For the best corned beef ever, let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting! Simply combine whole spices and other aromatics in a cheesecloth sachet to pop in with the beef. Four to eight hours later, you'll be digging into meltingly tender, perfectly seasoned meat and veggies. Adding the vegetables one to two hours before serving time ensures they keep their shape during cooking.
Put the peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, garlic and bay leaves in a piece of cheesecloth and tie tightly with butcher's twine to make a sachet. Put the corned beef in a slow cooker and pour enough water over it until just submerged (2 to 3 quarts). Add the sachet and brown sugar and cook until the meat is just tender, 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Two hours (on low) or 1 hour (on high) before the corned beef is done, add the carrots, potatoes and cabbage on top of the meat, making sure the veggies are submerged. Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender; if the beef is fork-tender and fully cooked but the vegetables still need time, remove the beef and tent with foil, then continue to cook the veggies until tender.
Transfer the veggies to a bowl using a spider or slotted spoon and immediately toss with the rice wine vinegar.
Slice the corned beef and plate with an assortment of the veggies and some Horseradish Mustard. Garnish with the chives.
Horseradish Mustard:
Combine the mustard, horseradish and brown sugar in a medium bowl and mix together until blended. Add more horseradish for extra burn!
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