What began as a religious feast day, to honor the day of Saint Patrick’s death, has evolved into a variety of festivals throughout the world — celebrating the Irish culture with parades, foods, music, dancing and all things green.
Saint Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17 every year, is reportedly celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.
And, when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, there are several possibilities in the way of food.
Last year, this column offered the recipe for traditional Irish Soda Bread.
This year, I considered either Irish Stew or Corned Beef and Cabbage. The latter won the toss.
Although we always think of this holiday and this one-pot meal as an Irish tradition, Corned Beef and Cabbage is really an American tradition.
Corned beef has been around for centuries in most of Europe and the Middle East, where it has been a staple in the diet. Its name comes from the “corns,” which are large grains of salt used to cure the meat. British landowners brought their beef into Ireland, and by the 17th century. Unfortunately, due to the high poverty rate, Irish people could not afford to eat it themselves and became known for exporting this product. Instead, they survived on corned pork and potatoes.
When large numbers of Irish immigrants came to the United States, in the 18th century, they brought the recipe with them. Since beef brisket was cheap, and cabbage was also readily available, they combined the two in what became the staple for the working class here in the U.S.
And, as St. Patrick’s Day evolved into a celebration of Irish heritage and nationality for Irish-Americans, corned beef and cabbage became a holiday tradition for consumers across the nation.
Whether you are one of the 34.5 million Americans who claim Irish ancestry or not, as you celebrate the holiday, you can honor two traditions from those early Irish immigrants: corned beef and cabbage.
Betsy Crisp, MS, LD/N, is a professor emeritus of the University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Family & Consumer Sciences
Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients:
8 red potatoes, cut in half
1 large onion, cut into wedges
4 cups baby carrots
2 cups celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 pounds corned beef brisket, cut in half
1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges
3 cups water
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 seasoning packet (included with corned beef)
Instructions:
- Place potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery into the bottom of a large (6-quart) slow cooker.
- Cut beef in half, and place on top of vegetables.
- Top with cabbage wedges.
- In a 32-ounce (4-cup) measuring cup, combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper and contents of spice packet. Stir, pour into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.
- Remove bay leaf before serving.
Makes approximately 8 servings.
Published March 14, 2018
