Many traditional meals have to change somewhat to become gluten-free, but for St. Patrick’s Day, we don’t need to change our favorite meal, the slow-cooked corned beef dinner. Most of the corned beef brisket I’ve found to cook is safe for gluten sensitive people. That doesn’t mean I don’t thoroughly verify the ingredients, but this is one of the easiest meals for someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

It’s a good beginner’s meal to prepare, you might say, but it doesn’t taste like a beginner made it. Easy can be impressive, too!

For the day that everyone likes to be at least a little bit Irish, living gluten-free means we enjoy a Corned Beef Dinner. That includes the brisket, carrots, onion, potatoes, and cabbage, simmered in the crockpot until the meat is tender. That’s gluten-free living as easy as it gets!

In addition to the crockpot corned beef brisket (and any mustard I might want to spread on it after it’s cooked), the cabbage, carrots, onion and potatoes are naturally gluten-free. All I need to do is check the ingredients on the brisket, or check with the manufacturer, to be sure of what I’m using. Note: If you buy corned beef from the deli, you need to be extra careful to check its gluten content. Deli corned beef is not gluten-free nearly as often as the ones you find in the meat section and cook yourself.

Oddly, it seems that “corned” beef doesn’t actually have corn in it. Wikipedia says that in this food, the “…word corn derives from Old English, which is used to describe any small hard particles…. In the case of ‘corned beef’, the word refers to the coarse granular salts used…” to cure the meat. Grains of salt have been the curing agent for centuries, across Europe and the Middle East.

For an online list of some gluten-free corned beef, you might see what brands Jefferson Adams has recently listed here.

To pick out your brisket, you should look for one that is lean and well-trimmed. After you’ve checked the ingredients for gluten, then check to see how much fat you can see in the package of meat. Whether for regular or gluten-free cooking, leaner brisket is better!

The most time-consuming part of preparing to cook this is peeling the vegetables. Fortunately, that doesn’t take long at all.

More good news — this dinner makes some wonderful leftovers. Don’t forget to save some corned beef to make Reuben sandwiches or wraps!

Also, be sure to include the vegetables in the leftover plans. The carrots, onion, potatoes and cabbage not only add nutrition to the corned beef meal, they can go into your favorite corned beef hash long with some of the brisket. Or, cooking gluten-free corned beef hash with the meat and the vegetables cubed or coarsely chopped would be good for dinner.

Gluten-Free Slow-Cooked Corned Beef Dinner

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

3 Pounds Corned Beef Brisket, drained

1 Pound Carrots, peeled or scraped

8 Small Red Potatoes, peeled or washed, skin-on

2 Medium Onions, quartered

1 Medium Cabbage, cut in small wedges, 8 or more

1/4 Teaspoon Pepper, to taste

4 Cups Water, or more as needed to keep covered

Optional: Prepared Mustard, like French’s or Woeber’s or your own homemade version, made like Martha Stewart suggests (make sure your ingredients are gluten-free).

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in crockpot or slow-cooker.

Cut the meat to fit, if necessary.

Layer the carrots, potatoes, onion, then the cabbage on top.

If there is a seasoning packet with the meat, you can sprinkle it over the top if you like, but it isn’t essential since the meat is already cured. Sometimes I use it and sometimes not.

Add water to cover, plus a little more.

Cover with lid; cook on low 10-12 hours or high 6-7 hours, according to your slow-cooker’s instructions.

When fork-tender, remove the meat to a platter. Trim as much fat as you can, and then slice thinly across the grain.

Keep the meat warm on the platter and serve with the vegetables. Some prepared mustard is nice on the meat, if you like.

This slow-cooker recipe is gluten-free (no wheat, barley, rye or uncertified oats) and paleo. It’s also dairy-free, egg-free, lactose-free and nut-free.

Although I like the mustards mentioned above, I received nothing in return for recommending them.

This recipe will be added here: …

– Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

– The Gluten-Free Homemaker’s Gluten-Free Wednesdays

– Miz Helen’s Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday

– Frugal Follies’ Frugal Food Thursday

– The Whole Gang’s Real Food Weekly