Paula Deen Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage

Paula Deen easy corned beef and cabbage turns crispy bacon, buttery green cabbage and canned corned beef into a tender skillet dinner in 45 minutes. Try this easy one-pot corned beef dinner for St. Patrick's Day or a weeknight supper, since it's budget-friendly and feeds four.

Start the cabbage with just a small splash of water, because the leaves release plenty of their own liquid as they cook. Add too much and you get watery, limp cabbage instead of buttery strands with a little bite left.

Paula cooks the cabbage in bacon grease and butter before the corned beef ever goes in, which gives it far more flavor than boiling it in plain water. Using canned corned beef also means no long simmer, so this takes under an hour from start to table.

Paula Deen Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Buttery cabbage softens in bacon fat and a splash of water while crispy bacon and chunks of corned beef warm through on top. Cook it only as long as you like, since a little crunch left in the cabbage is part of the charm.

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
  

• 4 tablespoons Butter
  

• 1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped
  

• 1 can corned beef
  

• 1/3 cups water
  

• salt
  

• Black pepper
  

Directions

• Cook the bacon: Cook 4 slices bacon in a large pot over medium heat until almost crisp. Then lift the bacon out and set it aside, leaving the grease in the pot.
• Melt the butter: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in the pot with the bacon grease. Stir it together so the cabbage has a flavorful fat to cook in.
• Add the cabbage: Add 1 coarsely chopped head of green cabbage and stir well to coat it in the fat. Then pour in about 1/3 cup water and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cover and cook: Cover the pot with a lid and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. While it cooks, chop the bacon into small pieces.
• Add the corned beef: Remove the lid and scatter chunks of 1 can corned beef and the chopped bacon over the cabbage. Then cover again and cook until the cabbage is as tender as you like it.
• Adjust and serve: If the cabbage looks dry as it cooks, add a little more water a splash at a time. Serve it hot, and if you are feeding six, use 2 cans of corned beef.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, OXO 12-inch locking tongs. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use fresh corned beef instead of canned?

Yes, but the cooking changes a lot, since fresh corned beef needs a few hours of simmering until tender. Cook and shred it first, then fold it into the cabbage at the end.

How long do leftovers keep?

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat, since the microwave can make the cabbage watery.

How do I keep the cabbage from getting soggy?

Start with only a small splash of water and add more only if the pot looks dry. Cabbage releases its own liquid, so less water keeps the strands tender with some bite.

Can I add potatoes or carrots?

You can, though they need more time than cabbage. Dice them small and add them with the water, then cook until fork-tender before the corned beef goes in.

What is the most common mistake with this dish?

Overcooking the cabbage is the big one, since it turns mushy and dull fast. Check it after 10 minutes and stop when it is tender but still has a little crunch.