Kitchen

[traveler]

When making corned beef dinner in crockpot/slow cooker do you add spice mix that comes with it? Do you add beer?

[fthunt]

YES - you add the spice packet just like you would in a pot on the stove. No difference. The beer question: I've never added beer but I guess in some parts of the country this is normal. I have no idea what it adds to the corned beef - perhaps somebody can enlighten us both.

[Catfancy]

Maybe helps to tenderize it?

[traveler]

potatoes cooked in beer sounds odd to me

[Tigriss]

Beer makes soups and stews better. I use it all the time, but I hate the way it tastes when I drink it. Cooking it makes it different.

[Desertdi]

I add the extra spices......plus a whole garlic

Edited to add: You can put the spices in a tea ball if you don't like them floating around

[jackthebear]

Yes add the spice packet

if there is beer in the house I add it.

and some garlic

[kristan]

Yes, I add the spice packet. Corned beef is the only meat I cook in a crock pot. I don't keep beer in the house so I will have to try that.

[traveler]

thanks all. It's in the crockpot now.

[bj042499]

Hi! When I make corned beef in the crock pot, I rub the contents of the seasoning packet over the beef and place it into the crock pot over a bed a sliced onion. Then I add 2 bottles of beer. If the beer isn't enough to cover the meat, I add some water. The beer gives great flavor! That said, drunken potatoes and carrots don't taste so great, so I only cook the beef in the crock pot and make the sides separately.