The Best Corned Beef Ever, with all Ingredients from Aldi under $20

If you want to serve a hearty, flavorful meal that feeds 6 to 8 people without breaking the bank, this Corned Beef Brisket recipe with all Aldi ingredients is your ticket! For under $20, you can create a classic dish packed with tender meat and fresh vegetables. This recipe roasts the brisket and vegetables in a mixture of spices and Irish stout beer (from Aldi, just over $1 per bottle). The vegetables, including the cabbage, are roasted rather than boiled. The result is the best Corned Beef ever, with a mustard spice crust and juicy meat. You can enjoy this recipe anytime, but Aldi has great specials on corned beef brisket in mid-March.

Corned beef brisket roasting with roasted cabbage and potatoes.

Affordable Ingredients from Aldi for the Best Corned Beef

This recipe relies on simple, budget-friendly ingredients you can find at Aldi:

• One 3-pound Aldi Corned Beef Brisket – $10.50 (sale price)

• One bottle of Irish Stout, such as Guinness or Maguires (Aldi brand)

• One medium Cabbage – $2.50

• Carrots (1 pound) – $1

• Small mixed bag of potatoes (2 pounds) – $2

• 2 tablespoons brown mustard – $0.10

• One sweet onion, cut into wedges – $0.35

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil

• Optional - if you love garlic, feel free to add it while roasting the vegetables or cabbage.

  
  

Aldi often discounts corned beef brisket before St. Patrick’s Day, making it a great time to buy. The green cabbage is inexpensive year-round, and you can choose any type of carrots you prefer—baby carrots, whole carrots, or even colorful mixed carrots if available. For potatoes, small yellow and red mini potatoes work well and add visual appeal.

Ingredients for the Best Corned Beef recipe.

Most commercial corned beef comes with a spice packet, but you’ll need whole grain mustard to help the spices stick to the meat and add extra flavor.

Preparing the Corned Beef Brisket

Start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the corned beef brisket under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the brisket, fat side up, on a baking sheet with a high rim or other roasting pan. Spread the brown mustard evenly over the top of the brisket. This helps the spice packet adhere and adds a tangy layer of flavor.

Sprinkle the contents of the spice packet over the mustard-coated brisket. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pan, then add enough Irish stout so that there is a little over 1/4 inch of liquid under the brisket. Avoid washing off the seasoning. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil to keep moisture in.

Bake the brisket for 3 hours at 300 degrees. This slow cooking will tenderize the meat and infuse it with the spices.

Adding Vegetables to Roast

After 3 hours, carefully remove the foil and pour off all but a 1/8th inch layer of the pan drippings. Retain the pan drippings. These drippings will become a flavorful sauce for the vegetables.

Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread the carrots, potatoes, and onion wedges evenly in the bottom of the pan. Add ½ cup of water to help steam the vegetables. Place the brisket on top of the vegetables, cover the pan again with foil, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

This method allows the vegetables to cook in the brisket’s juices, soaking up rich flavors while becoming tender. The potatoes, corn, and onion will roast for 30 minutes with the foil on, then you will do a final roast.

Preparing the Cabbage

While the brisket and root vegetables finish cooking, prepare the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into wedges. Heat an oven-safe sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or a neutral oil.

Once the oil is hot, brown the cabbage wedges for about 5 minutes on each side. If your pan is small, cook the cabbage in batches. Season each batch with salt and pepper as you go. Browning the cabbage adds a caramelized flavor and a nice texture contrast to the tender brisket and vegetables.

After all the cabbage is browned, return all the pieces to the sauté pan and add ½ cup of the reserved braising liquid. Cover with foil and turn off the heat.

Final Roast

After 30 minutes, remove the foil from the brisket pan in the oven, and cook for another 30-40 minutes, until all vegetables are tender and browning and most of the liquid has evaporated. After 15 minutes, place the sauté pan containing the cabbage on the bottom rack of the oven.

When the brisket is done, take it out of the oven to rest and cool slightly. Take the cabbage out, also. Slice the brisket against the grain and serve on a platter with vegetables and cabbage. Pass the pan drippings to pour over the vegetables.  

Corned Beef with Roasted Potatoes and Cabbage.

Serving Your the Best Corned Beef Brisket Feast

After it has cooled slightly, slice the brisket against the grain into thick pieces. Arrange the meat on a large serving platter surrounded by the roasted carrots, potatoes, onions, and browned cabbage wedges. Drizzle some of the reserved pan drippings over the vegetables for extra flavor.

This meal is perfect for family dinners or gatherings. It’s filling, flavorful, and affordable, making it a great choice for feeding a crowd without spending a lot.

Tips for Success

1. This recipe really calls for real Irish stout beer. You just need one beer, although having additional beers for your guests would be nice. Hint: buy the 6-pack, at least.

2. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat when roasting the brisket. It needs to cook "low and slow."

3. Don't salt the brisket; it already has enough salt in the brine. Check for seasoning at the end: I didn't need to salt the brisket, although I did salt the cabbage while searing it.

4. If the cabbage doesn't want to stay in perfect wedges, all the better.

5. Put the retained liquid in a gravy boat or other container, with a small ladle, so guests can add it to their vegetables. It is liquid gold.