Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream Sauce
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Take your corned beef and cabbage to a whole new level by swapping the traditional boiling method for oven roasting—it’s a total game changer!
A beloved St. Patrick’s Day tradition, corned beef and cabbage is a cherished Irish-American dish, typically featuring corned beef—a brisket cured with salt and spices—and assorted vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. While traditionally these components are boiled together in a big pot, I’ve found that slow-roasting the meat and vegetables separately yields a far more delicious outcome. My personal twist? Adding a horseradish-spiked butter sauce to the vegetables before roasting—it makes all the difference!
No corned beef and cabbage meal would be complete without a creamy horseradish cream sauce. Its cool, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor beautifully complements the rich, salty taste of the beef. To round off this traditional Irish-American meal, serve the corned beef and cabbage with my cheddar soda bread.
Table of Contents
“My goodness this corned beef and cabbage with horseradish cream sauce is definitely taking it up a notch! I will never boil corned beef again!”
What You’ll Need To Make Corned Beef & Cabbage
For the Corned Beef and Vegetables
- Corned Beef with Seasoning Packet: Named for the large “corns” or grains of salt used for curing, corned beef has a distinctive salty and savory flavor. Opt for a flat-cut brisket for even cooking and slicing. To ensure juiciness, do not trim the fat before cooking; it’s best to remove it after. Most corned beef packages come with a seasoning packet—essential for adding flavor with spices like peppercorns, bay leaves, and mustard seeds. If missing, refer to FAQs for a homemade substitute.
- Butter: The base of the roasting mixture, butter adds richness while assisting in the browning and caramelization of the vegetables in the oven.
- Prepared Horseradish: Combined with butter, this condiment adds a sharp, tangy flavor to the roasted vegetables. This spicy condiment is made from grated horseradish root mixed with vinegar and salt, and can typically be found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.
- Carrots, Small Gold Potatoes, and Green Cabbage: Roasted together in the butter and horseradish mixture, these vegetables contribute variety of textures and flavors. The carrots introduce sweetness and color; the potatoes, a creamy texture; and the cabbage, a crunchy and slightly bitter balance.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Sour Cream: Forms the creamy base of the sauce, offering a rich texture and a slight tanginess.
- Prepared Horseradish: Provides the sauce’s signature spicy, pungent flavor. Start with a recommended amount and adjust according to taste for more of a kick.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds depth and a mild heat, enhancing the complexity of the sauce while meshing well with the horseradish.
- White Wine Vinegar: Introduces a bright acidity, balancing the creaminess of the sour cream and the spiciness of the horseradish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by rinsing the meat under cold running water. This will rid the meat of some of the saltiness. Place the corned beef fat side up in a large roasting pan.
Pour about 1/8 inch water around the corned beef. Sprinkle the contents of the seasoning packet into the water around the meat. Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and roast on the middle rack for 3 hours.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the melted butter, horseradish, salt, and pepper.
Mix well.
Place the carrots, potatoes and cabbage side by side on a rimmed baking sheet (do not line the pan with foil; the potatoes will stick). Drizzle the horseradish-butter mixture over the veggies.
Toss with a spatula to coat all of the vegetables evenly, keeping the vegetables separate. Turn the potatoes so that they are cut side down (they’ll get much crispier that way).
After the corned beef has roasted for 1 hour and 30 minutes, place the pan of vegetables on the bottom rack of the oven. Roast the vegetables and continue cooking the corned beef for 1 hour and 30 minutes more, until both the meat and vegetables are tender. Check on the veggies occasionally to be sure they are browning evenly.
Remove the meat from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool slightly, until cool enough to handle.
Cut off the layer of fat on top of the corned beef and discard. Slice the meat against, or perpendicular to, the grain into 1/4-inch slices.
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, and season to taste.
