St. Patrick’s Day is a fun, festive day that’s celebrated around the world. It’s a day to wear green, drink beer, and feast on traditional Irish dishes. Speaking of which, have you ever tried corned beef and cabbage? If not…you’re missing out on an iconic Irish dish! I’ve been eating this hearty and comforting meal my entire life on March 17th! The recipe might be a bit different than the one I grew up on, but the tradition is the same! It’s a delicious blend of tender corned beef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage that warms you up from the inside out. This particular recipe has become a family favorite. And it’s simple to make for your at home St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. So, grab a pint of Guinness and read on!

I wish I could take credit for this delicious recipe but credit MUST be given where credit is due! This recipe I’m sharing below is originally from The Steamy Kitchen. After making the recipe for the past 8 years, I’ve slightly adapted it.

I find I need a lot more Guinness than the recipe calls for. To compensate, I also increase the spices and double the onion and garlic. You could also add more beef broth and less beer…but on St. Patrick’s Day…I go for the Guinness! As for the veggies, cooking them in duck fat vs. oil gives them a nice kick of additional flavor.

Every year, we can’t wait for the delicious aromas of the corned beef slowly simmering in the oven. The entire house is filled with the most amazing smells!! I always make sure I have Irish Soda Bread and cheese and crackers to stave off our hunger. This meal is even more special because I only make it once a year, so we really savor each bite! Oh and don’t forget to top it off with lots of stone ground mustard too!

Don’t let St. Patrick’s Day pass by without indulging in a plate of some festive fare. This dish is more than just a meal for me. It’s a nod to the family tradition my mom started for us growing up, and it’s a tradition I hope my son will continue one day. The memories I have of holiday meals and how my mom worked so hard to make them so special for my sister and I…it’s something I hope my son will remember when he’s grown and long out of the house.

Don’t be afraid to try your hand at something new this St. Patrick’s Day! Maybe this is the year to start a new tradition or update an old recipe.

Sláinte!

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Corned Beef & Cabbage

Adapted from The Steamy Kitchen

Course Main Course

Cuisine Irish

Keyword Cabbage, Corned Beef

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Equipment

• 6-8qt Dutch Oven I like to use a larger size so I don't have to worry about beer bubbling over.
• Large Stock Pot for the veggies

Ingredients

Corned Beef

• 4 cans Guinness Beer
• 1.5 cup Beef Broth
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 3-4 lb Corned Beef, rinsed and pat dry
• 2 tbsp Pickling Spice
• 1 onion cut in half {across the onion, not at the root – this will help the halves stay mostly together}
• 2 heads Garlic – cut in half {I use the same cut method here – cut across the garlic, leaving the root in tact. I use the rooted bottoms of the garlic heads only so small cloves don't float all over the pot}

Veggies

• 1 head Cabbage, cut into small wedges (I usually have 8)
• 5-6 Carrots, cleaned and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 lb Red potatoes, cleaned, skin on and cut into bitesize pieces
• 2 tbsp Parsley, minced
• 2-3 tbsp duck fat (or bacon fat) for cooking veggies

Instructions

• Preheat Oven to 300 degrees. (This can be cooked in a slow cooker as well but I much prefer the oven method)
• Combine beer, beef broth and sugar in your large dutch oven. Then gently slide in the corned beef. Add the pickling spices, onion and garlic. Over a medium heat, bring the mixture to a slow simmer, keeping uncovered.

  Do NOT bring to a full boil {you don't want to boil the beef}. You're just giving the corned beef a little head start by warming things up before it hits the oven.

  *This step also removes most of the carbonation from the beer.
• Remove from the heat, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Total cook time is about 4 hours but I check periodically to make sure the beef is still largely covered by the beer as it cooks.
• Remove from the oven after 4 hours. Ladle about 2ish cups of the reserve cooking liquid from the pot and allow the beef to rest in the pot covered.
• In your stock pot, heat the duck fat. Add the cabbage wedges, working in two shifts. You want a nice browning on the sides of the wedges, so don't over crowd the pot – it won't allow the cabbage to brown properly.

  Cook 3-4 min per side until browned (and don't forget to season with s/p) while cooking) then remove and set aside on a plate.
• Add the prepared carrots + potatoes to the same pan. Give them a quick few turns in the pan to pick up some of the flavor from the cabbage and duck fat, and don't forget to season with s/p as well.

  Add the 2 cups of reserve cooking liquid to the carrots and potatoes and bring to a simmer, cooking for about 10-15 minutes. Use a fork to periodically check for doneness.
• When just about done, add the cabbage back to the pot gently stirring to combine and to reheat the cabbage slightly.
• Remove the veggies and liquid to a serving bowl and top with parsley.
• Carefully remove and slice the corned beef for serving. Don't forget to reserve more of the cooking liquid {it's very helpful to reheat any leftovers!}

PS – be sure to check out my favorite dessert recipe for St. Patrick’s Day too!