A Simply Delicious St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

Every year as a child, my mother made corned beef and cabbage on St. Patty’s Day, a uniquely Irish-American pairing. And yes, you heard correctly; this famous holiday duo is not a traditional Irish dish for those who were wondering. But as you all know, it remains a signature meal for festive Americans of both Irish and non-Irish descent every seventeenth day of March here in the States. For all those celebrating today, keep reading for my simple yet delicious 3-part recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Raw Corned Beef [ 1 Brined Brisket ]
Water [ A Few Quarts ]

Baby Red Potatoes [ 1 Bag ]
Garlic [ 4 – 6 Cloves ]
Garlic Powder [ 1 Teaspoon ]
Dried Thyme or Oregano [ 1/4 Teaspoon – Optional ]
Cayenne [1/4 Teaspoon – Optional ]
Black Pepper [ A Few Turns of the Mill ]
Salt [ A Few Generous Sprinkles ]
Olive Oil [ A Few Drizzles ]
Flat Leaf Parsley [ A Few Leaves – Optional ]

Shredded Carrot & Cabbage Mix [ 9oz Bag / About 4 Cups ]
Mayonnaise [1 Heaping Tablespoon ]
Whole Grain Mustard [ 1 Heaping Teaspoon ]
Apple Cider Vinegar [ A Splash or Two ]
Black Pepper [ A Few Turns of the Mill ]
Salt [ A Sprinkle ]

TOOLS

Large Pot
Sharp Knife
Cutting Board
Large, Non-Stick Baking Dish
Spatula
Large Mixing Bowl
Tablespoon
Teaspoon
Tongs

EXTRAS

A cold Guinness, Harp, or Smithwick’s to wash it all down followed by some Irish Whiskey or Baileys, of course!

YIELD

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

STEP ONE: HAVE FUN!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day after all so prepare this meal with a smile 🍀🍺💚

STEP TWO: CORNED BEEF

Boil your corned beef in a large pot of water according to the directions on the package. I’m telling you – this recipe could not be simpler!

For those of you who’ve never made corned beef, it’s literally a set it and forget it preparation. Place your corned beef in a pot with all of the seasonings from the bag (peppercorns, mustard seeds, etc.). Cover the brisket with water. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid, and allow the corned beef to cook for 2-4 hours. Cooking time will be based on the size of the brisket that you buy.

Check your corned beef after 2 hours. If it’s fork tender, the brisket is cooked. If it’s tough – let the meat continue to boil. Recheck the brisket every 30 minutes thereafter until a fork can easily poke through the meat.

Once cooked, remove the brisket from the water. Allow the corned beef to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing it.

STEP THREE: POTATOES

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Rinse and slice your baby red potatoes in half.

Place them in your large, non-stick baking dish with your peeled cloves of garlic.

Drizzle everything with olive oil, and sprinkle the spuds with garlic powder (to amp up the flavor), black pepper, salt, some dry thyme or oregano if you’d like, and cayenne pepper if you enjoy a bit of spice.

Place your potatoes in the oven to roast.

After 25 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Most of the potatoes will be nicely browned on the bottom side, so use a spatula to scrape them up off the pan. Once the potatoes are loose, give everything a stir, and place them back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. The potatoes and garlic cloves should be fully golden brown by now, but definitely check to see if they are fork tender. If so – hooray! If not, place the pan back into the over for another 5-10 minutes until fully cooked.

Taste a potato, and sprinkle the pan with some salt a pinch at a time until everything is properly seasoned to your liking. Potatoes need salt so don’t forget this step!

Last but not least, feel free to garnish your potatoes with some chopped flat leaf parsley if you are so inclined. It will add a nice pop of color to the dish!

STEP FOUR: CABBAGE

I used to roast cabbage every St. Patrick’s Day, but recently started making this bright, crisp coleslaw instead the past two or so years. I think it pairs much better with the corned beef and brings in some freshness, acidity, & much needed crunch into this holiday meal.

First – add the mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar into a large mixing bowl. Give everything a good stir until the mayo is fully incorporated and there are no clumps.

Empty the bag of pre-sliced veggies into the large mixing bowl full of dressing OR please feel free to shred or finely slice your own purple cabbage, green cabbage, & carrots instead of using a pre-packaged bag of vegetables.

FUN FACT: Whenever I make coleslaw, I just buy the Organic Shredded Green & Red Cabbage with Orange Carrots from Trader Joe’s to make things simpler. It’s fresh, colorful, and inexpensive.

Mix everything together until the cabbage is fully coated with the dressing. Allow the hearty cabbage to soak up the dressing for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving to ensure maximum flavor 🙂