St. Patrick's Day dinner or meal

[iL Divo]

Are you making a meal for St. Patty's Day?

corned beef
boiled potatoes and carrots
butter&garlic poached cabbage
Irish Soda bread with KerryGold butter. < That's ours.

Wonder if anyone makes this meal and likes it/loves it/does it just because it tradition or some other reason. We love this meal but it could be because my husband is 100% Irish.

[wyogal]

I was looking forward to corned beef and cabbage, we played a gig in exchange for dinner... they ran out.
So, on the way home, we stopped at the grocery store, I got the smallest CB roast I could find, cooked it in beer, at about 430F for a couple of hours, adding water as needed. Yes, I know low and slow for a long period is the way to go, but just couldn't happen.
I turned out great! I made boiled potatoes, and fried up some cabbage and onions.
I'll have leftovers for CB hash in the morning, then freeze whatever is left. I'm leaving on Wednesday for a long weekend in Virginia, grandson's 2nd birthday!

[iL Divo]

dinner was very nice and tasty.
I should have soaked (in water or rinsed well) the corned beef for an hour as this brand seemed particularly salty but still very good except you know, poor husband who isn't a salt fan. oh we'll.
wanted to share maybe the best soda bread I've ever turned out. might have been the rainbow medley raisins I used as regular raisins I don't have. this kind is spectacular.
this Irish Soda Bread does contain yeast which is maybe a first for me, I always use soda/powder and they rise that way. anyway here's the recipe

http://www.food.com/recipe/authentic-...

[LJS]

Thank you, very interesting idea for soda bread as a yeast, rather than a quick bread...I am going to check out nyour link....when you say rainbow medley raisins, is that a brand? or just a combo of sultana, golden,Thomsom etc?

[iL Divo]

I have a jar of them at home.
I'll take a photo when I'm off work. they are from bulk department of fruit section in WinCo supermarket. I think they're listed in the bucket as Rainbow medley raisins. some
are huge, some are small and they are all colors. not sure where you are LJS (Statewise) but if you don't have a WinCo supermarket wherever you live I can mail you an airproof/leakproof sealed
container of them.

[boppiecat]

Trader Joe's Jumbo Raisin Medley sounds like a good equivalent to what il divo used. Always available, I've been buying them for years.

[coll]

I get a raisin medley from BJs that sounds similar too. The raisins are gi-normous! And after I soak them in Irish whisky, even bigger.

[iL Divo]

yep Coll, the raisins are small medium and huge-mongooses. varied color, varied sizes and tiny differences in sweetness too.

[iL Divo]

boppiecat- you couldn't be more right on. I haven't been home long enough to remember to get them out of the pantry-sorry, crazy week.
Orlando-Vegas-Reno-Vegas in 3 days. back in Vegas now for a few days of rest > not :(
gym meets&baby shower I'm ready to collapse ;:-/

[sunshine842]

I made brown bread - soda bread made with whole-wheat flour.

No raisins, no sugar, no baking powder, no yeast - just baking soda/bicarbonate of soda.

It was delicious (especially still warm from the oven with smoked salmon) - my neighbors from Dublin even asked me for my recipe!

http://www.sodabread.info/Recipes/sod...

[BlueTrain84]

Corned beef in the slow cooker (with carrots, cabbage, potatoes and onions) and homemade Irish soda bread. Slainte!

[iL Divo]

not making planned dessert.
doing the baked apples instead. hubby likes them with this dinner and they're sweet enough so no extra dessert needed. gotta get to peeling apples now.
Happy St. Patrick's Day

[Ruthie789]

We used to have a boiled dinner for St. Patrick's Day. Yesterday I took my 86 year old Dad out for lunch at our local Pub and they did they work for me, corned beef, potatoes and cabbage cooked to perfection. My Dad even had two small drafts (which he is not supposed to have) and he was a very happy camper. We have always celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a boiled dinner. I wish I could buy the Kerry Gold but it is not available in Canada.

[Isolda]

I'm making that, too, but was wondering what to have for dessert. And yes, there has to be dessert. I don't like grasshopper pie (have a thing against mint and chocolate together.) I do put a lot of sugar (about 1/4 cup) in my soda bread, but that does not count as dessert.

Anybody have an idea?

[wyogal]

Guiness chocolate cake.

[Isolda]

I love that, but I'm the only one who would eat it!