Arrange the meat and roasted vegetables on a platter and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with the horseradish cream sauce on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can create your own seasoning mix for the corned beef. Combine equal parts of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and allspice berries to make about one teaspoon in total. I would also include a bay leaf for added flavor. Feel free to adjust the mix based on the spices you have available.
The corned beef can be roasted up to 3 days ahead of time and reheated. However, for best results, roast the vegetables just before serving to maintain their crispiness. The horseradish cream sauce can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge.
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Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Take your corned beef and cabbage to a whole new level by swapping the traditional boiling method for oven roasting—it’s a total game changer!
Ingredients
For the Corned Beef and Vegetables
- 1 (4-lb) flat-cut corned beef with seasoning packet (do not trim the fat)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 medium carrots, cut into 2-in chunks
- 1¼ lb small gold potatoes (about 2.5" in diameter), halved
- 1 very small green cabbage, cored and cut into ½-inch-thick slices (see note)
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)
For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 325°F. Set one oven rack in the middle position and another in the bottom position.
- Rinse the corned beef several times under running cold water. (No need to dry it.)
- Place the corned beef fat side up in a large roasting pan (you'll trim the fat after the meat is cooked). Pour about ⅛ inch water around the meat. Sprinkle the contents of the seasoning packet into the water around the corned beef. Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and roast on the middle rack for 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, horseradish, salt and pepper.
- Place the carrots, potatoes and cabbage side by side on a rimmed baking sheet (do not line the pan with foil; the potatoes will stick). Drizzle the horseradish-butter mixture over the veggies and toss with a spatula to coat all of the vegetables evenly, keeping the vegetables separate. Turn the potatoes so that they are cut side down (they'll get crispier that way).
- After the corned beef has roasted for 1 hour and 30 minutes, place the pan of vegetables on the bottom rack of the oven. Roast the vegetables and continue cooking the corned beef for 1 hour and 30 minutes more, until both the meat and vegetables are tender. Check on the veggies occasionally to be sure they are browning evenly. (The cabbage will brown first, so give it a toss when the bottom pieces look golden. The potatoes and carrots may need to be turned, but only if they are nicely browned on the bottom before the cook time is up.)
- Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Cut off the layer of fat on top of the corned beef and discard. Slice the meat against (or perpendicular to) the grain into ¼-inch slices. Arrange the meat on a platter with the roasted vegetables and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with the horseradish cream sauce.
For the Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more horseradish to taste, if desired.
- Note: You won't use the whole head of cabbage; just use enough to cover ⅓ of the sheet pan.
- Note: The nutritional information does not include the horseradish cream sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 577
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 2813 mg
- Cholesterol: 138 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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My husband brought home a 3.5 # corned round. It is about 2.5 ” thick. I’ve had good luck with this corned cut before in the crockpot, but I want to try your roasting method. How long should I cook it? I’ve always oven roasted the vegetables in the past. This time I’ll roast them with your horseradish butter. Thank you.
Hi Martha, Cook time should still be 3 hours. Hope you enjoy it!
Can’t wait to try this! Do you think I could make the corned beef the day before and reheat, cooking the veggies separately on the day I’d like to serve them? We will be out on St Patty’s day so I would like to serve it the following day-but won’t have time to cook it that day. Thank you!
Sure, Virginia – corned beef reheats well.
Hi, Jenn!
Experience has taught me that the bigger the brisket the better it is. Since my local butcher knows this, he saved me a whole corned beef brisket this year: 11.9 lbs.! How much time do you think?? It’s not overly thick, but long to the tip. Thanks!
Hi Fran, It’s hard to say as I’ve never cooked a corned beef that large. I’d probably cut it in half and cook the two pieces side by side for about 4 hours.
Jenn, Am always so excited to get your new recipes. Those I have tried have been spot on keepers! Have preordered your book and would not hesitate to try any of your recipes on guests because you have become a trusted partner in my kitchen. My question., have made corned beef for years. This year, for the first time, I bought a “first cut” corned beef from Boars Head. It doesn’t look nearly as fatty. It is only 2.480 lbs. Will your oven method still produce a tender corned beef given it doesn’t have that layer of fat? If so, how long should it be roasted?
