How To: Make Irish Corned Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day

Corned beef and cabbage is rarely eaten in Ireland (or at least America's version of the dish), but on St. Patrick's Day, many Irish Americans and wannabe Irish Americans will head to the bar to eat sloshy, poorly cooked versions of corned beef and cabbage while downing some jolly green ale.

But this St. Patty's Day you should do it right—make the meal at home instead of opting for subpar restaurant-quality versions. Melissa d'Arabian from the Food Network has just the recipe for you!

Ingredients

• Corned beef (5 pounds)
• Garlic cloves (5), lightly smashed
• Peppercorns (10)
• Fresh thyme (4 sprigs)
• Bay leaves (2)
• Guinness stout (12 ounces)
• Beef broth or stock (1 cup)
• Water, for simmering
• Yellow onions (4), cut into wedges
• Medium yellow or sweet onion (1), sliced
• Parsnips (2), peeled and cut into large chunks
• Carrots (3), peeled and cut into large chunks
• Medium red potatoes (6), scrubbed
• Medium head green cabbage (1), cut into quarters, core removed
• Butter (4 tablespoons)

Instructions

Step 1: Rinse Corned Beef

Rinse the corned beef thoroughly, then place in a heavy soup pot (or large Dutch oven if you have one).

Step 2: Bouquet Garni

Wrap your garlic, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves into some cheesecloth and tie shut. Then, insert into the pot.

Step 3: Add Liquid

Now pour in your stout beer, beef stock and water. Make sure you add enough water to cover the corned beef wholly by two inches.

Step 4: Cooking

Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Once done boiling, reduce to heat to a simmer and cook covered for a total of 4 hours. Make sure to stir occasionally.

Step 5: Add the Rest

After your 4 hours are up, add the yellow onion wedges, parsnips and carrots. Cook for an additional 1/2 hour. Then, add the potatoes and cabbage and keep cooking until the cabbage is completely tender (not limp). That should be about 20 minutes.

Step 6: Remove Cabbage

Once the cabbage is tender, remove it from the pot and onto a plate. Keep cooking the rest of the pot until the meat is tender.

Step 7: Sauté Onions

Now heat up a large sauté pan with the butter over medium heat. Throw in the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until it begins to brown (8 to 10 minutes).

Step 8: Prep Cabbage

While the pot's stewing and the onions are browning, slice the cabbage thinly and remove the excess water with a paper towel, careful not to tear the cabbage up.

Step 9: Add Cabbage

After the onions are browned, throw in the cabbage and mix well. Cook over medium heat until the cabbage browns.

Step 10: Serve

Once the meat is tender, remove it and slice on a cutting board. Once cut, it's ready to serve at the dinner table (or the bar, or wherever you eat on St. Patty's Day), along with the vegetables piles into a hefty serving tray. You should pour some of the broth on top the meat.