[Gio]

Baileys Mousse Pie
Chocolate Potato Cake
Irish Coffee Cake

[iL Divo]

love most recipes seen here but can't guarantee my husband would have any interest. the one I choose he'll love.

http://www.europeancuisines.com/Irela...

I'll be making the chocolate potato cake because it'll not only get eaten, I can take any leftover to work Monday

[Wtg2Retire]

We have just about the same thing every St Patrick's Day. This year, however, I have decided to cook the corned beef in the crockpot and see how we like it. In fact, the beef is in cold water right now, the water has been changed once, and will be changed at least two more times; am letting it sit in the water for 24 hours. Plan on cooking the beef tomorrow so that it will have time to sit in the juices for several hours before eating on Sunday. I read various boards here on Chowhound and boards on other sites to come up with what I believe will be a winning combination for the beef. Will have to let y'all know how it comes out.

All of these are cooked separately. We just don't care for cooking them together.

My Corned Beef
Horseradish Cream Sauce
Stewed Potatoes
Honeyed Carrots
Mom’s Cabbage
Irish Soda Bread
Sweet Butter
Beverage – haven’t decided

Forgot to add that I have oven roasted beets chilling in the refrigerator that I plan to slice and serve just as is.

[LJS]

Now this is intriguing to me-you soak corned beef, too? and even changing the water? That is what folks do around here (east coast Canada). But both in Toronto and NYC, all I did was buy it (in a vacuum plastic bag) and rinse off some of the visible peppercorns before cooking-no pre-rinse. Is this a different corning technique-mine has never seemed too salty before I moved here, where one soak still left it way too salty, yet under-spiced, in my opinion.

[macca]

I buy grey corned beef ( and ribs)- corned at a local butcher shop. I taste the water as it cooks- if too salty, I throw the water.

[ItalianNana]

By sweet butter do you mean unsalted? Or something else?

[Terrie H.]

I also soak mine for a day or two in changes of water, then reseason with mustard and coriander seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and chopped garlic, and let that marinate for 2-3 days. Then I braise it in a mixture of water and Guinness. I think it is better than cooking straight out of the package.

[Wtg2Retire]

Here is the way I prepared the corned beef. Amazingly, I had to cook it another 12 hours, so our St P's celebration dinner was delayed another day. What do you think I did wrong that caused the beef to still be tough after the first 12 hours of cooking?

The beef has a great taste; although next time I will get the point cut. The broth is absolutely delicious tasting; I could nearly drink it all by itself.

Corned Beef

3 lbs corned beef flat
2 t black peppercorns
1 t allspice
1/2 t Old Bay seasoning
1 t dry mustard
2 T brown sugar
Bag of spices included with corned beef
2 bay leaves
1 stalk celery
1 whole carrot
6 garlic cloves
1 onion, halved
4 slices bacon, cut in half
1 cup white wine
2 T malt vinegar
1 cup water or water just to cover corned beef

Soak corned beef in cold water for 24 hours to remove excess salt, draining and changing water three times. Drain well prior to placing in crockpot.

One day before planning to eat, put corned beef fat side down in crock. Mix peppercorns, allspice, Old Bay, mustard, and brown sugar. Spread halt on one side of corned beef, flip the beef to fat side up and then spread on that side. Sprinkle spices included in small bag on corned beef. Add bay leaves, celery, carrot, garlic, and onion to the pot. Put sliced bacon on top of corned beef. Add wine, vinegar and water to crock.

Turn crockpot on low and cook for 8 – 12 hours. Turn crockpot off and leave everything in crock until the next day when going to eat (this allows to corned beef to absorb all of the wonderful flavors).

Next day, turn crockpot back on low to heat beef. When thoroughly heated, remove the beef to a plate to rest and slice.

[Wtg2Retire]

That 1 t allspice should say 1 t whole allspice berries

[iL Divo]

I have no clue why yours was still not done/tender after 12 hours. that's weird. mine was more than tender after an hour and a half (?) I think it was. short time either way.

[LJS]

Il Divo: My DH is also Irish and we always do a special St. Patrick's Day thing...but where we live now, they don't 'prep' corned beef the way we did back home...it is more a salt beef that a) needs to be soaked over-night and b) doesn't have the subtle spicing of what we think of as corned beef.

