A brief history of corned beef and cabbage:
Eating corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day seems to go hand-in-hand with this day — almost as naturally as shamrocks and wearing green.
Many restaurants feature the meal as a menu special, which is sometimes so popular that it sells out.
But, how did this tradition start, and is this truly an Irish dish?
There is a lot of history to it, but I will keep it concise.
If anything, the vegetables in the meal are more authentic to Ireland than the meat.
The cabbage is grown in many varieties in Ireland and is available almost year-round. Additionally, you will find carrots and potatoes in a corned beef and cabbage dish, which have also been Irish staples. They have grown well there, because of the soil and climate, for centuries.
But, cooking the corned beef and cabbage dish as a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is more of an Irish-American tradition. Meaning, if you travel to Ireland on March 17, don’t expect to see this meal being served (Just like you wouldn’t see General Tso’s chicken on a menu in China).
According to the Smithsonian Magazine, pork was (and still is) the main animal product consumed in Ireland hundreds of years ago, as beef was more expensive and out of reach for most. Also, cattle were used solely for milk and to help with farming, and would only be eaten if a cow was too old to work or produce milk.
When the Irish immigrated to America starting in the late 1700s, though, they could enjoy beef, where it was more affordable and accessible.
In fact, the Jewish delis in New York City introduced them to corned beef.
The saltiness of the corned beef paired well with the plain flavors of the cabbage, carrots and potatoes they were so familiar with back home.
And, with St. Patrick’s Day being a religious holiday in Ireland, the Irish immigrants celebrated this day to recognize their heritage with a meal that connected their new homeland to their old one.
So, you might be wondering: Why do we call it corned beef?
The corned beef comes from brisket, which is a tougher cut of meat from the front of the cow. To make it tender, it is cured (preserved) with large grain pieces of salt, or “corns of salt.”
So there are a few fun facts for you. It’s not quite the Irish cuisine most of us assume, but something that started right here in the United States, and with a completely different immigrant population playing a role, no less.
By Shari Bresin
Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County
Recipes
This is a recipe that my (Irish-American) father-in-law makes using the slow cooker:
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 pounds of corned beef brisket
12 oz. can of dark beer
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon of thyme
Seasoning packet (optional/usually included with the brisket)
4-5 carrots, halved and cut in ¾-inch slices, rinsed
½ large head of green cabbage, cut into wedges, rinsed
2.5 pounds of whole red potatoes (or any preferred type of potato), rinsed
Directions
Put chopped onions on the bottom of the crockpot
Place the corned beef brisket fat-side up
Mix the beer, brown sugar and thyme, and add to crockpot
Add seasoning mix (optional)
Cook on low for 8 hours
About 10-15 minutes before the meat is done, take 1 cup of the juice from the slow
cooker to boil the cabbage and carrots in until soft (about half an hour)
Boil the potatoes until soft
Let meat cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing (veggies may still be boiling as the meat
cools)
Feeds six people
Have leftovers? Great. Don’t throw it out just yet (unless it’s been in the fridge for 4 days). Use the extra meat to make a Reuben sandwich. This classic sandwich has many variations, but here is one simple way to make it:
Ingredients for one Reuben sandwich
2 slices marble rye bread (or another type you prefer)
2 Tablespoons Thousand Island dressing or Russian dressing (Russian dressing is typically spicier)
2 slices of Swiss cheese
2 Tablespoons of sauerkraut from the bag or can (but canned tends to be too salty for some)
1/3 pound corned beef, thinly sliced if preferred
1-2 teaspoons cooking oil (enough to coat the pan)
Directions
Spread the dressing on each slice of the rye bread
Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each slice of bread
Add the sauerkraut on top of each slice of cheese
Add beef on one bread slice and then stack slices together to form sandwich
Coat pan with oil
Cook on one side until golden brown, then flip to other side until golden brown
Put lid on to help the cheese melt
Published March 06, 2019
