Who doesn't love spring rolls?! This classic Irish flavor combo is just perfect for an Irish St. Patrick's Day canape.
But first...why corned beef?
We're here to help you add to your entertaining recipe arsenal. We've got a great canapé idea for you. Let's call it the "new Irish" - a twist on the traditional much loved Irish recipe.
Back before the days of electricity and refrigeration, one of the few ways to preserve meat for the winter season was to salt cure it. In fall, when temperatures were chilly and cold, cows were harvested, and the meat was packed into wooden barrels between alternating layers of coarse salt.
This salt was roughly the size of kernels of corn; hence the term "corned" beef. Salting also gives the beef its pungent, piquant flavor and chewy fibrous texture as well.
So, why salt?
Salt is excellent at removing moisture from cells via osmotic pressure. Too much salt can make us feel thirsty, as it naturally drives water from our cells. This is why salt "cures" animal flesh so effectively. It also creates an environment that is hostile to bacteria and fungus as well.
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Boiling is essential in driving out salt, and tenderizing the meat. Cabbage is an excellent "wintering" vegetable because of its high density, and it keeps well in root cellars—artificial "caves" dug beneath the ground—hence the natural combination of corned beef and cabbage in winter. It's of interest that corned beef is rarely prepared this way any longer, but is "wet cured" in a brine solution with spices.
New York City and corned beef
New York City is perhaps best known as the capital city of corned beef. St. Patrick's Day often sees New York hosting the nation's premier corned beef competitions, featuring the best of the corner deli best, including Blarney Stone, Casey's, Fitzpatrick Hotel, Grandstand, The Kettle Black, and Langan's, all prime purveyors of salty beef piled mile high with hearty pickle on rye.
Corned beef and cabbage, however, similar to that served at the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, may have originated in the United States and only recently found its way to Ireland. Some claim that corned beef and cabbage originated in New York City, and that is why New York City is known for the best corned beef and cabbage in the world.
The argument can be made that corned beef is about as Irish as General Tso's chicken is Chinese. Indeed, you'd have less difficulty tracking down the meat in a New York bar than in a Dublin pub. But don't judge the dish too harshly. This briny brisket fed the folks that made America—just as our cities were built on carry-out Chinese, anchored by the inauthentic fried egg roll.
St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage spring rolls recipe
Ingredients:
- 10 spring roll wrappers
- 6 cups hot water for soaking wrappers
- 1lb cooked white cabbage or use a 16oz. package of Sauerkraut drained
- 1 medium onion, finely minced
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tbs olive oil
- ½ lb thinly sliced corned beef, julienne
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese, chilled
- 1-quart peanut oil or other high heat oil
- Thousand Island dressing
(Oh, and don't forget the cool, frothy Guinness, not for the recipe but just to have while making the dish!)
Method:
Sauté the minced onion in olive oil over a medium flame until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Place cooked cabbage or sauerkraut in a lint-free dishcloth and wring out any remaining water or brine. Place cabbage or sauerkraut in a large mixing bowl. Add pepper, caraway seeds, onion, and cheese. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
Soak one spring roll wrapper in hot water. Use tongs to remove the wrapper. Place on prep area. The wrapper may stick so a lint-free cloth may be used under the wrapper.
Ingredients should be added 1 inch from the edge closest to the preparer.
Add 6 slices of corned beef and then cabbage from the left to right side of the spring roll wrapper. You may have to adjust amounts, less or more, depending on the size of the wrapper or desired fullness. Fold left and right sides of wrapper over edges of filling. Roll wrapper from bottom. Repeat with remaining spring roll wrappers.
Heat the oil to 375F. Fry spring rolls until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Cut in half. Serve hot with a side of Thousand Island dressing
Traditional Irish fare but with a modern-day twist, corned beef, and cabbage spring roll.
* Originally published in 2013, last updated in March 2023.
FAQs
Many with Irish heritage prepare Corned beef and cabbage dinner on New Year's day. It is associated with the fortune you should hope for in the coming year. Beef or pork is the meat of choice because unlike chickens these animals do not scratch in the dirt for their food.
Is corned beef really an Irish tradition? ›
Corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish, and the connection with Saint Patrick's Day specifically originates as part of Irish-American culture, and is often part of their celebrations in North America. Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish-American immigrants in the late 19th century.
What animal is corned beef made from? ›
corned beef, food made of beef brisket cured in salt. Related to the word kernel, a corn is a coarse grain of rock salt. In North America, corned beef is brisket, taken from the lower chest of a cow or steer, that has been brined in salt and spices.
Is corned beef and cabbage healthy? ›
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.
Is corned beef a St Patty's Day tradition? ›
The traditions of St. Patrick's Day in America are well known. We wear green, attend parades, and eat corned beef and cabbage. What's less known, however, is how corned beef became the centerpiece of the St.
What is the lucky food for 2024? ›
Lumpia is said to attract luck and money and is a symbol for wealth prosperity because of their resemblance to gold bars. Lumpia is a delicious way to serve up good fortune for New Year 2024. Have some fun and try these different variations of lumpia recipes for your Filipino new year food menu.
Do real Irish eat corned beef and cabbage? ›
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.
What do the Irish eat instead of corned beef? ›
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.
Why do the Irish eat corned beef and cabbage? ›
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.
Why is corned beef not Irish? ›
Beef, corned or otherwise, wasn't often eaten in ancient Ireland because the cow was considered a symbol of wealth in the Gaelic religion. While the Irish enjoyed dairy products (which didn't require the slaughtering of the animal), beef was often reserved for royalty.
Patrick's Day proteins, "but when these Irish got off the boats in America, it was the opposite. Corned beef was the meat that they could easily and more cheaply get their hands on, and so, this became the meal of choice for generations of Irish Americans to come."
Is corned beef good for high blood pressure? ›
Processed meat is meat that has been preserved to last longer, including bacon, sausages, and canned meat such as corned beef. These foods often have high levels of salt to preserve their flavour. Consuming too much salt can increase your risk of high blood pressure, as salt interferes with your body's fluid balance.
Is corned beef OK for dogs? ›
Can dogs eat corned beef safely? Dogs should not consume corned beef as it is not safe for them. While the beef itself is not toxic to dogs, the high sodium content in corned beef can be harmful to their health.
Is corned beef good for diabetics? ›
Processed meats
Processed meats are extremely high in salt, however, and should be avoided because excess sodium can strain your kidneys and raise your blood pressure. Examples of processed meats include deli meats, bacon, jerky, sausage, corned beef, pepperoni, and hot dogs.
What does corned beef and cabbage symbolize? ›
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.
What are 3 foods that are eaten on New Year's Day? ›
Looking for prosperity? As Southern tradition dictates, black-eyed peas, greens, and cornbread represent pennies, dollars, and gold, respectively, so eating them together on New Year's will keep your purse full all year long.
Where did the tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage first begin? ›
But some Irish Americans might be surprised by another entry on that list of suspect foods: corned beef and cabbage. Experts say the meal originated on American soil in the late 19th century as Irish immigrants substituted corned beef for bacon, which was meat of choice in the homeland.
What are the 7 Lucky new year's food traditions around? ›
7 Lucky New Year's Traditions
- Grapes // Spain. Better hope all those grapes taste sweet! ...
- Black-Eyed Peas // Southern United States. ...
- Soba Noodles // Japan. ...
- Pomegranate // Eastern Europe. ...
- Lentils // Europe & South America. ...
- Marzipan Pigs // Germany & Scandinavia. ...
- Pickled Herring // Poland, Scandinavia.