Long story short: bought some fabulous thick local lamb chops and will do them with masses of carmelized onions. Mashed potatoes with chopped fresh chives. Asparagus, just 'cause he likes it. Irish soda bread, from my very own hands.

Dessert now, is idiosyncratic beyond belief: hubby's favourite green dessert is a childhood one that his mother made for the family on St. Paddy's Day. It is a Lime Fluff, a gelatin whip (yes, lime jello and whipped semi-freddo carnation milk) on a bed of graham cracker crumbs....I bet there is not a single soul in all of Dublin that is having this for dessert!

Prosecco to drink, because it is a celebration, but I am NOT Irish!

[coll]

Lamb is so Irish, that's why I lean that way myself. Potatoes and leeks are my second thought. But American style soda bread, I can't give that up. Corned beef, either we get it somewhere out (not hard of course) or a lb of Boars Head at the local deli is all we need! My Mom really ruined homemade corned beef for me, sadly. I've made it, it's great, but just not something I think of, top of the list.

Dessert, always something soaked in alchohol.

[wyogal]

I love corned beef and cabbage, but my husband does not. So sometimes I'll make those seasonal Johnsonville Irish O' Garlic brats, cooked in beer. Side of creamed peas and potatoes, and cabbage for me.
But, this year, our Irish session has been asked to play an event, and they will feed us. So I get corned beef and cabbage, after all! and green milkshakes!
Alas, it's for a local AA type of group/facility, so no beer. But it's a good event, a sober celebration.

[Gio]

Dublin Coddle... I made Dublin Coddle for the first time last year with a recipe from John Murphy's "Little Irish Cookbook". An adorable little book with charming illustrations. I don't know whether I bought the book for those illustrations or the recipes, but the coddle was indeed delicious. The ingredients used are:

pork sausages, streaky bacon, stock, potatoes, carrots, onions, and this year I'm including swede (rutabaga). Irish cider for Bidendum. I hope St Patrick approves.

Then two days later this semi-Italian family returns to its roots to celebrate St. Joseph's Day. But for now, "May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live."

[ItalianNana]

Gio,

We will have St. Joseph's Day pasta with fava beans, fennel and a plate of sardines. DH remembers playing "Tupa Tupa" (knock, knock, recalling Joseph and Mary seeking shelter.)

"May your neighbors respect you, may trouble neglect you, may angels protect you and may heaven accept you."

[Gio]

Ahhh.. pasta con sarde. Bene. Very nice. My San Giuseppe Day menu is shaping up like this:
Chicken bracciole with tomato sauce
Escarole with pureed fava beans
Zeppole...

The Coddle, BTW was very good this year. I added more seasoning, including thyme, to each layer of meats and vegetables and used a strong chicken stock instead of water for the cooking liquid. Side dish was homemade pickled beets. All washed down with Harpoon Celtic Ale.

[macca]

Yup- making the same meal- but we also include corned spare ribs, turnips and small onions. We have this meal a few times a year- an easy one pot meal that everyone will eat. Bought a 6 lb greay corned beef, and a huge rack of corned spare ribs yesterday. Cant wait!

[deet13]

I was planning on smoking a joint of bacon coated with a pepper rub; but, I was asked to make a regular corned beef brisket instead.
Also:
Braised cabbage, leeks, turnips, and button mushrooms.
Salt roasted beets
and a cheese tray for appetizers

My in-laws are making the desert, so whatever they bring...

[iL Divo]

deet- you know someone's gonna go there...I've heard of someone smoking a joint but you've added a whole new visual

[deet13]

Too funny, that I missed it myself. ;)

[sunshine842]

I usually make lamb or Guinness stew with soda bread, but the last few years I've been curing my own beef and making corned beef because it's so darned good.

This year is a real twist -- we have friends who are from the outskirts of Dublin -- they're coming for corned beef, because as Irish from Ireland....they've never had it.

I'll have smoked salmon on brown bread with butter for an appetizer, winter vegetables (carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and cabbage), and an apple crumble for dessert. And Guinness, of course.

[mcel215]

Sunshine,
My mother was Irish from Ireland and we never grew up eating corned beef either.

We had a New England Boiled dinner with Smoked shoulder, carrots, cabbage and potatoes. I never gave it a second thought until I realized that everyone had corned beef on St. Paddy's day. :) Is corned beef an American dish?

