Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients

4 pound corned beef brisket w/ seasoning pack
3-4 medium carrots quartered
3 medium potatoes halved
1/2 medium cabbage head cut in wedges
3 cloves garlic minced
1-2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon white sugar
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar red wine vinegar can be substituted
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Water to cover

Instructions

Place corned beef brisket at bottom of a large slow cooker.
In a bowl combine water, salt, pepper, seasoning pack from corned beef, garlic, sugar, vinegar, and bay leaves.
Arrange carrot and potatoes on top of brisket.
Pour water and spice mixture into slow cooker; add more water if necessary, to cover corned beef and veggies.
Put slow cooker on LOW and cook for 6-7 hours.
Add cabbage to the slow cooker in the last 11/2 -2 hours of cooking. If you have a smaller slow cooker, transfer some broth from slow cooker to a pot and simmer cabbage leaves for 20 minutes until soft.
After 8-9 hours in slow cooker the corned beef will be tender and flavorful. Remove; slice brisket thinly across grain (let it cool 5- 10 minutes for easier slicing). Serve with vegetables.

Notes

Cooking Tips:
1. Adding several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water when cooking corned beef will prevent shrinking and to tenderize it.
2. To prevent corned beef from turning stringy and dry after cooking, let it cool in the cooking liquid until it is warm rather than hot, then remove and slice for serving. This keeps the meat tender and juicy.