by Denise Gertsen
When I think of St. Patrick’s Day, several images come to mind. Leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold, parades, green beer and my personal fave … corned beef and cabbage! I was recently surprised to learn there is some controversy about the Irish NOT eating corned beef. WHAT? I am shocked!
Well, there are two theories that I have found very interesting, with the latter being my favorite:
- Traditionally the Irish ate more pork belly, Canadian bacon and sausage or “bangers,” because beef was very expensive in Ireland and most people couldn’t afford it. When they immigrated to the United States, beef was more affordable !
- An old Irish woman had this to say, “Corned beef was made popular as a free lunch to the Irish workers in New York City during the early 1900s.”
Being part Irish, I prefer to believe that they are both false. I plan on celebrating the holiday by preparing my favorite meal and then using the leftovers in a few new and exciting ways.
Corned beef in itself is actually extremely easy to prepare.
Buy corned beef at your local grocer. Place it in a stockpot or dutch oven, fatty side up, and cover with water, add pickling spices and simmer for approximately 3 hours. VOILA! Dinner is served.
You don’t need to be an experienced cook to do that right? Now comes the fun part—the twist. There are several things you can do with the corned beef. I will give you two recipes to try for yourself.
First, take that corned beef and give it some zing, maybe a glaze? How about some whiskey? It is Irish, right? How about this:
Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef
Adapted from thegalleygourmet.net
Ingredients:
- 1 pre-made corned beef
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup Jim Beam (or whatever you have on hand)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 T packed brown sugar
- 2 T soy sauce
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
Method:
Position the oven rack to the top third of the oven, not too high. Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer the corned beef to the tray and trim off the fat.
In a small saucepan, whisk all the wet ingredients and bring them to a boil on high. Lower heat slightly and continue to stir until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Spoon the glaze evenly over the beef. Place the tray under the broiler and cook until the glaze starts to caramelize. Watch carefully so as not to burn! Remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
How many of you are fans of the classic Reuben sandwich? Well then you are going to love serving these at your next Happy Hour. Grab your corned beef and head for the cutting board!
Reuben Spring Rolls
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of cooked, shredded corned beef
- 1½ cups of sauerkraut, canned or homemade (recipe follows)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese egg roll wrappers
- 1 egg, beaten oil for frying
Method:
Mix together first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Place an egg roll wrapper on a cutting board, like a diamond, with a corner toward you. Place a handful of filling in the center. Fold the corners over and tuck it slightly. Fold up top and bottom corners and roll over so that corner is facing you. Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg over the corner. Repeat until all filling is gone.
Heat oil in a heavy pot to 375 degrees. When heated, add egg rolls slowly. Fry for 2–3 minutes until they blister and become a dark, golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve with Thousand Island dressing or spicy mustard.
Quick Sauerkraut
Adapted from marthastewart.com
Ingredients:
- 1 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
Method:
In a medium saucepan combine all the ingredients. Add 1¼ cups of water, cover and cook on medium heat until cabbage is tender (approx. 30 min.). Stir occasionally, adding more water if needed. To store, refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
I hope you all enjoy these recipes. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
- Photography: Nina Lea Photography
