Corned beef. Everyone knows the name, but do you actually know what it really is? And why exactly is it so popular around St. Patrick's Day?
Kitchens around the world will be cooking up the beloved pairing of corned beef and cabbage in the coming days. We looked into a bit of the history surrounding the iconic dish to see what we could dig up before we dig in.
What Is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is typically made by salt-curing beef. Typically, brisket is the beef of choice, as it is a tough cut of meat that's made tender by a long, salt-filled cooking process. The brine used to cook the brisket down into corned beef is not unlike a pickling liquid. In fact, The Spruce Eats went so far as to call corned beef "essentially pickled beef." (The actual term "corned beef" was reportedly coined in the 17th century by the English.)
Once done with the brining process, corned beef is super tender and easily sliceable, which is why you frequently see it in sandwiches (a classic Jewish preparation) and cut up in long slices next to cabbage (an Irish tradition).
Why Do People Eat Corned Beef On St. Patrick's Day?
Great question! The tradition of eating corned beef for St. Patty's Day is a pretty American one, even though it stems from an old Irish preparation.
When beef was considered a luxury in Ireland in the 19th century, the Irish turned to Irish bacon or salt pork as their St. Patrick's Day proteins. However, once the Irish immigrated to the United States, they found that their beloved proteins were quite costly here, and corned beef in America was cheap. Thus, Irish Americans turned to the more affordable corned beef to prepare with their meals.
As far as why we see corned beef paired so often with cabbage? Well, it turns out that this veggie was another of the cheaper options when it came to produce, and the pairing simply stuck.
Corned Beef Recipes
Whether you're looking to make classic corned beef and cabbage or are in search of creative ways to use up leftover corned beef once the holiday's over, we've got you covered with plenty of mouthwatering recipes that'll bring out the Irish in you.
