Why Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage for New Years

Have you ever wondered how to cook cabbage Irish style? This recipe features boiled shredded cabbage boiled with bacon and peppercorns.

Potatoes and cabbage are probably the two vegetables Ireland is most famous for. Millions of heads of cabbage will be cooked and eaten on March 17th and in the days leading up to St. Patrick's Day.

Irish cabbage is boiled and shredded and served with melting butter.

Corned beef and cabbage dinner

When I was preparing corned beef last week, I mentioned to my husband that I planned to steam the cabbage in wedges. A look of disappointment crossed his face as he declared:

"Don't give me any fancy wedges of cabbage. I like my cabbage Irish style."

And so I cooked our cabbage Irish style, boiled and cut up into shreds, then served with melting butter.

My grandmother always cooked cabbage in the same pot and salty water she used to boil bacon.

I like the flavor a little bacon adds to cabbage, so I thought I would share my cabbage cooking technique with you today, in preparation for our favorite saint's feast day. It comes with a seal of approval from my Donegal man.

Now since I cannot find Irish bacon in America, I served this cabbage with apricot glazed corned beef, and potatoes cooked in their jackets. Mashed potatoes would be perfect also.

But in Ireland cabbage is cooked with bacon to add flavor, so I used a little trick to add the necessary flavor. I created a flavor packet using bacon strips and peppercorns wrapped in a cabbage leaf to give this cabbage an Irish flare.

Ingredients for cooking cabbage Irish style

Ingredients for Irish Boiled Cabbage:

Here's what you'll need to cook this vegetable side. You'll find a printable recipe at the end of the post, with exact quantities.

• green cabbage
• peppercorns
• streaky bacon
• salt
• water for boiling.

Note: Cooking half a head of cabbage yields about 4 servings. I usually cook just half a head at a time, but this recipe works fine if you cook the whole head of cabbage, yielding about 8 servings.

Directions for Cooking Cabbage:

Here you'll find step-by-step photographic instructions to help you recreate this recipe successfully. There are plenty of tips included along the way.

Making a bacon and peppercorn cabbage package for boiling cabbage

Here is my trick for adding a little bacon flavor to my American boiled cabbage. I take the outer leaf off the cabbage head and remove the hard stalk at the very end.

Next place 3 slices of bacon folded over in the center of the cabbage leaf, together with 1 teaspoon of peppercorns.

Flavor packet made with a cabbage leaf

Next comes time to fold up this flavor packet, by bending the sides of the leaf inwards over the bacon, then rolling up the cabbage leaf.

Secure it with some cotton thread, that will withstand boiling water.

Cutting the hard stalk out of a head of cabbage

Next cut the cabbage head in two halves.

Remove the inner hard core of the cabbage by slicing on either side of it. Wiggle it and it should pop right out.

Cabbage leaves in a colander

Peel the leaves off the cabbage head, layer by layer.

Pop them in a colander and rinse them under cold water.

Cabbage leaves in a saucepan

Transfer the cabbage leaves into a large saucepan, tearing any large leaves into smaller pieces.

Add the bacon and peppercorn packet prepared earlier.

Adding salt to a pot of boiling cabbage

Cover the cabbage with water and season with salt.

Bring to a boil.

Boiled cabbage in a pot

Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

Chopping cooked cabbage

Drain the cabbage and return it to the pot.

Discard the cabbage package with the bacon and peppercorns.

Using a knife cut through the cabbage leaves.

Cooked and shredded cabbage

When shredded nicely, add some butter if desired.

Irish style cabbage with potatoes and corned beef

Serve with potatoes and corned beef. Simply delicious with a few knobs of butter melting over the cabbage and potatoes.

Here's the printable recipe..

• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 3 slices streaky bacon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ounce butter

• Remove the outer leaf off the cabbage head and remove the hard stalk at the very end. Place 3 slices of bacon folded over in the center of the cabbage leaf, together with 1 teaspoon of peppercorns.

  

• Bend the sides of the cabbage leaf inwards over the bacon and peppercorns, then roll up the cabbage leaf. Secure it with some cotton thread, that will withstand boiling water.

  

• Cut the cabbage head into two halves. Remove the inner hard core of the cabbage by slicing on either side of it.  Wiggle it and it should pop right out.

  

• Peel the leaves off the cabbage head, layer by layer. Pop them in a colander and rinse them under cold water.

  

• Transfer the cabbage leaves into a large saucepan, tearing any large leaves into smaller pieces. Add the bacon and peppercorn packet prepared earlier.

  

• Cover the cabbage with water and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

  

• Drain the cabbage and return it to the pot. Discard the cabbage package with the bacon and peppercorns. Using a knife cut through the cabbage leaves to shred it.

  

• Add a knob of butter to melt over the cabbage. Serve with potatoes and corned beef.

  

Nutrition Facts

Boiled Cabbage Irish Style

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 90 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g 9%

Saturated Fat 3g 19%

Cholesterol 13mg 4%

Sodium 246mg 11%

Potassium 217mg 6%

Carbohydrates 7g 2%

Fiber 3g 13%

Sugar 4g 4%

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 200IU 4%

Vitamin C 42mg 51%

Calcium 48mg 5%

Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

Wishing you all happy cabbage cooking for St. Patrick's Day.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Here are some more recipes and ramblings you might enjoy...

Where To Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day In Ireland

What The Irish Eat For Saint Patrick's Day

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• Super Easy Pea and Mint Soup

• Leftover Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

• Deliciously Hearty Beef Barley Stew

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• Quick Easy White Bean and Tuscan Kale Soup

• Dublin Coddle

• Farmhouse Beef Stew

• Furrowed Fields

• What Is A Floury Potato?

Share my recipes and ramblings with the world

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Source: https://www.irishamericanmom.com/how-to-cook-cabbage-irish-style/

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