St. Patrick’s Day means corned beef and cabbage

As you read this, preparations are underway throughout the region for the upcoming celebration of all things Irish. Although Saint Patrick’s Day falls on Thursday, March 17, plans for festivities the preceding weekend include parades, races and hayrides. If you’re out and about on the actual date, expect to see all manner of green-hued beverages and attire (including hair color).

Groceries have stocked their aisles with sale-priced supplies of cabbage, boxes of chocolate-dusted truffles labeled “Irish potatoes,” shamrock-decorated cupcakes and the traditional favorite - corned beef. For those of you who may not be familiar with cuts of beef, this one is brisket, which comes from the bottom front of the cow, near its front legs. These muscles are well-used, so brisket requires slow cooking for a long period of time.

If you’re shopping for corned beef, you’ll find two types: point cut and flat cut. The entire brisket is rarely available; instead, processors cut it into these two sections named for their respective shapes. The point cut has one pointed end and has more fat running through the meat. This becomes difficult to slice after cooking and is a better choice if you’re planning to shred the meat. The flat cut is much leaner, in the shape of a rectangle, usually with a layer of fat covering one side.

Supermarkets typically charge a little less for the point cut, and both types are brined with salt and saltpeter (potassium nitrate), the latter giving corned beef its signature pink color. They’re usually packaged in plastic wrap along with a tiny spice packet filled with peppercorns, mustard seeds, allspice berries and caraway.

This is the first year I’ve seen corned beef that has been brined without saltpeter, although the use of concentrated beet juice does little to overcome the sullen gray color of the cooked meat. On the internet, there are a number of recipes describing how to brine a brisket, both with and without nitrates.

There is some confusion among food historians about the origins of corned beef, as well as its name. The word “corn” doesn’t refer to the ear or cob of kernels we enjoy slathered with butter. In the 16th century, corn referred to the size of any small grain, like a “grain of salt.” To corn meat, it would be enveloped in rough salt, which gradually replaced the moisture and preserved the meat. Salted meat would then be pickled in a combination of salt, sugar and spices to become corned beef.

Although the Irish didn’t eat much beef, preferring salted pork, it may come as a surprise to learn that Ireland was originally the largest supplier of corned beef. According to Smithsonian Magazine, through the combination of British tax regulations, the high quality of Irish beef and availability of sea ash (from burned seaweed), Ireland supplied Europe with corned beef into the early 19th century.

With the onset of the potato blight, Irish immigrants left their homes and reached New York City in great numbers. Here is where urban legend controls the story: because the Irish were unable to find their preferred cut of meat, pork tenderloin, they turned to their Jewish neighbors and developed a taste for corned beef.

Or, if you’d like an alternative version, in the early 20th century, most bars in New York offered a free dinner to patrons willing to buy a few drinks. With so many Irish immigrants working in the building trades, they became the customers who enjoyed a free meal of corned beef and cabbage.

No matter where the tradition originated or the ironic twist in the Irish preference for pork, the menu for Saint Patrick’s Day continues to include corned beef and cabbage served with warm wedges of Irish soda bread - much tastier than green beer. Erin go bragh!

Nitrate-Free Corned Beef*

2 qts water
1 C sea salt
1/2 C brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken in pieces
10 whole cloves
2 T whole peppercorns
1 T mustard seeds
1 t allspice berries
1 T coriander seeds
1 t juniper berries
1 t grated fresh ginger
1/2 t dried thyme
5 crushed garlic cloves
2 crushed bay leaves
1/4 C beet juice
4 to 5 lbs beef brisket

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except beet juice and meat. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and add 2 C ice; place in the refrigerator until chilled. Stir in the beet juice and transfer the brining liquid to a 2-gallon zip-top bag; add the meat and seal. Place the bag in a container (in case of leaks) making sure the meat is completely submerged. Refrigerate for five days, turning the bag each day and making sure the meat stays completely covered. Cook according to the following recipe for Simmered Corned Beef. *Adapted from Wellness Mama.

Simmered Corned Beef & Cabbage

4 to 5 lbs corned beef brisket
1 chopped celery stalk
3 chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
1 head cabbage, cored and quartered

Remove the corned beef from the package or zip-top bag and discard brining liquid. Rinse and place in a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Scatter with chopped vegetables except cabbage, and add sufficient water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer until tender, about 4 hours. Remove meat from the pot and cover to keep warm. Add cabbage to the remaining liquid and cook on high until tender, about 10 minutes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.


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