Corned Beef and Cabbage - what did I do wrong?

My cabbage was a little bitter/sour....did I mess something up?

Is it supposed to be a little bitter?

I cooked it in a crockpot with the meat, onions, potatoes, carrots and 2 cans of guinness.

Re: Corned Beef and Cabbage - what did I do wrong?

I've never used beer, I just usually throw everything in witht he seasoning that comes with the meat and everthing comes out fine.

Re: Corned Beef and Cabbage - what did I do wrong?

hmmm, maybe it was the beer? the meat was delish and the potatoes were good too, it was all cooked together.

Re: Corned Beef and Cabbage - what did I do wrong?

I use Guiness in my corned beef.. but I don't cook the cabbage with it the whole time. I pour the liquid off into a pot after the beef, potatoes and carrots are cooked and then add the cabbage and extra water. I only cook it until it is JUST tender and remove. Maybe it can't be in the Guiness from the very start?

Re: Corned Beef and Cabbage - what did I do wrong?

The one year that I did my corned beef and cabbage together in the same pot, the cabbage did not come out good. I add beer to my corned beef as well, so that may have been the culprit.

I don't know if you're planning to try again today, but all I do is put the corned beef into the crock pot, add a 12 oz. bottle of beer (I like Bud Select the best), fill the rest with water and cook on low for 8 hours. That's it--no seasoning packet, no veggies, no nothing--and it comes out sooooo good.

I usually start the cabbage boiling on the stove about 2 hours before we are scheduled to eat, and that seems to work pretty well.