Traditional Irish Bacon, Cabbage, and Parsley Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of bacon and cabbage in Ireland? ›

History. Historically, this dish was common fare in Irish homes because the ingredients were readily available as many families grew their own vegetables and reared their own pigs. It was considered nourishing and satisfying. The dish continues to be a very common meal in Ireland.

Boiling bacon is a side of pork that is traditionally cured, netted and partially smoked the Irish way. Our boiling bacon is produced from Linley Valley free range pork shoulders, a leaner cut compared to pork belly.

Slice cabbage across the grain into thin shreds. If necessary, wash it quickly in cold water. About 20 minutes before the end of cooking the bacon, add shredded cabbage to the pot of simmering bacon.

Whatever cabbage you are using, cut off the dry end of the stalk. If using Hispi, quarter the cabbage lengthways through its core. If using a regular white cabbage, cut it into manageable wedges, again through the core. Steam for about 10 minutes until it looks rather relaxed and easy to cut through.

Cabbage was another vegetable these farmers and the rural poor relied on for food, since it was nutrient-dense and grew well in Ireland. One of the first written accounts of cabbage cultivation comes from the 17th century, but it's likely the vegetable was being grown in Ireland before this time.

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.

Irish bacon, also known as back bacon or rashers, is a popular type of bacon commonly enjoyed in Ireland. Unlike the traditional American bacon, which is typically made from pork belly, Irish bacon is made from pork loin. This results in a leaner and less fatty cut of meat that is often considered healthier.

Irish bacon is traditionally made from the back of the pig as opposed to the pork belly commonly used in American bacon. In this sense it is more similar to Canadian bacon; both Canadian and Irish bacon are referred to as back bacon but the Irish variety has more fat and often cut into a round shape.

IMPORTANT WORD YOU SHOULD LEARN: Rashers. That's Irish slang for bacon. You'll find back (wide) or streaky (narrow) rashers in an Irish breakfast; both types may look and taste different to what you might expect. Irish bacon is chunkier than American bacon, with a little more meat.

Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water. This also helps cut the pungent edge. Drain well before combining with other ingredients.

How long does it take cabbage to boil? ›

Boiled Cabbage

Step 1Cut cabbage into wedges or slice it thin. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add cabbage. (It's OK to crowd the pot because the cabbage will shrink!) Step 2Boil until tender, about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage and 10 minutes for wedges.

Remove the thick outer leaves of the cabbage head. Cut the cabbage into wedges. Rinse the wedges in a colander under running water. Shake them dry as best as you can, then pat them with a clean cotton towel to remove additional moisture.

From what I understand, when cabbage is cooked, the acid that the cabbage has evaporates, causing it to turn blue. To keep it red when cooking, try adding vinegar or lemon juice to retain the acid levels.

Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

An old trick to use is to leave the cabbage lightly doused in vinegar water for a couple of minutes before proceeding to wash the cabbage with water. Usually between two or four minutes. Vinegar kills some types of bacteria and helps killing mold and mildew that could have grown on the cabbage.

Immus (celery) were grown extensively. Foltchep a kind of onion chive or leek were also grown. Meacan and cerrbacan believed to be carrots and parsnips were also cultivated. A type of wild cabbage and kale were also cultivated.

Many Irish people started settling in New York and started making more money than they were in Ireland under British rule. And with more money, they could afford to buy meat. But instead of their favorite bacon, the Irish started consuming beef, i.e., corned beef – just what their ancestors were famous for.

Some vegetables native to Ireland include potatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onions, and leeks. These vegetables have been traditionally cultivated and consumed in Ireland for centuries. Why do potatoes in Ireland taste so much better than US potatoes?