Welcome to the ultimate guide for making the most incredibly tender and flavorful corned beef and cabbage in your Ninja Foodi pressure cooker! Our original recipe, often imitated but never truly duplicated, was crafted with care and has even been recognized by the Ninja Foodi company itself. We’re here to show you the absolute best way to cook a corned beef brisket to melt-in-your-mouth perfection in just about an hour. And for those moments when life gets a bit hectic, we’ve even got you covered with tips on how to handle Instant Pot frozen corned beef.
Are you ready to create a truly memorable meal of **corned beef and cabbage in your Ninja Foodi pressure cooker**? Look no further! Our blog was among the first to successfully develop and share fantastic Ninja Foodi recipes, and this particular corned beef recipe became such a hit that the Ninja Foodi team requested to feature it. This isn’t just another recipe; it’s a proven method to achieve restaurant-quality results right in your own kitchen.
For this culinary adventure, we’ll primarily utilize the pressure cook function, transforming a tough brisket into a tender delicacy in approximately 1.5 hours of active cooking and pressure building. The unattached pressure cooking lid is key here. To elevate your dish even further, consider our irresistible mustard sauce for corned beef, or give it a quick air fry at the end to create a beautifully caramelized crust. The flavor explosion is truly something to experience!
We’ll guide you through the process of cooking a brisket, complete with tender potatoes and the rich flavor of beer, step-by-step. It’s incredibly straightforward! Once your brisket is perfectly cooked, you can quickly prepare our pressure cooker fried cabbage either in the same pot or separately, bringing the whole meal together seamlessly.
I can confidently say that once you prepare this classic St. Patrick’s Day dinner using your Ninja Foodi, you’ll be hard-pressed to go back to any other method. The brisket emerges unbelievably tender and infused with deep, savory flavors that are truly unmatched. While the principles are similar to our popular Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage, this recipe is specifically optimized for the unique capabilities of the Ninja Foodi multi-cooker, ensuring perfect results every time.
Corned beef and cabbage, while strongly associated with St. Patrick’s Day, is a hearty and comforting dish that can be enjoyed year-round. Its origins trace back to Irish immigrants in America, who adapted their traditional bacon and cabbage meal to include more readily available and affordable corned beef. The pressure cooking method respects this tradition by tenderizing the brisket beautifully, allowing its rich flavors to shine through.
Do You Rinse Corned Beef Before Cooking?
This is a common question, and the answer is a firm no. Whether you’ve purchased a pre-packaged, ready-to-cook corned beef brisket or you’ve taken the time to cure your own, rinsing the meat is generally discouraged. The entire essence of corned beef lies in its unique flavor, which comes from the brine it’s infused with. This curing process is what gives corned beef its distinctive taste and texture. Rinsing the brisket essentially washes away this carefully developed flavor profile, leaving you with a less robust and enjoyable meal.
While some individuals might opt to briefly rinse the meat under cold water to reduce sodium content, it’s crucial to understand that this will significantly alter the flavor you typically associate with corned beef. The salt content is an integral part of its identity, and removing it can lead to a blander, less authentic taste. For the best, most flavorful results, simply unwrap your corned beef and place it directly into your Ninja Foodi.
Flat Cut or Point Cut Brisket: Which is Better?
When selecting your corned beef brisket, you’ll typically encounter two main cuts: flat cut and point cut. Sometimes, stores might only stock one type, limiting your choice. However, if given the option, I highly recommend choosing the flat cut brisket. The flat cut is generally more uniform in thickness throughout the piece, making it easier to cook evenly and slice consistently for serving.
The point cut, as its name suggests, is thicker at one end and tapers off at the other. This variation in thickness can sometimes lead to uneven cooking, with the thinner sections drying out before the thicker parts are perfectly tender. While a point cut can still yield delicious results, especially if you enjoy a richer, fattier texture, the flat cut typically offers a more reliable and visually appealing outcome for slicing and serving as a main course. Both cuts will work with this recipe, but if precision and aesthetics are important, lean towards the flat cut.
