What's for Dinner?: Corned Beef, Cabbage and Soda Bread

Growing up in an Italian household, we didn't see too much of Irish fare. On St. Patrick's Day it was just another day, pasta or chicken on the menu. 

I know it's not St. Patrick's Day yet, but with the way the weather has been lately, it's a good time of year to have this dish, hearty, satisfying and comforting.

One of my mom's best friends growing up was Irish and what I can remember, the only time we had Corned Beef and Cabbage was on St. Patrick's Day, but that wasn't until I was in middle school and highschool. My parents use to go with their friends to the local church for the big Irish Boiled Dinner of Corned Beef and Cabbage and Irish Soda Bread.  My mom loved making a boiled dinner, particularly on a Sunday. She could prepare it on top of the stove and let it go all day long. My dad was a big fan of cabbage! 

Once we had kids of our own, I try to make an effort when St. Patrick's day rolls around to have it. But there is no law that says you can't have it during the year as well.  I too like having a boiled dinner on a rainy, cold Sunday afternoon.  It's easy and doesn't require a lot of cooking skills.

My neighbor recently gave me a recipe from a friend of hers, Clare. It's not the boiling part but it's the topping/glaze on top of the corned beef that puts this recipe over the top! You can use your own recipe/spices for the boiling, but it's the topping that is awesome!

It's a Corned Beef and Cabbage, paired with home made Irish Soda bread and that's What's for dinner.

The Irish Soda bread is a keeper in this household. My cousin's wife is Irish and this is Erin's Irish Soda Bread. I serve it with the meal and usually the next day I have it for breakfast with my tea.It doesn't last long at all. Funny, I only make this bread one time a year but there is no need to, it's really good and can be made anytime.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Carrots and Potatoes

Large Stock Pot

Corned Beef (about 4lbs or so-it shrinks when you cook it) Some corned beef products come with it's own spice sack and I use that to season the beef.

3 -4 Carrots peeled and chopped into big pieces

1 Small Head of Cabbage  cut into quarters

4-6 Potatoes, peeled and quartered

Water to cover the meat and veggies by 2 inches at least

You can add celery if you want to, or parsnips, whatever you like the choice is yours.

Directions: Place corned beef in stockpot, along with the cabbage, cover with water and boil. Boil for hours!!! 3-4 usually. When you remove the corned beef, I place the potatoes, carrots into the water and boil those. If you add them too early, they will turn to mush. By placing them in the same water that you cooked the beef in and cabbage, it will absorb all of those flavors into the veggies.

Remove the corned beef and place on a baking sheet lined with foil and place the following on top:

Clare's Corned Beef Dijion Marmalade Glaze:

1/2 Cup Regular Dijion Mustard

1/2 Cup Orange Marmalade

2 Tablespoons Prepared Horseradish

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk. Set aside 1/2 cup of the glaze to top the corned beef and then heat the remaining to serve with the corned beef. Place the glaze on the meat, place into a heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Thinly slice your meat and serve with remaining heated glaze and veggies.

Erin's Irish Soda Bread 

4 Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon soda

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl then add the following:

3/4 Cup Cold Butter

3/4 to 1 Cup of raisins

Add last:

1 1/3 Cup of Buttermilk (must place in a container and shake it for 2 solid minutes-it airates it and makes the dough lighter).

Using your hands, combine the butter to the dry and make the dry ingredients crumbly along with the raisins then add the butter milk and combine all. Form 2 round circles, cut a cross on top of each loaf. 

You can cut this recipe in half and only make one loaf but your family will love it and I go for the full recipe.

Bake at 350 degree's for 45 mins. The center should not be jiggly but a little wet when you remove it.

Hope you enjoy!