Boiled Dinner

If you’re unfamiliar with traditional boiled dinner, don’t be fooled by the name—it’s really a fancy way of saying corned beef and cabbage. While this one-pot meal takes a few hours to reach maximum tenderness, it’s really about as simple as bringing a pot of water to a boil. Ideal comfort food, this traditional Irish recipe is not only a staple for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but expands beyond the holiday for an equally hearty and comforting winter dinner.

What Is Boiled Dinner?

This dish is also known as New England boiled dinner, due to its roots on the East Coast. It’s thought to have originated with Irish immigrants in New England, especially near Boston. The simple, hearty meal was most likely made with brisket instead of ham, because it was easier to come by. An enduring classic, this simple Irish-American meal has now become a staple traditional St. Patrick’s Day recipe. While there’s a few variations of boiled dinner out there, we’re going with the traditional Irish version. This recipe combines corned beef brisket with carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. If you'd like to switch up the veggies, you totally can, but if you're looking to go traditional, keep with the classic veggies.

How To Make Boiled Dinner

INGREDIENTS

• Corned Beef Brisket: While the spice pack that comes with corned beef brisket will work perfectly fine, if you want an extra-flavorful brisket, try creating your own mixture with allspice, coriander, cloves, brown sugar, and black pepper, just like we did in our corned beef brisket recipe! Three pounds should be good for six servings, but feel free to adjust the ratios as needed.
• Chicken Broth: I found that chicken broth yielded the most complex, tender flavor as opposed to beef broth, but feel free to use whatever you hand on hand. Just be sure to stick to low-sodium, as this way you control the seasoning.
• Bay Leaves: Sure, bay leaves might be a tad controversial, but I did find it helps lighten up a hearty dish the longer it simmers. Of course, don't go out of your way to pick up some if you don't have any, but I highly recommend if you've got a leaf or two hanging out.
• Thyme: But I definitely would encourage you to pick up fresh thyme sprigs for this recipe. The earthiness of the herbs really help the dinner shine.
• Peppercorns: Please use whole peppercorns here to bring out the most flavor as everything is boiling. Feel free to season with freshly ground at the end.
• Baby Potatoes & Carrots: Try to keep these relatively the same size so they cook evenly. Smaller potatoes will become fork-tender faster, but if you use larger ones, just make sure they're mostly bite-sized. The traditional sides are represented here for an Irish feast, but feel free to experiment as you go.
• Cabbage: Just one small head should be the perfect amount for six servings. Simply core and cut into wedges for easy prep. If you don't like cabbage, perhaps you should try another recipe.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

You'll love how quickly this recipe comes together. It's a one-pot wonder! Try to find a pot that will fit the entire corned beef (if not, you can cut it into large pieces). Cover the beef with chicken broth. Add the spices, then, as the title says, bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is tender, which should take about 3 hours.

Add the taters and carrots and return to a boil. This time, keep everything boiling for 15 minutes, then add the cabbage and boil 10 minutes more. Check with a knife to make sure the potatoes are tender.

That's...basically it! Take the meat out with tongs and transfer to a cutting board. Slice to desired thickness.

Drain the veggies so they're not soggy and present everything on a platter to enjoy.

Variations

Follow our slow-cooker corned beef and cabbage recipe if you're looking to "set it and forget it" with this classic dinner.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days. Psst: This would be a great excuse to make some corned beef sandwiches!