And your dinner sounds devine.

www.saffron215.blogspot.co

[sunshine842]

yes, bacon and cabbage (with "bacon" being basically a cured chunk of meat, rather than what we call bacon today) was a very traditional meal, especially on a budget.

But when the immigrants reached America, they found that bacon as a bulk piece of meat wasn't available...so they used chunks of corned beef, which they bought from the Jewish neighborhoods.

It went well when boiled with potatoes and carrots...so corned beef and cabbage is primarily that of the Irish-American diaspora.

I roasted the root vegetables, then quick-steamed the cabbage (15-20 minutes - JUST until tender) - it worked very well, as the veggies were browned and tender, while the cabbage stayed crisp-tender and a little bit sweet, rather than the stinky, slimy mess it can become when boiled.

And the brown bread was delicious - still warm, so it gently warmed the salmon.

Corned beef is, by the way, very similar to the spiced beef that many Irish folks (including our friends) have at Christmas.

[macca]

On St Patrick's Day, we have grey corned beef- but throughout the rest of the year, our boiled dinner is made with smoked shoulder. My grandmother was from Ireland, and I dont remember her cooking lots of corned beef- she made a roast beef every Sunday, lots of soda bread, and always used the heels of the bread for bread pudding with a warm lemon sauce.

[Crockett67]

I'll make corned beef & cabbage with boiled potatoes on Saturday to have corned beef hash on Sunday morning!

Sunday night it will be lamb stew with champ.

I've already started the festivities with Bangers & mash last night. I haven't decided what to do tomorrow.

[sunshine842]

steak and Guinness pie.
Dublin coddle

[Crockett67]

What's a Dublin coddle? :)

[iL Divo]

+1 Dublin coddle?

[sunshine842]

http://www.worldirish.com/story/15519...

[iL Divo]

probably should have removed my post. after posting I looked it up myself.
think I thought maybe it was a dessert.

[Crockett67]

Ah! Thanks. :)

[iL Divo]

I too have made home made corned beef hash and can honestly say I was surprised at how great of a dish it is when you make it yourself with the perfect sunny side up medium egg a top.
a nice lemony hollandaise sauce drizzled over-o my yum

[coll]

My mom was big on corned beef and cabbage, but hers was so disgusting I lost my eternal desire. Just the smell brings back old nightmares. Although I've made it myself (always with beer, low and slow) and it is luscious, however old habits die hard.

Every year, I make a big shepherds pie, to be served with soda bread. Also on the day before and/or after, I buy some sliced deli corned beef, or even pastrami since they often sell out, plus some sauerkraut, rye bread and Irish swiss cheese. A little deli mustard and some cole slaw on the side, I'm happy and feeling the green.

I will check early next week for corned beef brisket that didn't sell, you can usually luck out at 99 cents a lb. Every day is St Paddys Day around here, no problem!

[Bacardi1]

We'll have some commercial Spanokopita triangles as a preamble, then I'll be making a fabulous corned beef, braised in my slow-cooker in Guinness Stout (made it for the 1st time last year, & it's easily the best corned beef I've ever made or had in my life!!!), along with butter-sauteed cabbage, tarragon-scented baby carrots, & roasted multi-colored baby potatoes. Horseradish & good whole-grain mustard to accompany the corned beef, of course. Unfortunately, since hubby doesn't eat corned beef, he'll be having turkey kielbasa instead, along with the same sides. But that's okay, more leftover corned beef means more Reuben Sandwiches for me!!!! :)

I'll be making a lovely green minty chocolatey "Grasshopper Pie" for dessert.

[Frosty Melon]

Spanakopita?!

[iowagirl]

At least they're green!!!

[coll]

But on St Paddys Day, it should be more than "at least". I demand over the top Irish! It's only once a year.

[Bacardi1]

Hey - so they're not Irish. Neither are we. I'm Czech (Bohemian); hubby is Ukrainian.

We like Spanokopita (& my 100% Bohemian grandmother made the very best ever!!), & it's our go-to appy/snack. These will be courtesy of Costco - & they're excellent.

And I AM doing the whole corned beef thing. . . .

[iL Divo]

love your idea of using Guinness in the making of your corned beef. question for you-could I use a substitute for the beer as I'm highly allergic to beer? what about a very robust ginger ale or fancied up root beer? does that sound dumb? also > like you stated "of course"
the horseradish sour cream honey sauce I make is a must for the man, I forgot to mention that and sandwiches with leftover if there is any-simply THE BEST :) yummm

[Bacardi1]

Ugh - nothing sweet, please! If you can't use beer, I'd just go with plain water.