Hi Rae, I always use flat cut corned beef with just a thin layer of fat on the top, and it’s always tender so I wouldn’t worry. And I’ve used this method for corned beef briskets ranging in size from 2 to 4 pounds with no issues – the cook time will be the same. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes…I’d love to know how it turns out!
Hi Rae, I just read your comment again and realized you bought first cut not flat cut. Typically “first cut” corned beef is already cooked and sold in the deli section of the supermarket. Is that what you have?
Hi Jenn, It was an uncooked corned beef. I asked you too late to get an answer to my question. I decided to fully submerge the corned beef in water, and bake as per your instructions. It was wonderful! The veggies I followed your instructions and were wonderful! Cream sauce was very nice. Thanks! Rae
Can I use beer instead of water?
BTW – love your recipes – they are always a hit!
Sure, Michelle – that should be delish. Please lmk how it turns out!
FINALLY! I have made corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s day every year for six years and this is the first one that actually turned out. The meat was tender and the veggies were delicious. Don’t even get me started on the horseradish cream sauce…I ate at least three times as much corned beef because of it. 🙂 Thank you for ANOTHER winner Jenn!
I loved the roasted veggies. I didn’t make the cream sauce but the veggies moved it up another level. So much better than boiled. I also pre-ordered your cookbook. Every recipe I have tried is 5 star. Thanks for your passion!!!
Hope you enjoy the book, Michele – thank you! 💕
First off the bat I have to admit I did not use corned beef. I just happened to see your recipe before I put a whole chicken in the oven and thought the veggies would be good with it. Kept temp as you suggested and put everything in oven at same time. Had to pull the cabbage out after about an hour and fifteen mins but left carrots and potatoes in til ready. They seemed to take quite a while to carmalise; I actually turned the temp up once the chicken was out and let them crisp up. The horseradish sauce was delicious (especially next day for left overs) but didn’t notice too much difference in the potatoes and carrots that had been drizzled with the horseradish butter. Perhaps because I make your roasted carrots with thyme on a regular basis, I felt the veggies a little underwhelming but I would definitely make the sauce again.
Glad you enjoyed, Kathy! I would normally add more salt to the vegetables, which might be what was lacking for you — but since corned beef is brined and quite salty, I purposely under-salt the vegetables so everything is balanced.
Good point I hadn’t thought about the saltiness of the beef v the chicken, will for sure give it another go, especially with the corned beef. Pre ordered your book and can’t wait for it to come out, I have shared your recipes with my kids and they too are once upon a chef fans:)
😊
Hi Jenn, I’m allergic to garlic. Can I just use a flat cut piece of brisket in place of the pre-packaged corned beef in this recipe? Obviously no seasoning packet–just salt and pepper? Just looking for a no muss no fuss way to prepare some clean, lean, moist beef–realize you have a great sounding brisket recipe (I’m also allergic to onions, etc.)–but just need to keep this a little simpler and love the way it cooks covered in the oven. Thank so much for any thoughts you may have.
Hi Diane, I think that’d work, although I’d probably sear the brisket first on the stovetop to add flavor. You might also use beef broth instead of water. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
I was excited to try this recipe and went to the butcher and purchased a great looking beef brisket. As I prepared the ingredients to make the corned beef today, I realized that there is a difference between beef brisket and corned beef brisket. I learned that corned beef brisket has already been cured and one I purchased required at least a week in a salt brine. Perhaps no one else would make this mistake, but thought I would mention it in case! Will try the recipe another time with the correct meat!
Hi Andrea, sorry for any confusion! I’ve just added a clarification to the recipe. Not sure if you’re looking for a brisket recipe, but I’ve got one you may want to give a whirl. Hope you enjoy if you make it!