Key Ingredient Notes for Success
Crafting the perfect Ninja Foodi corned beef and cabbage starts with understanding your ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why each component plays a vital role:
- Corned Beef Brisket: A 2.5 to 3 lb brisket is ideal for this recipe. As mentioned, while both point cut and flat cut briskets work, the flat cut is often preferred for its uniform thickness, which results in more even cooking and easier slicing. The cook time remains consistent for either cut. Don’t forget the small seasoning packet typically included inside the corned beef bag – it’s packed with essential flavors!
- Potatoes (Our Secret Trivet!): Instead of a metal trivet, we ingeniously use whole potatoes to keep the brisket elevated from the bottom of the pot. This prevents the meat from sitting directly in the liquid, which could lead to a ‘burn notice’ or an overly soft, waterlogged texture on one side. I recommend 4 large red potatoes or 2 large russet potatoes, halved. The magic here is that these potatoes soak up all the incredible savory juices and seasonings from the pot, transforming them into an unbelievably flavorful side dish that’s a meal in itself. It’s a game-changer!
- Liquid (Beer or Alternative): To bring the Ninja Foodi to pressure and tenderize the connective tissues in the brisket, you need a flavorful liquid. My preference is beer – a light ale or whatever is on sale works wonderfully and imparts a rich, malty depth to the meat. However, if you prefer not to use beer, water or beef broth are excellent substitutes. The key is to have enough liquid to generate pressure, ensuring your brisket becomes fall-apart tender.
- Cabbage: For steaming directly in the pot, you’ll only need the top 8-10 large leaves from half a head of green cabbage. These large pieces hold their shape well and steam quickly.
- Onions (Optional, but Recommended): Sliced onions are an optional but highly recommended addition. They cook alongside the cabbage and potatoes, soaking up the flavorful broth and adding another layer of sweet, savory goodness to your meal. They make a fantastic, easy side dish.
Variations and Substitutions to Explore
This recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing for simple variations to suit your taste or dietary needs:
- Liquid Alternatives: While beer, especially a blonde ale, creates an amazing flavor, you can easily substitute it with chicken broth, beef broth, or even water with a splash of apple cider vinegar for a subtle tang. Ensure you use the specified amount of liquid to reach pressure effectively.
- Flavor Boosters: For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a few cloves of garlic (smashed) or a bay leaf to the pot with the liquid.
- Mustard Glaze: Once the corned beef is cooked, you can create a savory-sweet glaze by whisking a bit of honey into your favorite mustard. Brush this over the brisket and air fry for a few minutes until beautifully caramelized. It’s an optional step that takes the flavor to the next level!
- Trivet Options: While our potato-as-trivet method is a delicious hack, you can certainly use a traditional metal steamer basket or a standard trivet with handles if you prefer. Just remember, you’ll be missing out on those incredibly flavorful potatoes!
- Side Dish Pairing: We often make our 3-ingredient beer bread to accompany this dish, creating a complementary pairing of flavors that’s perfect for soaking up all those delicious juices.
In the past, my go-to method for this classic dish was our slow cooker corned beef brisket, which yielded fantastic results. However, since discovering the efficiency and incredible output of the Ninja Foodi, I haven’t looked back. This multi-cooker delivers equally tender and flavorful corned beef in a fraction of the time, making it our preferred cooking method now.
How Long Do You Cook Ninja Foodi Corned Beef Brisket?
Achieving perfectly tender corned beef in your Ninja Foodi involves a few stages. For a 2.5 to 3 lb brisket, the actual pressure cook time is 1 hour and 25 minutes. However, it’s important to account for additional time:
- Pressure Build-Up: Allow approximately 15-20 minutes for the Ninja Foodi to build pressure before the cooking timer officially begins.
- Natural Pressure Release (NPR): Once the cooking cycle is complete, you’ll need to let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes. This slow release helps to keep the meat incredibly tender and juicy.
So, when planning your meal, factor in a total time of roughly 1 hour and 55 minutes to 2 hours from start to finish, ensuring your brisket reaches that desired fork-tender consistency.
