatoes to the pot so they cook in the seasoned broth. Add carrots 15 minutes later. If you’re using beans, steam them separately for 4 minutes. If using cabbage wedges, set them on top of the meat for the final 15 minutes.
- Rest and slice
- Lift the meat onto a board and rest 10–15 minutes, covered loosely. Slice across the grain into neat slices about 8–10 mm thick.
- Make the sauce
- Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in hot milk gradually, then ½ cup of hot cooking liquid from the pot. Simmer 2–3 minutes until silky. Whisk in mustard, vinegar/lemon, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and fold through parsley. If it thickens too much as it sits, loosen with a splash more milk or broth.
- Serve
- Arrange meat and vegetables on a warm platter. Spoon a little sauce over the beef and serve the rest in a jug. Leftover broth makes beautiful soup the next day: add barley and vegetables and simmer until tender.
Notes
- Salt level: if the meat is very salty, pour out the first water once it simmers, refill with hot water and keep going. Taste the liquid before adding salt to anything.
- Slow cooker: put everything in, cover with hot water and cook 8 to 10 hours on low. Make the sauce on the stove while the meat rests.
- Pressure cooker: cook 75 to 90 minutes at high pressure for 1.3 to 1.8 kg. Natural release for 15 minutes.
- Slicing: always slice across the grain. Turn the piece as you go if it’s an odd shape.
- Leftovers: cool quickly and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat slices in a splash of broth.
- Mustard options: use seeded mustard instead of Dijon, or add 1 teaspoon horseradish to the sauce for heat.
- Gluten free: thicken the sauce with 2 teaspoons cornflour mixed into a little cold milk instead of flour.
What sauce goes with corned beef?
Creamy parsley sauce is the Aussie favourite, and it’s in the recipe card above. Two other options:
- Mustard cream: warm 200 ml thickened cream with 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard, 1 teaspoon Dijon and 1 teaspoon malt vinegar. Don’t let it boil.
- Horseradish cream: for a bit of heat.
Sides that go well: buttered potatoes or mash, steamed carrots and beans, cabbage wedges cooked in the broth, peas with mint, or soft rolls for sandwiches.
Corned beef troubleshooting
- Too salty: swap some of the cooking water for fresh hot water halfway through.
- Tough: it needs more time, or the heat was too high. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Dry edges: it boiled. Turn the heat down and keep the meat covered with water.
- Stringy slices: always slice across the grain.
Leftovers and storage
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Cool the broth quickly and refrigerate it within 2 hours.
Leftover ideas: Reuben toasties, corned beef hash with a fried egg, bubble and squeak, or fritters with corn and chives.
Homemade brine (optional)
Want to corn your own beef? Dissolve 200 g coarse salt and 120 g brown sugar in 1 litre of simmering water. Add peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, bay leaves, a cinnamon stick and orange peel, then 1 litre of cold water. Cool completely.
Put a 1.5 to 2 kg brisket or silverside in the brine in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, turning it daily. Rinse, soak for 30 minutes, then cook. Pink curing salt (1 teaspoon) is optional and gives the classic pink colour.
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Frequently asked questions
What’s the best way to cook corned beef?
Keep the water just below a simmer so the meat cooks gently. Then rest it and slice across the grain.
How long does corned beef take to cook?
On the stovetop, about 30 to 40 minutes per 500 g. In a slow cooker, 8 to 10 hours on low.
What sauce goes with corned beef?
Creamy parsley sauce is the classic. Mustard cream and horseradish cream are great too.
Can I use brisket instead of silverside?
Yes. Brisket is a little richer. Cook it until a fork slides in easily.
How do I make this corned beef recipe less salty?
Soak the meat in cold water for 30 minutes, or change the water once while it cooks.
This corned beef recipe is simple, cheap and gives you dinner plus leftovers for days. Pick the method that suits your day and let it cook.
Cheers,
Ella x
