Corned beef and cabbage is about as synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day as black-eyed peas are with New Year’s Day. This iconic dish is made with cured beef brisket and braised cabbage and is often served with crusty bread and potatoes on March 17. But how traditional is it really? As it turns out, corned beef is much more of an Irish-American culinary tradition than it is one hailing from the Emerald Isle.
What Is Corned Beef?
Before you can fully appreciate the history (or lack thereof) of eating corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s important to understand exactly what this dish is. Corned beef starts with beef brisket, which is pickled for several days in a brine made with sugar and aromatic whole spices like peppercorns, caraway seeds, and mustard seeds. Once the beef has had ample brining time, it simmers in that same brine on the stovetop for several hours, which allows the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat and help to soften the tough cut of beef. It's then sliced up and typically served with braised cabbage, carrots, and potatoes for a hearty Irish-inspired feast.
Do Irish People Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage?
You may be surprised to learn that corned beef and cabbage isn’t actually a traditional Irish dish. Today, you’ll find beef stews and steaks on menus across Ireland, but that wasn’t always the case. Beef used to be considered a luxury ingredient in Ireland and was typically only consumed by the wealthy. Instead, many Irish families relied on preserved pork, which was much more affordable and deemed just as nutritious.
That changed when Irish immigrants came to the United States and found that cured beef was readily available, affordable, and delicious. According to Irish Central, this was especially true in New York’s Lower East Side where Irish immigrants settled alongside Jewish neighbors. “The proximity of the Irish and Jewish communities, in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan in the mid-1800s and early 1900s is said to be largely responsible for the popularity of corned beef among the Irish immigrants.” Irish Americans began incorporating corned beef into their meals, and it eventually became a staple on St. Patrick’s Day in the United States. Other dishes commonly served for the holiday include lamb stew and shepherd’s pie.
In Ireland, however, not much has changed. You’re much more likely to find people enjoying bacon and cabbage on the holiday as a nod to the traditional, budget-friendly meal they’ve eaten for generations.
