St. Patrick’s Day 2007
The Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage… (sort of…)
I suspect that this is a picture that has shown up on almost every food blog in existance this weekend. Yes, it was St. Patrick’s Day, which means the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner. Or does it?
There is a big difference between Irish American St. Patrick’s Day and Irish St. Patrick’s Day. Take that traditional corned beef, for example. The Irish don’t celebrate with corned beef. In Ireland eating cabbage is certainly common place, but it is served with Irish bacon, not corned beef. Corned beef became a tradition in the US when immigrants could not afford to buy the traditional Irish bacon, and they substituted Jewish corned beef instead.
And you know that long standing US tradition of overindulging in really bad green beer? First, until the 1970’s, Irish pubs were required to close on Saint Patrick’s Day. Second, the Irish have much better taste in beer… (Miller Lite? Bah!).
We dranks Smithwick’s this year. We were introduced to Smithwick’s the first time that we went to Ireland, years ago. Smithwick’s is an Irish Ale that came to be somewhere in the 1700’s. Located in Kilkenny, it was built next to an abbey. Eventually, it expanded and took over the abbey and the grounds surrounding the abbey. There’s probably a fun philisophical point there, but I’ll save that for another day. Smithwick’s has since been purchased by Guinness.
The first thing to know about Smithwick’s is that it is NOT pronounced Smith Wicks’s. In fact, the pronunciation changes the further west you go in Ireland, and, of course, the more Smithwick’s you drink. Starting in the east, you’re fine if you walk up to a bar in a pub and order a Smiddicks. However, by the time you get to the Ring of Kerry, be prepared to stumble up to the bar and demand a smks. That’s right… no vowels needed. Just slur it fast… smks… and you’ll be fine.
It took a long time to get Smithwicks here in the US. I found it in Canada years before it finally made it’s way to the states. But now it is indeed here and can be found in some liquor stores and your better bars and taverns. US bartenders look at us in confusion when we order Smiddicks, but we just can’t ask for a Smithwicks. We do stop ourselves from ordering a Smks though (unless we’ve had too many of them…).
Every year we do make our corned beef and cabbage. This year I found a very nice cut of brisket. I don’t boil my corned beef. I prefer to braise/roast the meat instead. I believe the texture is better, and meat has a deeper flavor. I put a rack on the bottom of a roasting dish, add some water to the bottom of the dish, put the corned beef on the rack, cover it up and roast at 350. I take the lid off for the last 30 minutes or so to let it “dry up” a bit.
And that boiled cabbage? I have just one word for that - “DON’T”! Why take a perfectly good cabbage and boil the snot out of it? There is no redeeming value behind mushy cabbage.
We saute the cabbage until just slightly wilted, but still very crisp. Add sliced onions, garlic, some red pepper flakes, and a splash or two or red wine vinegar and you’ve got a flavorful dish that does not have the texture of slime.
Now I think I’ll go have another Smks.
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