What to Consider When Choosing St Patty’s Day Recipes

By Laurence R. Cruz 3 years ago

When it comes to St Patrick’s Day, there is more than just green beer, green food, and green clothing. St Patty’s day recipes are so versatile that you can cook a meal in honor of the holiday without sacrificing quality. 

The Key Ingredient

The key ingredient to any St Patrick’s Day Foods is corned beef. Corned beef is essentially cured beef brisket. It is salt-cured with a similar process to traditional Jewish Corned Beef, although it contains less salt than its Jewish counterpart.

Traditionally, the corned beef was brine-cured with the curing of pickling spices and herbs, but today more common techniques include adding pickling spices directly to the dry brine or wet cured with curing salt. The dry methods are faster than the wet method, but some people prefer the wet process for its original taste.

Today, corned beef is often used as a meat substitute in many dishes and is commonly served on holidays in some states. It can be substituted for turkey or beef in many recipes. Corned beef is an ingredient in many traditional Irish dishes, such as corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and sauerkraut. Corned beef katsu (breaded, deep-fried cutlets) and corned beef hash are popular breakfast items.

Tips for Making the Meals Enjoyable

While any recipe that you would use for traditional St Pattys day recipes will be easy to prepare, some helpful hints may come in handy. The following are some tips for making the meal as enjoyable as it can be:

  • Mix in a few potatoes before cooking and serve with a crusty loaf of bread to make the extra soup hearty.
  • To add flavor to your meal, try a bit of corned beef that you cooked earlier in the week, but keep it chilled. 
  • To prepare the dish, add it to the soup and heat. This is an excellent dish for serving a large group or for when you have limited resources. It can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed.

Depending on individual preferences, you can start your meal with a green appetizer or a dessert. Many people stick to traditional dishes that have high nutritional content. For some, St Patty’s Day celebration means cooking corned beef and cabbage, while others settle for a shepherd’s pie.