Baked Corned Beef

4.35 from 38 votes

Baked corned beef is totally hands-off and has a more satisfying flavor and texture than its boiled counterpart. Here's how to make it.

Prep Time5

Cook Time2 30

Additional Time10

Total Time2 45

Course: Beef

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: baked corned beef

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Preheat oven to 300°F with a rack in the center.
Place corned beef brisket fat-side up in a baking pan.
Sprinkle with contents of spice packet.
Pour water into the pan to a depth of about 1 inch.
Cover pan with lid or aluminum foil.
Bake for about 2 ½ hours (or 50 minutes per pound if your brisket is a different size), until internal temperature reaches 170°F.
Transfer to carving board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

If your roast didn’t come with a spice packet, you can make your own blend. You'll need about two tablespoons of mixed spices per three pounds of cured brisket. I recommend roughly equal proportions of: peppercorns, yellow and black mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, dill seeds, crushed red pepper, crushed bay leaf
You don't need any special equipment to bake a corned beef brisket. I like to use a Dutch oven since it conducts heat nicely and has a tight-fitting lid. If you don't have one, you can use any large baking dish that accommodates your roast and tightly cover it with aluminum foil.
Boiled dinner: Although we aren't actually boiling the corned beef, you can still add the traditional elements of a New England boiled dinner if you like. About 40 minutes before you expect the roast to be ready, add new potatoes (½ pound per person), carrots cut into large chunks or baby-cut carrots (¼ pound per person), one large yellow onion peeled and cut into eighths, and one small green cabbage cored and cut into eighths around the sides of the roast. Replace lid and continue cooking until meat is done and vegetables are tender. If you plan to serve the broth, you will likely need to dilute it with additional water, since corned beef is very salty.
If you like, you can make this meal in advance and reheat it in the oven shortly before serving.
Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.