How to Make Smoked Corned Beef
Updated: Mar. 08, 2019
Want to take dinner to the next level? Inject a ton of sweet and smoky flavor into a brisket with this smoked corned beef recipe.
Sure, it’s a staple for St. Patrick’s Day, but we love corned beef in our Reubens and breakfast hash, too. The only thing better than a corned beef brisket is one you toss on the smoker! Smoking your corned beef injects a ton of extra flavor into the meat, both from the sweet smokiness and the savory spice rub. You can easily make this smoked corned beef recipe from a store-bought, pre-brined brisket or you can try your hand at curing it yourself.
Can I smoke a corned beef brisket?
We can’t think of any good reasons not to cook corned beef on the smoker! Traditionally, this meat is simmered on the stovetop low-and-slow alongside celery, carrots and pickling spice. Since a low-temperature smoker maintains a similar cooking environment to simmering water, it’s a perfect swap. We recommend steaming the meat once it reaches 160°, anyway. This extra step keeps the corned beef moist and pulls out some of the excess salt from the brining process.
If you’re planning to smoke corned beef, make sure to look for a flat cut brisket with a consistent and uniform shape so it cooks evenly. (Here are more cuts of beef you should know.)
Double-check the packaging to ensure you’re not purchasing a ready-to-eat corned beef. In addition to being brined, that type of brisket is already cooked, and sometimes comes pre-sliced. It would dry out if you smoked it.
Are smoked corned beef and pastrami the same thing?
Essentially, yes: Corned beef and pastrami are both cured forms of beef brisket. The major difference between the two is the cooking method. Corned beef is boiled while pastrami is rubbed with ground coriander, black pepper, sugar, mustard and other spices before being smoked. If you smoke your corned beef instead of boiling it, it basically becomes pastrami.
When smoking corned beef, don’t feel like you have to stay boxed into the traditional pastrami spice rub. Choose your favorite dry rub and have some fun with it!
How to Cook Corned Beef in a Smoker
This recipe takes a bit of time to cook, but the amazing results make it 100-percent worth the effort. If you don’t have a smoker, never fear: Learn how to turn your grill into a smoker.
Ingredients
- 1 corned beef brisket (3-5 pounds)
- 4-6 tablespoons steak spice rub (like Stubb’s)
- Potatoes, onions and carrots, chopped into large, 2-inch chunks, optional
Step 1: Spice it up
Start by removing the corned beef from its package and running it under cold water to remove any excess brine. Pat it dry with a paper towel before sprinkling on the steak spice rub. Use enough to coat the entire exterior of the brisket.
Step 2: Fire up the smoker
Choose your wood chips and get ready to smoke! Then, set the temperature on your smoker to 275°.
Test Kitchen tip: We like a mild wood for smoked corned beef, as strong woods can overpower the nuanced flavors of the meat. In other words, look for maple, apple or pecan rather than hickory or mesquite.
Step 3: Smoke the beef
Place the beef in the smoker and let it cook for about 3 hours. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°, remove it from the smoker and place it in a deep foil pan. Add enough water to reach one-third of the way up the cut of corned beef. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it back in the smoker. Continue cooking for another hour.
Step 4: Add your veggies
This step is optional, but it creates the easiest side dish to serve alongside your corned beef. After that hour under the foil, add the potatoes, carrots and onions and return the covered pan to the smoker.
Regardless of whether you added veggies or not, you’ll want to cook the beef for an additional 1 to 2 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 195°. By this point, the vegetables should be tender when pierced with a fork.
Step 5: Rest
It’s always essential to rest meat before slicing it, but it’s especially critical with large roasts like corned beef. Remove the beef from the smoker and let it rest in the foil-covered pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain for the most tender eating experience.
Use the smoked meat in any of our favorite corned beef and cabbage recipes!