[iL Divo]

oh ok, dang. that idea sounded so good but my life is good also :) wanna keep it for a while

[Wtg2Retire]

My plans to use as liquid for the corned beef are:

1 cup white wine
2 T malt vinegar
1 cup water or water just to cover corned beef

[ItalianNana]

Wtg, well the impulse to add sauerkraut sounds more logical now that I know you add vinegar. :-)

(retirement rocks!)

[catface1]

Would love to know how you do your corned beef in Guiness. I also use the slow cooker, for corned beef dinner, could use some new ideas.

[Bacardi1]

Very best corned beef I've ever enjoyed in my life!

Chop one large peeled onion & place in bottom of slow cooker. (The original recipe for this also had you add a bag of baby-cut carrots, but I think I'll be nixing that this year, since the carrots came out too mushy for eating, although I may add a couple of carrot chunks just to sweeten the cooking broth.) Place your corned beef (any cut) on top of the onions, fat side up. Add 1 cup of water, one bottle of dark beer (I used a bottle of Guinness, of course!), & 2 bay leaves. Cook on "low" for 6 hours. Enjoy - & I'm sure you will.

I was originally concerned that the meat would pick up too much of the natural bitterness of the Guinness, but it didn't. Instead I had the moistest, juiciest, most flavorful & succulent corned beef I'd ever tasted. And it wasn't like the meat cut was top of the line - it was just the store brand.

[catface1]

Thanks for the recipe, I have everything but the Guinness guess I will pick some up tomorrow, its sold in 4 packs here so I will pour some for the slow cooker and lots for me. CHEERS.

[Ruthie789]

That sounds delicious.

[juliejulez]

SO's mother makes exactly what you describe. We'll be up there for a hockey tournament so I'll be surprised if she doesn't make it.

[MonMauler]

I make the exact same meal as the OP every St. Patrick's day. I also make sure to have a good selection of Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's, Jameson and Middleton on hand.

[ItalianNana]

I don't typically prepare a St. Patty's Day meal per se on the 17th. But, with corned beef on sale this month, and it being a favorite, I will cook a big pot at least twice. Our preference is long (a few hours) slow simmered corned beef with potatoes, cabbage and sometimes carrots added for the last hour. I also add sauerkraut and caraway seeds. The leftovers for sandwiches on rye with Swiss cheese are the best part. You'd think cooking for two would make for a smaller pot...but no, we can polish off the whole thing in 3 days! Off topic, but a St. Patrick's Day tradition in our family when the kids were little always included an overnight visit from mischievous leprechauns. They would leave evidence such as open drawers, scattered toys, pillows, etc. The gleeful discovery of green "pee" in the toilet was a highlight! Our Grandkids are now enjoying the same silliness.

*Erin go bragh*

[iL Divo]

I LOVE your post. love your silliness and the playful way you pull off this crazy holiday.

Hey everyone (who really wants a sweet reminder of this special green holiday) do a search on your TV for a movie playing now called ''Chasing Leprechauns''. mine is taping now-----love this movie-so cute and all about the little Irish peeps.

[ItalianNana]

il Divo

I always enjoy your posts, silly and serious. I have an image of you in my head, as a 7 year old girl, making catsup-horseradish-mustard cocktail sauce...from a meatloaf thread. I sent along the Leprechaun movie title to son and daughter for the rug rats. :-D Happy St. Pats!

[iL Divo]

Happy St. Pats DayItalianNana~
how kind of you.
thank you. that concoction has been used all my life and has always been a favorite as a dipping sauce on any # of food items BUT only when the measurements are perfect-lotsa tasting in the making.
I am silly by nature, light hearted and adore people. sometimes it shows sometimes not. I do have a serious side also ponder things for years.
cooking is my passion and I'm passionate about it.
that movie is really cute and as often as I'm fortunate to be in Ireland, my husband and I love it and for him>he's a perfect fit.
hope the kids enjoy the movie as they dine on certainly one of my favorite meals of all time.
tomorrow maybe even I may drink something green.

[jujuthomas]

my sister's family has the same leprechaun tradition - I love to hear from her kids what happened in the night! :)

I'm thinking of making this corned beef and cabbage soup: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/03/co...