Saint Patty's Day

Fast approaching. Any plans? I know we have a few Irish on board. Any one have a recipe for corned beef and cabbage that even I can cook. I need to do something special.

no plans, i dont know many irish people in pa, wells near me, i would like a real irish soda bread, and not one from a supermarket!!!!!!!

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no plans here, other than watching the parade on TV with the girls.

from the Irish Culture and Customs website



Corned Beef & Cabbage - The Feeding of A Myth
by Bridget Haggerty

What's the national dish of Ireland? Corned Beef and Cabbage, you say? Since March has undoubtedly become "Irish Awareness Month", we thought it would be fun to explore the truth behind yet another Irish myth.

Our research took us to an informative page on European Cuisine. According to the article written by an Irishman, Corned Beef first turns up in the Vision of MacConglinne, a 12th-century poem which describes Irish food as it was eaten at the time.

The poet tell us that Corned Beef is a delicacy given to a king, in an attempt to conjure "the demon of gluttony" out of his belly. This delicacy status makes little sense until one understands that beef was not a major part of the Irish diet until the last century or so.

True, cattle were kept from very early times, but it was for their milk - not their meat. Said one bemused sixteenth-century traveller and historian,"They make seventy-several kinds of food out of milk, both sweet and sour, and they love them the best when they’re sourest."

So, what meat did the Irish eat? History tells us that pork was always the favorite. In ancient times, cattle were prized as a common medium for barter. The size of one’s herd was an indication of status, wealth and power -- hence all the stories of tribal chieftains and petty kings endlessly rustling one another’s cattle.

Long after the cattle raids were a distant memory, the majority of Irish people still didn’t eat very much beef because it was much too expensive and those who could afford it, consumed it fresh.

Corned Beef again surfaces in writings from the late 1600's as a specialty, a costly delicacy - expensive because of the salt - and made to be eaten at Easter, and sometimes at Hallowe'en. Surprising to this writer, was learning what the term "corn" really means. The name comes from Anglo-Saxon times when meat was dry-cured in coarse "corns" of salt. Pellets of salt, some the size of kernels of corn, were rubbed into the beef to keep it from spoiling and to preserve it. Today, brining -- the use of salt water -- has replaced the dry salt cure, but the name "corned beef" is still used, rather than "brined" or "pickled" beef.

But back to the myth: It was in the late 19th century that it began to take root. When the Irish emigrated to America and Canada, where both salt and meat were cheaper, they treated beef the same way they would have treated a "bacon joint" at home in Ireland: they soaked it to draw off the excess salt, then braised or boiled it with cabbage, and served it in its own juices with only minimal spicing - may be a bay leaf or so, and some pepper.

This dish, which still turns up on some Irish tables at Easter, has become familiar to people of Irish descent as the traditional favorite to serve on Saint Patrick’s Day. Certainly, there will be many restaurants in Ireland that will be serving Corned Beef and Cabbage on March 17th , but most of them will be doing so just to please the tourists.

The truth is, that for many Irish people, Corned Beef is too "poor" or plain to eat on a holiday: they'd sooner make something more festive. So, what then, is the Irish national dish - if indeed, there is one?

When I was growing up, my dad's favorite on St. Patrick's Day was boiled bacon and cabbage and it would appear that is still true in Ireland today. The "bacon joint"- various cuts of salted or smoked and salted pork - is sometimes cooked alone, or it might be braised with a small chicken keeping it company in the pot; it might also be served with vegetables, or with potatoes boiled in their jackets. For holiday eating, the winner would probably be spiced beef, served cold and sliced thin, with soda bread and a pint of Guinness on the side. At our house, we always had Roast Goose at Christmas and Roast Lamb on Easter. In fact, the first time I ever ate Corned Beef & Cabbage was after I came to the U.S. So what will people in Ireland be eating on St. Patrick's Day? The question was put to listeners of South East Radio which reaches south Wicklow and parts of Wexford and Kilkenny. Said one respondent: "Eat? I eat pints."Another referred to the pint of Guinness as a "shamrock sandwich"and one mentioned a dish her family sometimes made which used cabbage, turnip and potatoes to honor the colors of the Irish flag. Of the twenty-five people who were polled, none of them mentioned any specific food as being of any interest.

Long after this article was written, a subscriber to our newsletter brought the following poem to our attention. It's just too good not to include as an addendum.

GOOD GRIEF - NOT BEEF!
I just want to put something straight
About what should be on your plate,
If it's corned beef you're makin'
You're sadly mistaken,
That isn't what Irishmen ate.

If you ever go over the pond
You'll find it's of bacon they're fond,
All crispy and fried,
With some cabbage beside,
And a big scoop of praties beyond.

Your average Pat was a peasant
Who could not afford beef or pheasant.
On the end of his fork
Was a bit of salt pork,
As a change from potatoes 'twas pleasant.

This custom the Yanks have invented,
Is an error they've never repented,
But bacon's the stuff
That all Irishmen scoff,
With fried cabbage it is supplemented.

So please get it right this St. Paddy's.
Don't feed this old beef to your daddies.
It may be much flasher,
But a simple old rasher,
Is what you should eat with your tatties.

©Frances Shilliday 2004
With many thanks to Frances whose internet page can be found here: Not Corned Beef.

