Dine on a Dime this St. Patrick’s Day: Corned Beef and Cabbage

It’s time to go green! This St. Patrick’s Day, whip up an Irish dish for your family without breaking the budget. This slow-cooking one-pot classic of corned beef and cabbage will bring your St. Patrick’s Day celebration to a new level.

Ingredients: 

• 3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet 

• 1 pound small red potatoes, halved

• 12 slender carrots, peeled 

• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered

• 1 small head of cabbage, outer leaves removed, and cut into small wedges

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

• Dijon mustard for serving

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.

• Place meat, onion and contents of the included spice packet into a Dutch oven or another large pot. Add cold water to just cover the meat. 

• Bring the water to boil over medium heat. 

• Cover pot tightly and place in the oven until tender; about 3.5 hours. 

• Remove the meat from the broth (stock) and transfer it to a shallow baking dish.

• Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. 

• Return meat to oven along with a cup of stock. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top browns. 

• Transfer meat to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm.

• Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the stock and return to the pot. Add salt.

• Bring stock to a boil, and add the potatoes. Cook 5 minutes. 

• Add cabbage wedges and carrots, cover, and bring to a boil again. Cook 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. 

• Transfer vegetables to a deep platter and cover with foil. 

• To serve, slice the meat across the grain into ¼-inch slices. Place near vegetables on a serving platter and pour a few ladles of broth over the meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with Dijon mustard.

Fun facts about the Irish and corned beef

• Corned beef is rarely eaten as a festive meal in Ireland any longer. St. Patrick’s Day festivities are purely American. 

• It is believed that Irish immigrants bought this dish with them to the U.S. in the 17th century. 

• In Boston, corned beef and cabbage is known as New England Boiled Dinner, a tribute to its origins on American shores. 

• Corned beef is generally made from beef (most often brisket) that has been cured with large-grained rock salt, called “corns.” Hence its name.

Add some shamrock cookies, cannonballs and you’ve got yourself a complete St. Patrick’s Day dinner!