Since March is officially 'Irish Awareness Month,’ I want to offer you the luck of the Irish by kicking off a St. Patrick's Day food tradition with Corn Beef and Cabbage...umm, Irish-American, that is, and not part of the repast on the Emerald Aisle.
Since the early 1900s, Americans proclaimed corned beef and cabbage their favorite Irish dish, even though it had never graced dinner tables in Ireland. Since then, Americans have embraced it as the St. Patrick's Day meal on March 17th. Corned beef got its name before refrigeration, when meat was preserved using coarse grains of salt, called 'corn.’ Today, beef is corned with spices strictly for flavor, not preservation, so the meat must be refrigerated. Whether you're a wee bit Irish or not, boost your luck by celebrating St. Patrick's Day with friends and a feast.
It is said that President Grover Cleveland once noticed the aroma of corned beef and cabbage coming from the servants’ quarters at the White House. He asked to trade his dinner for the staff meal and commented, " This was the best dinner I had had in months."
Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit, Gaelic for Saint Patrick's Day
Corned Beef and Cabbage with Boiled Vegetables
Serves six-eight
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
3-pound corned beef brisket
4 cloves garlic, peeled
Fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons pickling spices,
3 bay leaves
1/4cup sugar
1/4cup cider vinegar
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
6 carrots, peeled
6 Yukon potatoes, scrubbed
3 turnips, peeled
1 head cabbaged, leave core on and cut into eighths
Place corned beef brisket in a very large soup pot. Fill the pot with cold water to cover the meat. Add sugar, cider vinegar, pickling spices, bay leaves, and garlic.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 5 to 6 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface with a large spoon.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 1-2 hours. Test the meat for tenderness with a large fork; it should have a little resistance. Be careful not to overcook corned beef, or the meat will become dry and stringy. If fully tender, turn off the heat and let the meat rest in the liquid.
Add all the vegetables to the pot with the meat one hour before serving, and before the meat finishes.
Timetable for the vegetables:
• onions, simmer 1 hour
• carrots, potatoes, and turnips simmer for 30 minutes
• Simmer cabbage for 20-30 minutes
Slice only as much meat as you will immediately serve, keeping the rest in one piece for future use. Serve with a variety of mustards and horseradish.
