Corned beef and cabbage dinner

Corned beef and cabbage is the Irish-American version of the traditional Irish boiled bacon and cabagge. When the Irish immigrants came to the United States, they found some foods were more abundant and cheaper than in Ireland, so their recipes changed to some extent.

Corned beef was made by rubbing it with coarse "corns" of salt –grains of salt were called corns in Old English- as a way to preserve meat and prevent it from spoiling before electricity and refrigerators came into play. Nowadays corned beef is prepared by pickling the meat in brine and salt is only necessary to give the beef its unique flavor.

Corned beef and cabbage recipe

In many Irish American households in the United States, Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17 with a family gathering and a corned beef and cabbage dinner.

Ingredients

Procedure

1. Place the beef into a Dutch oven or sauce pan and fill two-thirds full with water. Pierce the onion with the cloves, leaving them in the onion, add this and the bay leaves and peppercorn to the brisket.
2. Place the Dutch oven on the stove on medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cover. Simmer the corned beef for 2-2½ hours. Meat should be tender.
3. 20-30 minutes before the beef would be done, remove some of stock, about 2 cups. Cook cabbage in the brisket stock until tender.
4. Serve with a mustard or horseradish sauce.
   

Recipe type

Fall, dinner, holiday, main meal, spring, winter

Cooking Tips

This meal can be prepared in a crock pot.

Corned beef can be left to stand all day but must be kept in the naturally humid environment of the Dutch oven.

Boil or steam some potatoes to serve on the side.