Have you ever had Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day? It was one of the most popular dishes served in the Irish pub where I worked but did you know that it’s not really a traditional meal for St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland? You see, back in the day, pork was a much cheaper meat. So, salted pork was served for meals far more often than beef. But when Irish immigrants arrived in North America they found that it was actually the opposite – beef was cheaper than pork!
Of course, corned beef was a familiar food as it was served in Ireland, it just hadn’t been affordable enough to serve on a regular basis or for big holiday celebrations. I’ve added a little twist to the classic recipe that helps make the meat all the more tender and delicious. Scroll past the recipe to find out my idea on how to make over any leftovers you might have.
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
PRO TIP: Use a coffee filter as a packet to hold the spices and make it much easier to remove them once the meal is cooked. I place the spices in the filter and then use a piece of plain kitchen twine to tie it closed. The filter holds up well in the hot water!
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage is such a simple, one pot dinner idea! Perfect for St. Patrick's Day of course, but delicious comfort food for any day.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs corned beef brisket
- 1 onion large
- 6 whole cloves
- 6 carrots sliced (peeled if you want)
- 8 potatoes medium, cubed (peeled if you want)
- 3 cups beef stock
- 24 oz lager style beer
- 2 tbsp pickling spice You only need this if your corned beef didn't come with a spice packet.
- 1 head cabbage Cut in large chunks. You can use more if you'd like
Instructions
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This recipe really couldn't be much easier. Simply put everything except the cabbage into a large pot. Bring to a boil.
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Turn down to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
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Add the cabbage and continue to simmer, covered, for another 1/2 hour.
Notes:
Leave the carrots out if you wish. It’s an easy way to add another side dish to the meal but it’s not necessary to the recipe.
Substitute water for the beer if desired. In fact, you can use only water and no broth or beer at all. They do add an extra depth of flavor though.
The potatoes and cabbage are lovely tossed with a bit of melted butter and garnished with parsley just before serving.
We love to serve this with a creamy horseradish sauce on the side. You can easily make your own. Whip a half pint of whipping cream and then stirring in 3 tbsp. of prepared horseradish.
Leftovers:
One of my dad’s favorite meals was corned beef hash. Hash is a great idea for your Corned Beef and Cabbage leftovers too. Shred the meat and dice the vegetables into smaller pieces. Yes, many recipes call for shredded hash browns but small cubes of potatoes work quite well too. Add a drizzle of oil to a large skillet and throw the leftovers in there. Once heated through and a bit browned, make a well or two (or more depending on how much you’re making) in the mixture. Break an egg into each well. If you’re using an ovenproof skillet, you can now pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes at 325 degrees F until the eggs are cooked. If not, we always added the eggs and put a lid on the pan, continuing to cook on the stove top until eggs are ready.
Even though the Corned Beef with Cabbage already has potatoes in it, Colcannon (an Irish form of mashed potatoes) makes the perfect side dish to accompany it.
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