This homemade corned beef seasoning recipe is perfect for anyone cooking a corned beef roast without a spice packet. With just a handful of pantry spices, you can create a fresh, flavorful blend that elevates every bite. It’s a simple yet delicious way to enhance your meal—ideal for St. Patrick’s Day or a hearty Sunday dinner. Say goodbye to bland and hello to bold, homemade flavor!
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How to Season Corned Beef without Seasoning Packet
If you’ve ever found yourself without a corned beef seasoning pack, don’t worry—this homemade version has you covered. It skips preservatives and uses whole, fresh spices to deliver big flavor in every bite. With this seasoning packet for corned beef, you’re in control of what goes into your food, and the result is a beautifully seasoned roast that’s bursting with aromatic spice.
Whether you’re using a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop Dutch oven corned beef, this DIY seasoning packet for corned beef delivers restaurant-quality flavor right at home. It’s especially great for St. Patrick’s Day meals or anytime you’re craving a comforting, savory roast.
Why We Love This Corned Beef Seasoning Pack
- Quick and easy to make
This corned beef and cabbage seasoning comes together in just a few minutes, making it a great option for busy cooks. Simply mix the ingredients in a bowl or use a spice grinder for finer texture, and you’re ready to add incredible flavor to your corned beef. - Homemade and preservative-free
By making your own spice mix, you can control every ingredient. Unlike store-bought packets, this spice blend contains no preservatives, fillers, or artificial flavors—just fresh, healthy ingredients that enhance the natural taste of your beef. - Accessible ingredients
Everything you need for this corned beef seasoning mix can be found at your local grocery store. Common spices like mustard seeds, coriander, and bay leaves make this a convenient and cost-effective choice for adding gourmet flavor to your boiled dinner or corned beef hash.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Coriander seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, star of anise: get these spices whole so you can crush them before using or storing them.
- Bay leaves: dried bay leaves can either be whole or crushed.
- Red pepper flakes: buying pre-crushed red pepper flakes is perfectly acceptable for this recipe.
Recipe Variations
- You can experiment with ingredients like whole cloves, pickling spice, or allspice berries for a traditional touch.
- Add warmth with a pinch of ground ginger or cinnamon, and enhance the complexity with dill seeds, fennel seeds, or a sprinkle of kosher salt.
- Don’t forget celery seeds and yellow mustard seeds—they’re key to that signature corned beef flavor!
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Mortar and pestle, spice mill, or ziplock bag with rubber mallet: Use any of these to crush and combine the spices.
- Funnel (optional): Makes transferring the mix into an airtight jar easier.
- Airtight spice jar (optional): Perfect for storing leftover seasoning.
How to Make Seasoning Packet for Corned Beef
- Crush the spices.
Start by crushing the whole spices, either using a mortar and pestle, spice mill, or with a mallet in a sealed plastic bag.
This releases the oils and flavors better than using pre-ground spices.
- Mix in the bay leaves.
Next, mix the bay leaves and red pepper flakes into the spice mixture. They don’t need to be ground.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Crush your spices lightly instead of grinding them into a fine powder. This allows the flavors to infuse gradually into the cooking liquid, giving your corned beef a richer, more balanced taste!
- Use it right away for the best flavor.
Get the most out of your newly ground spice mixture and use it to make corned beef right away. The longer the seasoning sits, the more it loses its potency.
Serving Suggestions
This corned beef seasoning pack is the perfect companion to your favorite corned beef recipe. Pair your tender, flavorful corned beef with boiled potatoes, carrots, and onions for a classic boiled dinner. Use the leftover cooking liquid to make a flavorful gravy or base for soups.
For a hearty breakfast, shred the corned beef to make a crispy beef hash in a skillet or make a Reuben sandwich. Serve everything alongside rye bread with mustard for a complete meal. Whether cooked in a pressure cooker, instant pot, or oven, these side dishes and additions will complement your corned beef perfectly!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use your favorite spices for this blend. These spices are the ones we like the most to get the best “corned beef” flavor, but you can always adjust them based on your tastes.
Add more red pepper flakes or cayenne powder to the seasoning if you like spicy things. Start with a very small amount to prevent it from being too spicy.
ISalt is the best flavor enhancer and will make a difference in the outcome. If your seasoning is a little bland, it’s most likely because there isn’t enough salt.
Keep your corned beef spices in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to three months. A cupboard or pantry are great place.
Absolutely! This seasoning works well for roasting vegetables, flavoring soups, or even as a dry rub for other meats.
More Easy Kitchen Tips and Hacks to Love…
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Corned Beef Seasoning
Equipment
- Mortar and pestle, spice mill, or Ziplock bag and rubber mallet
- Funnel (optional)
- air tight spice jar (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons peppercorn
- 4 stars of anise (or 1 teaspoon anise seeds)
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Crush or grind coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and peppercorns to release their flavor: use mortar and pestle or a spice mill to grind them coarsely. Or add the whole spices to a Ziplock bag and seal it, then crush them with a rubber mallet. Remove star of anise seeds if they are whole. Mix crushed seasonings together with bay leaves, pepper flakes, and star of anise seeds.
- Use seasonings right away with corned beef or use a funnel to add the seasonings to an air tight spice jar for storing and use within 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
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Michelle says
The flavours in this seasoning are amazing! I think I’ll be adding it to everything! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Seema Sriram says
Th seasoning flavours were perfect. I will never ever buy the flavourless storebought ones.
Dina and Bruce says
Love how fresh this seasoning is! Gonna use this for St. Patrick’s day!!
Sara Welch says
This was such a unique and unexpected recipe that does not disappoint! Fresh, easy and flavorful results; definitely, a new favorite recipe!
Ned says
This seasoning was incredible. I really enjoyed it and my family did too! Thank you!