How To Make Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional Irish offering that we here in America have adopted as the celebratory meal for St. Patrick's Day.

Corned beef is salt cured beef brisket that is typically aged for two to three weeks in a salted brine consisting of water, salt, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berries, dried bay leaves, dill seeds, ginger, and coriander. A packet of pickling spices is a great alternative to buying all of those ingredients.

Salt cured beef was originally used as a means to preserve meat for well beyond its normal life. You can imagine, in the days of no refrigeration, food and especially meat would spoil and go bad very quickly, so any means of preserving food for a longer period of time was highly desirable.

Even with the development of refrigeration, corned beef has continue to grow in popularity. Today, you can't go to any deli or even a supermarket and not find corned beef available in some from or another.

What is Cabbage?

Cabbage comes in two varieties, Asian and European. Bok Choy and napa cabbages are varieties of Asian cabbage. European cabbage or head cabbage comes in the green and red varieties. Sauerkraut, coleslaw, and corned beef and cabbage are typically made from European cabbages. Corned beef and cabbage recipes usually call for the cabbage to be boiled in the same water that cooks the corned beef. Often times the cabbage cooks with potatoes and carrots.

What You Need to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage

• Beef Brisket
• Pickling Spices
• Salt
• Sugar
• Morton's Tender Quick (salt with nitrates, which prevents botulism and turns the beef pink)
• Water
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• A Big Crock Pot

How To Prepare Corned Beef and Cabbage

After brining a beef brisket for at least a week, the beef brisket will have turn a pink color. The brisket needs to be washed off in some cold water, and then placed in some boiling water and simmered for 3-4 hours. You can either remove the brisket and cook the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, or just cook everything together, it's your call. The vegetables will take 15-20 minutes to cook.

Serving Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage is served sliced thin with the boiled cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Traditional condiments include vinegar, horseradish, or mustard. Soda bread is often used to soak up the broth.

What To Drink With Corned Beef and Cabbage

Traditionally a hearty beer like a stout is a good compliment to corned beef and cabbage.

If you would like to read more about St. Patrick's Day check out History of St. Patrick's Day, 9 Fun Facts About St. Patrick's Day, and How To Make a Leprechaun Trap.