Fat Side Up or Down: The Key to Juicy Brisket
When placing your corned beef brisket into the Ninja Foodi, always position it with the fattiest side facing up. This seemingly small detail makes a significant difference in the final tenderness and juiciness of your meat. As the brisket cooks under pressure, the fat cap slowly renders and melts, allowing those rich juices and moisture to drip down over the entire piece of meat. This self-basting action ensures that the brisket remains moist and incredibly tender throughout the cooking process, preventing it from drying out.
Can You Cook Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Potatoes in the Same Pot?
Absolutely, you can! This is one of the beauties of using a multi-cooker like the Ninja Foodi. The brisket and potatoes can indeed be cooked together right from the start. As we’ve discussed, the potatoes not only cook to a delicious tenderness but also serve as a flavorful trivet, keeping the brisket elevated. However, when it comes to the cabbage, a slight adjustment is needed for optimal texture.
Cabbage leaves cook very quickly under pressure, typically requiring only a few minutes to become tender. Adding them at the beginning of the long brisket cooking cycle would result in overly mushy, unappetizing cabbage. Therefore, the trick is to add the cabbage into the pot only after the brisket has finished cooking and has been removed. A quick 3-minute pressure cook cycle at the end is all it takes to get your cabbage perfectly tender-crisp, ensuring a harmonious balance of textures in your finished dish.
Ninja Foodi Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
Justine
15 minutes
1 hour
25 minutes
1 hour
35 minutes
6
Comment
Print Recipe
Equipment
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1 Ninja Foodi pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 lb corned beef brisket, flat cut is best
- 12 oz beer, pale ale, or any other liquid works
- 4 large potatoes, red or 2 large russet cut in half
- 1 small onion, sliced, optional
- 1/2 head cabbage, green
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Instructions
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Rinse potatoes thoroughly. If using large red potatoes, arrange them closely together in the middle of the Ninja Foodi pot, ensuring they are of similar size to provide a stable base for the beef. If using 2 large russet potatoes, slice them both in half and place them cut-side down in the center of the pot. These potatoes will effectively act as your trivet, absorbing delicious flavors.
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Carefully place the corned beef brisket on top of the arranged potatoes, ensuring it sits as flat and stable as possible. Remember to place it fat side up for optimal tenderness.
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Pour the beer (or your chosen liquid) directly over the meat. Ensure the liquid amount is sufficient to reach the minimum fill line required for pressure cooking.
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Sprinkle the entire contents of the corned beef seasoning packet (found inside your meat packaging) evenly over the top of the brisket. This packet contains essential spices that define the corned beef flavor.
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Securely close the pressure cooking lid (the non-attached lid) on your Ninja Foodi. Ensure the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position.
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Turn the Ninja Foodi on. Select the “Pressure Cook” function, set it to “High” pressure, and adjust the cooking time to 1 hour and 25 minutes. This timing works perfectly for a 2.5-3 lb brisket. Press “Start.” Allow the pressure to naturally release for approximately 15 minutes once the cooking cycle is complete. This natural release is crucial for keeping the meat tender.
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After 15 minutes of natural release, carefully quick-release any remaining pressure by moving the steam release valve to the “Venting” position. Once the float valve drops, open the lid. Carefully remove the cooked corned beef brisket and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it loosely with foil and allow it to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist and tender slice.
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While the brisket rests, remove the potatoes from the pot and place them in a serving bowl. Cover the bowl to keep them warm.
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Prepare your cabbage: cut the bottom core off half a head of green cabbage and separate the top layer of leaves into approximately 8-10 large pieces. If using an optional onion, slice it into large wedges.
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Add the sliced onions (if using) into the pot with the remaining cooking juices. Then, add the cabbage leaves.
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Place the pressure lid back on the Ninja Foodi and set the steam release valve to “Sealing.” Select “Pressure Cook,” set to “High” pressure, and cook for only 3 minutes. Press “Start.”
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Once the 3 minutes are up, perform a quick release of the pressure. Open the lid when safe.
