Authentic Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe – An easy low carb and keto diet friendly dinner idea, especially on St. Patrick’s Day.
We’ve been living in Ireland for a couple of weeks now. I’ve been loving cooking with local ingredients and asking the advice of locals for what to cook and how to cook it. The other day I shared a recipe for the BEST Irish Scrambled Eggs and today is all about Irish Corned Beef.
While visiting a local, village butcher the other day, I noticed that they specialise in the BEST Corned Beef. So, I asked how best to cook it to experience a local, authentic classic Irish dish.
He gave me heaps of tips, which I’m sharing with you in this post. So, you get to benefit from local, Irish knowledge – without having to make a trip to the Irish countryside. (Although, I do hope that one day you get to see this magical country and meet friendly, local Irish people for yourself, if you haven’t already! )
When I make corned beef, I usually include sea or rock salt, black pepper, garlic cloves, onions and carrots in the pot. Well, my friendly butcher told me to cook the corned beef in only water. That’s all. Nothing else added.
Which makes sense, as it’s been marinated in a brine during the curing process that usually includes ingredients such as bay leaves, mustard seeds and a whole spice packet, for days, which likely includes more than enough salt than the piece of corned beef needs.
You can cook the easy corned beef recipe in a large Dutch oven on the stove top or in a crock pot or slow cooker, following your machine’s instructions.
The next genius piece of advice was about how to cook the perfect cabbage to accompany your corned beef. The secret? Cook the cabbage in the pot, in the water that you used to boil the corned beef. I know. My mind was blown too!
And, the Irish way to make truly spectacular cabbage? Add some butter too and you’ll get to enjoy buttery, flavorsome cabbage wedges. (As pictured above, cooking in the buttery, meaty beef broth goodness.)
So, the cabbage absorbs so much flavor from the meat juices, butter and cooking goodness from the corned beef, and you get to enjoy the most amazing cabbage of your life!
Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe Video
Here’s the video where you can watch the one-pot meal being prepared, step by step. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.
The complete meal is simple to prepare, yet tastes wholesome and homely and is the perfect warming low carb comfort food dish on a cool day. Enjoy leftover corned beef dinner in thin slices for breakfast with fried eggs or in hearty fritters.
Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
Corned Beef
Cabbage
Butter
Remove the piece of meat from the packaging and place into a large pot on the stove top over high heat.
Pour over enough water to cover the meat, and bring up to the boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat and gently simmer.
Check on the corned beef from time to time, adding more water if needed, through the cooking process.
Cook for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the size of the corned beef, until fork tender.
Remove from the pot and reserve the cooking liquid.
Chop the cabbage into bite sized pieces.
Place into the reserved cooking liquid, along with a few generous knobs of butter.
Bring up to the boil and simmer until cooked to your liking.
Slice the corned beef up and serve the delicious meal with the cooked cabbage.
This really is a life changing way to enjoy corned beef and I can’t wait to go back to the butcher, thank him for the great recipe, and get another piece of corned beef to make the classic recipe again.
If you’re following a low carb diet, then corned beef and cabbage is perfect enjoyed as an entire meal it’s own. If not, then feel free to serve with a slice of traditional Irish Soda Bread and a creamy horseradish sauce for an authentic Irish experience that the whole family will enjoy.
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes:
10 Irish Breakfast Recipes
Baked Cauliflower Mash
Irish Lamb Stew Recipe
Low Carb St Patrick’s Day Recipes
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Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.
Traditional corned beef hash is high in carbs. Since it's made with a filler of chopped potatoes, Keto dieters can't eat this. However, corned beef alone is an excellent Keto food. Corned beef is made with brisket, so it's high in fat and sodium - exactly what you need!
Corned beef and cabbage is not the national dish of Ireland. You would not eat this dish on St. Patrick's Day in Dublin. It is usually only eaten around the religious holiday in the US.
Cabbage is delicious when stuffed into keto fajitas, used in soups, or made into coleslaw with a rich, creamy high-fat dressing that's keto-friendly. It has 2 grams of net carbs per cup shredded, so you can eat a lot in one sitting without falling out of ketosis, says Dixon.
This will depend on the type of keto diet you're on. Generally, you can consume one to two pieces of steak a week, but your protein and fat intake should be supplemented with other meats like fish and chicken.
Corned Beef is not suitable for weight loss. According to USDA, 100 g of corned beef brisket contains 251 kcal. In addition, it is incredibly high in sodium and unsaturated fat, making it unhealthy for weight loss and overall health.
Corned beef and cabbage is a good source of the mineral iron. The high level of vitamin C in corned beef and cabbage helps your body absorb more of the iron from the food as well. Iron helps make up red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body.
The bottom line. Carrots can be eaten on keto, but it may be difficult to include them regularly or in large quantities, as they contain a fair amount of carbs. Some less starchy alternatives to enjoy raw or cooked include celery, broccoli, and cauliflower.
So it was the Irish-American consumption of corned beef that initiated its association with Ireland and the holiday of St. Patrick's Day. And as for pairing cabbage with corned beef, it was simply one of the cheapest vegetables available to Irish immigrants, so it was a side dish that stuck.
With more money for food, the Irish could afford meat for the first time. But instead of their beloved bacon, the Irish began eating beef. And the beef they could afford just happened to be corned beef, the thing their great-grandparents were famous for.
According to Regina Sexton, food and culinary historian and programme manager, Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture, University College Cork, corned beef and cabbage is not a dish much known in Ireland. What the Irish actually eat is bacon and cabbage. "A traditional dinner is bacon, potatoes, and cabbage.
You do not have to limit vegetables if you are on the keto diet or are considering it. Plenty of low-carb vegetable options include arugula, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes.
Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.
Nutritionists often consider ribeye steak as the best to consume on the keto diet. This is because of its abundance of healthy fats and protein. 100 grams of ribeye steak, for example, contains 21.8 grams of fat and 23.7 grams of protein.
Steaks are also a great source of protein for keto, and the fattier the cut the better, so ribeye and sirloin steaks are ideal. Beef – ribs, ground beef, steaks and more!
Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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