Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage

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A traditional St Patrick's Day dish I make every year.  

But first, what is Corned Beef?

Corned beef is made from a beef brisket that is cured or pickled in brine. Brine is just salt water.

In North America, corned beef dishes are associated with traditional Irish cuisine. However, there is considerable debate about the association of the corned beef and cabbage dish with Ireland.

St. Patrick's Day and Sauerkraut Balls

At the Irish Parade

St Patrick’s Day has always been a fun holiday for us and a reason to spend time with family and friends.  Our day always starts with a stop for breakfast then off to our favorite tavern, then an Irish parade, followed by the Irish Family Reunion and then back to our favorite St. Patty’s Day tavern, the Hey Hey Bar and Grill.

The Hey Hey serves traditional food on St. Patrick’s Day including Corned Beef and Cabbage and Irish Coffee. And their famous Sauerkraut Balls are served every day.  These delicious morels were even featured in MidWest Living Magazine!

The Hey Hey is actually located in an old immigrant neighborhood called German Village where my mother grew up. When young, my father (who was mostly Irish-German) was visiting his sister Mary, (who lived near German Village) and met my mother (who was German-Irish).  And I also married a 1/2 Irish- 1/2 German man.

Irish Colcannon

My Twist On An Old Favorite

It’s March and nearly St. Patrick’s Day.  For our March book club we're reading Angela’s Ashes, which discusses food a lot, including cabbage and potatoes.  (Or more, the lack of them).

Although my family enjoys this dish throughout the year, its most commonly associated with St. Patrick’s Day.  Colcannon is a unique and simple potato dish and is unmistakably an Irish comfort food.
It traditionally includes green cabbage mixed with hot, floury mashed potatoes and butter. Let’s not forget the butter.  Potatoes came to Ireland from South America, and by 1688, they had become a staple of the Irish diet.

St. Patrick's Day History

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17 every year. 
St. Patrick was a real person and we celebrate his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death, which was in the fifth century. 

The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon.

St Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland. 
True, he was not born Irish, but he has become an integral part of the Irish heritage, through his service across Ireland in the 5th century.

Patrick was born in the later half of the 4th century AD. There are differing views about the exact year and place of his birth.