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Slice the rested corned beef against the grain into desired thickness. Serve immediately with the perfectly steamed potatoes, onions, and cabbage directly from the pot. Enjoy your delicious, homemade Ninja Foodi corned beef and cabbage!
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 3oz
,
Calories: 589kcal
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Carbohydrates: 46g
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Protein: 33g
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Fat: 28g
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Saturated Fat: 9g
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Cholesterol: 102mg
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Sodium: 2360mg
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Potassium: 1847mg
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Fiber: 6g
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Sugar: 6g
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Vitamin A: 90IU
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Vitamin C: 101.2mg
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Calcium: 75mg
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Iron: 5.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Entree, Main Course
American, Irish
What to Serve with Ninja Foodi Corned Beef and Cabbage
Whether you’ve prepared Dutch oven corned beef and cabbage or this speedy Ninja Foodi version, the classic accompaniments remain largely the same, perfectly complementing the rich flavors of the brisket and vegetables.
- Our simple cabbage recipes are always a wonderful, easy side to round out your meal.
- This pull-apart bread with refrigerated biscuits offers a semi-homemade, incredibly delicious bread option that’s perfect for soaking up the savory juices.
- For a delightful and festive dessert, consider making this charming Irish potato candy – a special treat for any occasion.
- Another excellent choice would be some freshly baked Irish soda bread, perfect for a traditional touch.
- A light green salad with a zesty vinaigrette can also provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the main dish.
Creative Ideas for Leftover Corned Beef
One of the best parts about making a delicious corned beef brisket is the potential for fantastic leftovers! Don’t let a single bite go to waste. Here are some of our favorite ways to repurpose any remaining corned beef:
- Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Soup: This pressure cooker corned beef soup is a highly anticipated meal the day after. With a creamy, chowder-like base, the leftover meat adds an incredible depth of flavor and protein. Add extra potatoes for a truly hearty and satisfying meal that you’ll want to make again and again.
- Homemade Corned Beef Hash: A classic breakfast or brunch option, our Homemade Corned Beef Hash transforms leftover brisket into a savory, crispy dish, often served with a fried egg on top.
- Reuben Sandwiches: Slice the corned beef thinly, pile it high on rye bread with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, then grill until toasty for an iconic sandwich.
- Corned Beef Sliders: Perfect for entertaining, these miniature sandwiches are a crowd-pleaser.
- Corned Beef Quesadillas or Tacos: Shred the beef and use it as a flavorful filling for quesadillas with cheese or for unique and delicious tacos.
- Corned Beef and Cabbage Rolls: Use larger cabbage leaves to wrap a mixture of shredded corned beef and rice for a comforting meal.
Tips for the Perfect Ninja Foodi Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Don’t Rush the Release: While quick-releasing steam is possible, allowing for a natural pressure release for at least 10-15 minutes for the brisket is crucial. This helps the meat absorb juices and stay incredibly tender.
- Rest Your Meat: Always rest the corned beef for 10-15 minutes after cooking. This allows the fibers to relax and redistribute the juices, resulting in a more succulent final product. Slice against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Adjust to Brisket Size: Our recipe is for a 2.5-3 lb brisket. If your brisket is significantly larger or smaller, you might need to adjust the pressure cooking time slightly. A good rule of thumb is 60-75 minutes per pound for tougher cuts, but the 85-minute setting works for most standard sizes.
- Taste the Liquid: Before adding the cabbage, taste the cooking liquid. It’s often rich and savory, perfect for spooning over the finished dish or for making a delicious gravy.
- Don’t Overcook Cabbage: Cabbage becomes mushy very quickly. Three minutes under pressure is usually perfect for a tender-crisp texture.
Making corned beef and cabbage in your Ninja Foodi is a game-changer. It’s not just faster; it consistently delivers incredibly tender, flavorful results that will impress everyone at your table. Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or simply craving a comforting, hearty meal, this recipe is a must-try. Embrace the convenience and culinary power of your Ninja Foodi and enjoy a truly exceptional corned beef experience!
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