How to Cook Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes and Carrots Separately or Together

Coordinating the cooking times of multiple ingredients helps maximize their flavors and textures, but this can be a difficult task in the kitchen. (We can't recall how many times we've accidentally burned something while attempting to cook different foods at the same time.)

Meat and vegetables, such as beef and potatoes, are good examples. You can cook them together, but you run the risk of over- or under-cooking some ingredients. And you can cook them separately, but you still run the same risk. Plus, starchy vegetables like potatoes and carrots can turn to mush while the meat is still cooking.

Whether you choose to cook them separately or together, here is how to cook corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots so they're all done around the same time.

Cooking beef and vegetables separately is helpful if you're feeding people who don't eat meat. It can also be easier to ensure the vegetables don't turn to mush while the meat cooks. But, the vegetables won't soak up the meat juices, so they may not be as flavorful.

Here's how to cook your corned beef and vegetables separately, according to Julia Chebotar, a private chef in New York City. She notes that this method helps reduce the fluid in the final dish.

Rinse the corned beef brisket under running water and place it in an oven-safe Dutch oven, roasting pan or stockpot. Make sure the corned beef is fat side up.

Add ¼ inch of broth or water to the bottom of the pot and add pickling spice or other seasonings.

Though corned beef and cabbage are traditionally boiled, you can roast the brisket to ensure the meat and vegetables are cooked separately. To do this:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cover with aluminum foil, place in the middle rack of your oven and roast for about 3 hours. Do not roast at temperatures lower than 325 F, per the USDA.

1. While the brisket roasts, prep the veggies. Rinse them under running water and pat dry with paper towels. You may choose to peel the potatoes and carrots with a vegetable peeler.
2. On a cutting board, chop the vegetables into the desired sizes and shapes with a chef's knife.
3. Toss the vegetables with melted butter, horseradish, salt and pepper.

1. Arrange the vegetables on a baking sheet.
2. Halfway through the cooking time for the corned beef, place the vegetables into the oven on the bottom rack.
3. Roast them for the remaining time until the brisket is done. Check on the vegetables periodically to ensure they are browning on all sides and not sticking to the baking sheet.

1. After 3 hours, safely remove the corned beef brisket and tray of vegetables from the oven.
2. Allow it to cool.
3. After it's cooled, transfer the corned beef to a cutting board where you'll trim the layer of fat on top. Slice the meat into the desired thickness.
4. Serve with cooked vegetables.

You can cook corned beef in a slow cooker, in the oven or on the stove, according to the USDA. Chebotar recommends the following cooking method to cook corned beef and vegetables in one pot.

Rinse the corned beef brisket and place it in a large pot. Cover with water and add pickling spice.

Corned beef and cabbage is traditionally boiled. Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. When it's reached a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and let simmer for 2.5 hours.

Place washed vegetables onto a cutting board and use a chef's knife to chop them into the desired shapes.

Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then add the cabbage, which cooks the fastest, and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.

Vegetables can be added during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, according to the USDA.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Transfer the corned beef brisket to a roasting pan and place the vegetables in a separate dish.

Cover the corned beef brisket with a glaze. Roast the corned beef for about 10 minutes.

Remove the brisket from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board to trim the flat and slice. Serve with cooked vegetables.