Favorite Corned Beef and Cabbage
It may be the most famous dish to eat on St. Patrick's Day, but this Irish-American corned beef recipe is a favorite at our table all year long. This is how to make corned beef and cabbage. —Evelyn Kenney, Trenton, New Jersey
Fried Cabbage
When I was young, my family grew our own cabbages. It was fun to put them to use in the kitchen, just as I did with this comforting side. With potatoes, deviled eggs and cornbread, fried cabbage tastes like home. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri
Creamy Reuben Casserole
This Reuben casserole dish is great to serve for St. Patrick's Day - or any time. It features corned beef, sauerkraut and other ingredients that make Reuben sandwiches so popular. It's always well received at a potluck. —Margery Bryan, Royal City, Washington
Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage
This corned beef and cabbage slow cooker recipe is a fuss-free way to cook the traditional dish. I tried it for St. Patrick's Day a few years ago. Now it's a regular in my menu planning. This is terrific with Dijon mustard and crusty bread. —Karen Waters, Laurel, Maryland
Grilled Cabbage
The first time I made this, I couldn’t believe how good it was! We served it with grilled burgers and our dinner was complete. I never thought I’d skip dessert because I was full from too much cabbage! —Elizabeth Wheeler, Thornville, Ohio
Slow-Cooker Reuben Spread
My daughter shared this recipe with me for a hearty spread that tastes just like a Reuben sandwich. Serve it from a slow cooker set to warm so the dip stays at its most tasty temperature. —Rosalie Fuchs, Paynesville, Minnesota
Reuben-Style Pizza
I love a good Reuben sandwich and thought, “Why not make it into a pizza?” It's got extra cheesy goodness in the sauce, and smells wonderful coming out of the oven. —Tracy Miller, Wakeman, Ohio
Slow-Cooked Corned Beef
It’s not luck; it’s just an amazing Irish recipe. With this in the slow cooker by sunrise, you can be sure to fill seats at the dinner table by sundown. —Heather Parraz, Rochester, Washington
Roasted Cabbage & Onions
I roast veggies to bring out their sweetness, and it works wonders with onions and cabbage. The piquant vinegar-mustard sauce makes this dish similar to a slaw. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Reuben Waffle Potato Appetizers
I love Reubens, so I turned the classic sandwich into a fun appetizer with corned beef and sauerkraut on waffle fries. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois
Colcannon Potatoes
Every Irish family has its own colcannon recipe, since it's a classic dish. My recipe comes from my father's family in Ireland. It's part of my St. Pat's menu, along with lamb chops, carrots and soda bread. —Marilou Robinson, Portland, Oregon
Homemade Corned Beef
Here's a recipe you've gotta plan for, but you don't need to do much work to get this deli-quality corned beef. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
Spicy Corned Beef Tacos
Using leftovers in new and exciting ways is my personal cooking challenge. These fun tacos take my favorite Reuben ingredients and turn them into something totally different—and completely delicious. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Paddy's Reuben Dip
This slow-cooked spread tastes just like the popular Reuben sandwich. Even when I double the recipe, I end up with an empty dish. —Mary Jane Kimmes, Hastings, Minnesota
Guinness Corned Beef and Cabbage
Passed down through generations, this robust corned beef and cabbage recipe is requested often in our house. The Irish stout adds excellent richness to the corned beef. Just throw the ingredients together in the slow cooker and let them simmer until delicious! —Karin Brodbeck, Red Hook, New York
Corned Beef Pizza Swirls
You don't have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this easy Reuben appetizer. Deli meat and cheese make it doable year-round. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
Sunday breakfasts have always been special in our house. It's fun to get in the kitchen and cook with the kids. No matter how many new recipes we try, they always rate this corned beef hash recipe No. 1! —Rick Skildum, Maple Grove, Minnesota
Reuben Calzones
I love a Reuben sandwich, so I tried the fillings in a pizza pocket instead of on rye bread. This hand-held dinner is a big winner at our house. —Nickie Frye, Evansville, Indiana
Reuben Bread Pudding
Our Aunt Renee always brought this casserole to family picnics in Chicago. It became so popular that she started bringing two or three. I have also made it using dark rye bread or marbled rye, and ham instead of corned beef—all the variations are delicious! —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
Reuben Pizza
Fridays are pizza nights at our house. We do a lot of experimenting, so we don't have the same, old thing every week. With only five ingredients, this pizza is a snap to whip up, and it tastes just like a Reuben sandwich. —Nicole German, Hutchinson, Minnesota
Diner Corned Beef Hash
I created my hash to taste like a dish from a northern Arizona restaurant we always loved. We round it out with eggs and toast made from homemade bread. —Denise Chelpka, Phoenix, Arizona
Toasted Reubens
New Yorkers say my Reubens taste like those served in the famous delis there. For a little less kick, you can leave out the horseradish. —Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Warm Cabbage, Fennel and Pear Salad
This crunchy salad makes an elegant first course or side, but it's hearty enough to be an entree when paired with a crusty artisan bread. We love it served warm. —Grace Voltolina, Westport, Connecticut
Mini Reuben Casseroles
These cute and creamy little casseroles have the classic flavors of a Reuben sandwich. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Traditional Boiled Dinner
Corned beef is a real treat in our family and we love the savory flavor the vegetables pick up from simmering in the pickling spices. —Joy Strasser, Mukwonago, Wisconsin
Reuben Noodle Casserole
This Reuben casserole is an absolute favorite of ours. I recently served it at a Christmas gathering; people loved it and requested the recipe! —Joy Hagen, Webster, South Dakota
Creamy Corned Beef Casserole
My family really enjoys the flavor of corned beef so I invented this casserole. It is so easy to whip up and your family will love it. —B Overland, Park, Kansas
Sunday's Corned Beef
Here’s an old Irish recipe I’ve been making for decades—and not just on St. Patrick’s Day—because it’s so fast and easy to prepare! —Pam Allen, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Reuben Rounds
Fans of the classic Reuben sandwich will go crazy for baked pastry spirals of corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut. They're so easy to make, and bottled Thousand Island dressing makes the perfect dipping sauce. —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, MarylandNote: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
