When air fryer corned beef turns out so tender and delicious, you may find yourself wanting to make this St. Patrick’s Day classic all year round!
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Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day where you’re from? While it seems to be more popular in the northern part of the country, I still think this air fryer corned beef recipe is one everyone needs to try!
The meat turns out so tender, juicy, and delicious, I just know I’m going to be craving it all year round. And thanks to the air fryer, prep couldn’t be easier! Can you believe the hands-on time for this recipe is only about 10 minutes?
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- How to cook corned beef in the air fryer without drying it out
- The best way to cut corned beef
- What to serve with this dish
- How to reheat corned beef brisket in the air fryer
Whether you make corned beef brisket every year for St. Patrick’s Day or this is your first time giving it a try, I think you’re going to love this recipe. It’s amazing how delicious corned beef is when you don’t dry it out! I truly look forward to this dish all year.
And if you love corned beef, try our Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage and Ninja Foodi Corned Beef recipes!
How to Make Air Fryer Corned Beef Brisket
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Mix the contents of the pickling packet with the mustard and apple cider vinegar to form a paste.
STEP TWO: Lightly spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking oil, then set the brisket on top.
STEP THREE: Brush ⅔ of the mustard paste over the whole brisket, reserving the rest, then fold the foil around the brisket.
STEP FOUR: Place the wrapped brisket in the air fryer basket.
STEP FIVE: Cook for 1 hour at 360 degrees F.
STEP SIX: When the timer goes off, pull back the foil and baste the brisket with the remaining mustard paste.
STEP SEVEN: Cover again and cook for another 40 minutes.
STEP EIGHT: Pull back the foil and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees to get a nice crust on top.
What is Corned Beef?
This term refers to beef brisket that has been cured in a salt solution. This brining process helps break down the tougher cut of meat as well as preserve it.
Many people think of corned beef and cabbage as a classic St. Patrick’s Day meal, but this tradition actually started in America. Back in Ireland in the 1800s, beef was more expensive, so the Irish would eat pork products like bacon or ham to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day.
When the Irish began immigrating to America, however, corned beef was often less expensive than pork. The Irish Americans started eating it for St. Patrick’s Day instead, and that’s how the tradition came to us today!
How to Cut Corned Beef
You always want to cut corned beef against the grain. When slicing, look for the thin lines of muscle fiber running through the meat, then slice perpendicular to them.
Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, which will make the meat easier to chew. Thinner slices will also be more tender than thicker ones.
What to Serve with Corned Beef
- Irish Soda Bread with no Buttermilk
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Air Fryer Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts
- Best Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
- Instant Pot Glazed Carrots (or Air Fryer Carrots)
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
How Do You Know When a Corned Beef is Done?
Corned beef should be cooked to at least a medium level of doneness, which means you want the internal temperature to reach 145 degrees F minimum.
However, cooking it longer will help make the meat more tender. I like to cook mine for 1 hour and 45 minutes in the air fryer.
How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Corned Beef
If you have any extra corned beef brisket, store it in a shallow airtight container in the refrigerator. The meat should be eaten within three or four days.
I love cooking with corned beef leftovers. I recommend serving with eggs and potatoes for a delicious breakfast hash, or you can stack a few slices on rye bread with sauerkraut and Russian dressing for a traditional Reuben sandwich!
Can You Make Corned Beef in a Ninja Foodi Instead?
Absolutely! To make Ninja Foodi corned beef, follow the same instructions listed above, but use your Ninja Foodi on the air crisp function.
I’ve made corned beef and even cornish hen in both my Ninja Foodi and my Cosori basket air fryer and both have cooked perfectly with the directions included!
How to Cook Frozen Corned Beef in the Air Fryer
Starting with frozen corned beef? No problem! Just add 20 minutes of cook time after the mid-cook basting. Here are the full step-by-step instructions:
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees F.
- Mix the contents of the pickling packet with the mustard and apple cider vinegar to form a paste.
- Lightly spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking oil, then set the frozen brisket on top.
- Brush ⅔ of the mustard paste over the whole brisket, reserving the rest, then fold the foil around the brisket.
- Place the wrapped brisket in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 1 hour.
- When the timer goes off, pull back the foil and baste the brisket with the remaining mustard paste.
- Cover again and cook for 1 hour.
- Pull back the foil and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees to get a nice crust on top.
How to Reheat Corned Beef in the Air Fryer
- Place an unsliced hunk of corned beef in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 360 degrees F for 8 minutes, until warmed through.