So there you have it - and we hope that you're not too disappointed to learn that Corned Beef & Cabbage is about as truly Irish as Spaghetti & Meatballs. That said, when it's cooked properly, it is one of the most satisfying and tastiest of dishes. President Grover Cleveland once noticed the smell of Corned beef and Cabbage coming from the servants quarters at the White House. He asked to trade his dinner for that of the servants. He commented that this was "the best dinner I had had for months..."

Traditional Bacon and Cabbage

Comfort food at its best, and second only to Irish stew, bacon and cabbage is one of Ireland's most traditional dishes. Parsley Sauce or Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce is the usual accompaniment, along with boiled potatoes and often turnips and carrots.

Ingredients:
3 pounds Irish boiling bacon (shoulder or collar)*
1 small head cabbage, cored and quartered
Parsley Sauce Boiled potatoes for serving

Parsley Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup bacon cooking liquid
1 1/4 cups hot milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted Kerrygold Irish butter
1 Small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons whole-grain mustard
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups bacon cooking liquid, plus more as needed
1 1/4 cups half-and-half, plus more as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:
1. Put the bacon in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water slowly to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, skimming the water occasionally to remove the foam, for 1 1/2 hours (about 30 minutes per pound), or until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork.
2. About 20 minutes before the bacon is cooked, add the cabbage. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender, but not soggy. Transfer the bacon to a serving dish, and let cool for so minutes before slicing. Drain the cabbage, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid for the Parsley Sauce or 1/2 cups for the Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce, and transfer to a serving dish.
3. To serve, slice the meat and serve it with the cabbage, potatoes, and sauce.
SERVES 4 TO 6
To make parsley sauce:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Gradually stir in the flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until blended. Slowly stir in the cooking liquid, then the milk. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add the salt, pepper, and parsley and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 to minutes more, or until the sauce is smooth. Serve warm.
To make whole grain mustard sauce:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for minutes, or until soft. Stir in the mustard and wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cooking liquid and half-and-half and cook, whisking constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has a creamy consistency. Add more boiling liquid or half-and-half, if needed, to make a smooth sauce. Serve warm.

*Traditional Irish Bacon
All bacon is not created equal. For many years, the most important meat in Ireland was pork, either fresh, or cured as bacon, and even today the popularity of pork and pork products is unwavering. In Ireland, only the leg of the pig is called "ham" (it's also called "gammon"); otherwise, the cured meat is bacon.
Back bacon, from which rashers come, is actually cut from the loin and cured in spices. It can be cooked as a joint or roast (often glazed with a sweet red currant or tangy mustard sauce), cut into chops, or added to dishes like Roast Chicken with Bacon and Leeks. Streaky rashers, which are the most flavorful cut because they have a bit more fat, are fried crisp at breakfast, used in sandwiches and soups, in salads such as Bibb, Bacon, and Apple Salad, and in seafood dishes like Roasted Monkfish Wrapped in Bacon. The shoulder or collar of bacon (also called "boiling bacon") is the traditional cut for Bacon and Cabbage, but it is also is ideal for a wide range of other dishes. Cut into chunks, it adds flavor to casseroles like Dublin Coddle, bean dishes, and pasta dishes.

Recipe source and photo credit: Margaret M. Johnson's The Irish Pub Cookbook.

now im hungary!!!!!

mustang302 wrote:

now im hungary!!!!!

move over Ed

Thanks Jacki. I'll put a hint into my mom

some one make me an irish soda bread!!!!


ya know i won once in 3rd grade, i lived in ny and there was a raffle that day and i was one of a few lucky people to go home with one!!!!!

What's Irish soda bread Ed?

just like a big bread thing heheheh, like a bit fat bread loaf

Doc Mike wrote:

What's Irish soda bread Ed?

History
Rounds of soda bread in various stages of baking.

Soda bread dates back to approximately 1840, when bicarbonate of soda was introduced to Ireland. Because the climate of Ireland hinders the growth of hard wheat (which creates a flour that rises easily with the assistance of yeast), bicarbonate of soda replaced yeast as the leavening agent.

There are several theories as to the significance of the cross in soda bread. Some believe that the cross was placed in the bread to ward off evil. It is also possible that the cross is used to help with the cooking of the bread or to serve as a guideline for even slices.

Soda bread eventually became a staple of the Irish diet. It was, and still is, used as an accompaniment to a meal.

PS...It's really good...and the above came from Wikipedia...

someone needs to get me a real one, not a supermarket one!!!!!

Now Ed...take the monster face off of the stove and start bakin' !

We're having corned beef and cabbage. I like to put lots of vinegar on my cabbage

I love corned beef and cabbage! Last year, we were VERY blessed to go to Terri's and it was OH so yummm!

me and rocky have given it a good thrashing, im sure it dont work now!!!

the oven had a mad face on, we straitned him out!!!!

I won't be cooking this year Michelle, with Jack's stuff here, there is nowhere to sit and eat!

no boxed seating?

My mom makes the best corned beef. And my dad drinks green beer

AlwaysHopeful wrote:

no boxed seating?

Yes, actually, only boxed seating

Lost One wrote:

My mom makes the best corned beef. And my dad drinks green beer

I'll be over Lost One, with Jacki's recipes in hand