A Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe is One of Our Favorite Irish Expressions!

Once you have a corned beef and cabbage recipe under your belt, you are 'set' for Irish cooking, right?  Well... no.  It's technically not an Irish meal.  But it's a really, really good move in the right direction!

Irish Expressions - Corned Beef and Cabbage

A more authentic Irish dish is actually boiled bacon and cabbage. ('Bacon' is actually salted pork joint or pork roast.)

Prior to the 1900s, Irish commoners couldn't afford beef due to its scarcity and exorbitant cost. Corned beef was considered a delicacy reserved for royalty.

In the 1800s many Irish came over to New York they weren't able to find salted bacon, but beef was plentiful and economical.

In socializing with their Jewish neighbors, Irish-Americans discovered corned beef would make a great substitute for bacon - and corned beef and cabbage became one of the most famous of Irish expressions!

Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe: Ingredients

It doesn't get much simpler!

  • 4-5 lb. corned beef brisket – rinsed well
  • 4 bacon slices
  • 4 med. red potatoes – cubed
  • 2 med. onions – peeled and chopped coarsely
  • 1 pkg. baby carrots
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp. fresh thyme - minced
  • 1 tbsp. black peppercorns – whole
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp. vinegar
  • 1 med. cabbage – cut in wedges

Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe: Preparation

  1. In 6-quart cooking pot, place corned beef and add spice packet. Completely cover brisket with water.
  2. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 5 hours or until fork tender.
  3. Transfer meat from pot to large baking dish. Spoon enough broth over brisket to cover. Wrap loosely in foil and let meat rest.
  4. Add sliced bacon to pot containing meat liquid. Boil about 25 minutes.
  5. Put potatoes into pot with bacon and simmer over med. high heat about 10 minutes.
  6. Add onions, baby carrots, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, garlic and vinegar to cooking pot. Add cabbage last. *See Chef Notes.
  7. Cover and simmer about 10-15 minutes until vegetables are done.
  8. Carve corned beef, against the grain, into about ¼" slices. Put slices in center of large serving platter. Arrange veggies in circular pattern around brisket.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe: Notes From The Chef

*Very Important – add vegetables to cooking pot in exact sequence listed. Potatoes will reside at bottom of pot and continue to simmer. Cabbage, when resting on top, achieves more of a steaming action, without getting mushy.

Resist urge to throw everything into the pot at once. Your vegetables will look like brownish-gray gobs.

If you enjoy cooking with liquor, use 2-3 bottles Guinness beer for liquid.

Place condiments in pretty little serving bowls: favorite mustards such as, hot/spicy, Dijon; Durkee's famous sauce; real butter; horseradish and/or small pitcher apple cider vinegar.

We included carrots for a pop of color. Other veggies that marry well with corned beef are: celery, beets, parsnips and rutabagas.

For sides, fill a crystal bowl with applesauce, serve Irish soda bread and a lotta Guinness to express your Irish-American corned beef and cabbage dinner to the max!

Hungry for More Irish Recipes?

Sharing Irish food is one of our favorite ways to enjoy an Irish experience, wherever in the world we happen to be!  

The flavors of an Irish meal, and the stories that come along with many Irish recipes, gives us a sense of connection with the Emerald Isle.

If you would like to receive a free copy of our e-book on favorite Irish recipes, scroll down and enter your email address.  You can have recipes for our favorite Irish foods in your inbox in just minutes!

Want Even More?

At Irish Expressions, our our goal is simple: to provide you with a unique Irish experience, on demand, wherever you are in the world.

If you have enjoyed our section on Irish Food Recipes, you have probably been exposed to many of the most delicious flavors that Ireland has to offer!

Will that entice you to visit Ireland - or to return if you have already been? 

We hope so!  

But even if that is not possible, you can still enjoy the magic of Ireland in these pages.  Check out the links at the top of the page for simple instructions on how to explore Irish landmarks, enjoy Irish food, practice Irish customs, and much more!

Your Most Personal Irish Expression

One way to share your love of Ireland is by displaying your family coat of arms (family crest).  A very personal symbol of the stories and accomplishments of your ancestors can adorn clothing, kitchenware, wall art, personal accessories and so much more. 

Want to have a look?  Our friends at House of Names can help! 

Tap the button below and see your family crest for free!

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At Irish Expressions we believe everybody – well almost everybody! - has an "Irish side."  So how nice would it be to have access to a fun, free Irish experience, on demand, wherever in the world you happen to be?

Over the years we have compiled many free, downloadable resources including lyrics, recipes, games, jokes, blessings and much, much more.  Would you like to receive them ALL for FREE?  Simply share your email for instant access!

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A Note from Bruce

If you would like to see more from Irish Expressions, you can find us on Facebook and Pinterest. You can also communicate with us using our contact form here. 

And of course you can always reach out to me directly at bruce@irish-expressions.com. 

However you choose to connect, we would love to hear from you!  Meanwhile, thanks for visiting!  I hope that we will meet someday, in person or online, and you can tell me about your own connection to the Emerald Isle.

Until then, best wishes -

Bruce Grady, and the team at Irish-Expressions.com


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