If you’re reheating slices, they will only take 1-2 minutes to warm.
I recommend using pickling seasoning whenever you make corned beef in the air fryer. You can purchase your own to keep on hand (my favorite is this Spiceology pickling mix) or if you’re in a pinch, you can make your own corned beef pickling mix.
Use just a few teaspoons (or more or less depending on your taste preferences)
Other Air Fryer Beef Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Steak
- Air Fryer Roast Beef
- Short Ribs in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Air Fryer Prime Rib
- Air Fryer Flank Steak
- Air Fryer London Broil
- Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Meatballs
- Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak
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Air Fryer Corned Beef
Ingredients
- Pickling packet that came with your corned beef*
- ¼ cup brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4- pound corned beef brisket
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees F.
- Mix the contents of the pickling packet with the mustard and apple cider vinegar, forming a paste.
- Set the brisket on a large sheet of aluminum foil sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Brush ⅔ of the mustard paste over the whole brisket, reserving the rest, then fold the foil around the brisket.
- Place the wrapped brisket in the air fryer basket and cook for 1 hour.
- When the timer goes off, pull back the foil, baste the brisket with the remaining sauce, and cover. Cook for another 40 minutes.
- Pull back the foil and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, if you’d like a nice top.
Notes
How To Cook Frozen Corned Beef in the Air Fryer:
- Prepare corned beef through step 4.
- Cook for an extra 20 minutes to the second cooking time, bringing the total cook time to 2 hours, 5 minutes
How To Reheat Corned Beef in the Air Fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees.
- Place unsliced hunk of corned beef in the air fryer and cook for 8 minutes, until warmed through. Slices will only take 1-2 minutes to warm.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Could you please explain what you mean by contents of pickling packet for those of us in Australia. Our meat comes salted in a bit of brine.
Hi Barb, that is so good to know! Depending on what the brine content is, it may not need the pickling packet, but if it’s a basic brine, you can use one of the pickling spices listed in the notes to make your own or purchase one on the side.
At what point would you add the carrots and potatoes, if using them? I assume cabbage would mabe.take 15 min or so. Thank you
Hi John, baby potatoes take about 20 minutes while the carrots will take around 15 to 18 minutes! If the ingredients are all touching and there’s not enough room for circulation, it can take a few extra minutes for everything to cook.
Hi just to let you know, I received notice that the cosori air fryer was recalled.
I and granddaughter are very happy with the brand we use. will have to try the corned beed in air fryer.
Hi Reba, yes, certain models of the Cosori were recalled and if you do own one of the recalled models, please complete the recall. I do still recommend Cosori as a brand and use a not recalled model. Thanks!
This was fantastic – and easy….
Such a disappoint. Low and slow is the ONLY way to go. It was super chewy and undesirable. I had high hopes in the magic of air frying but this was a mistake.
I’m truly sorry to learn that the recipe didn’t live up to your expectations. Throughout the cooking process, I consistently monitor the meat’s internal temperature to guarantee its tenderness, and for this recipe, the ideal internal temperature is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. If you decide to give this recipe another shot, I suggest keeping a close eye on the internal temperature to ensure the meat turns out tender.
I do a slight variation that started years ago when I still had a smoker. Instead of mustard I use a spicy BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s chipotle BBQ for me) to mix the pickling package in. Delicious.
Yum, I love the idea of adding the BBQ sauce to the corned beef!
I am the only person that eats meat in my house. I buy 2 lb corned beef. How do I compensate for a smaller corned beef and still ensure it’s tenderness?
Hi Carol! Keep the same temperature and check in on the corned beef around half the cooking time with an instant read thermometer and add time as needed!
I had high hopes for this Corned Beef recipe too. I never make comments on recipes, but save your time and embarrassment. I followed the recipe and with a temperature gauge as well. I cook with a Gourmia Airfryer often and love it. In general the quality of Corned beef depends on fat and how it may be cut. It is a less expensive cut of meat and requires a low temperature and longer time cooking to allow the connective tissues to release and become tender. It was not eatable. Tough and chewy. Perhaps a lower temperature setting and twice the time for the meat to tenderize. Maybe some adjustments will help with your experience.
Hi Mary, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as you expected. What size was your corned beef? A smaller roast may have cooked through faster at that time and temperature, leaving you with a dry result. Was the roast tightly secured in the aluminum foil? This step helps to seal in the heat and moisture, allowing the beef to break down and become tender.