Down Home: Try traditional fare for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate all things Irish. My mouth is already watering for the traditional one-pot-meal of tender corned beef with potatoes, cabbage, carrots and onions and of course, a side of Irish Soda Bread.

This classic St. Patrick’s Day meal is one of our family favorites and requested not only on this holiday but throughout the year. We call this corned beef, vegetable combination “boiled dinner.” Actually, corned beef and cabbage is primarily an American food tradition started by Irish-Americans in the mid-1800s and is not recognized in Ireland as a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal.

Corned beef has nothing to do with corn. The term “corn” actually refers to a dry-cure method of preserving meat, which was primarily used in the days before refrigeration. Cuts of beef were stored and kept from spoiling by rubbing coarse grains of salt (some the size of corn kernels) into the meat. Today, brining — the use of salt water — has replaced the dry-cure method. However, the name “corned” beef has stayed the same, rather than brined or pickled beef.

If not cooked properly, a corned beef brisket can be tough. Corned beef and other forms of brisket need to cook slowly on low heat with plenty of moisture which allows the meat to become tender and juicy. This method is called braising and can be done on the stove top or in a Crock Pot. I like using the slow cooker. I place the corned beef in the bottom of the cooker, add the vegetables, except for the cabbage, on top and around the sides, and then add the liquids and seasonings. Turn the temperature to low and let it simmer for about six to eight hours, then add the cabbage in the last hour of cook time.

Don’t forget to use your leftover slices of tender, juicy corned beef to make wonderful Reuben sandwiches, hash (which is good with potatoes and eggs) or corned beef and cheese sliders.

Cabbage, carrots and potatoes are the mainstay ingredients along with the corned beef needed to prepare this traditional dinner. This is a very easy meal to cook up. No salt or seasonings are required due to the flavor of the meat, although I do add black pepper to the overall combination of vegetables. I like to rinse my corned beef before placing it into a large pot; then submerge the beef in a low-sodium chicken broth along with additional water to cover it completely. I prefer not to use the pickling spice bag that is included with the corned beef. Occasionally, I use a smoked pork (picnic ham) shoulder in place of a corned beef; both meats are delicious.

Cabbage is often added to soups and stews or stuffed with meat and/or rice mixtures (cabbage rolls). It is also the basis for the German sauerkraut and Korean kimchi. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties.

Irish Soda Bread is the traditional bread to accompany this meal. I have found that soda bread recipes differ and everyone has his or her favorite ingredients. I have tasted soda breads that contain one or all of the following: caraway seeds, raisins, and red and green candied fruit (the stuff you see in fruitcakes). My favorite soda bread has raisins only. The essential ingredients needed for preparation are flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. The acid in buttermilk reacts with the base of the baking soda to provide the leavening for this quick bread. As with any homemade bread, you can’t beat the taste of a fresh-baked loaf right out of the oven. Of course, I slather mine with butter while it is hot.