Why do we eat corned beef and cabbage? What to know about the St. Patrick's Day tradition
Dan Basso- Irish and Jewish immigrants in New York City combined to create the traditional dish we know today.
- The ingredients were inexpensive and readily available, making it a practical choice for working-class families.
- The association of corned beef and cabbage with St. Patrick's Day solidified over time as a symbol of Irish-American heritage.
Restaurants across Michigan are clearing their typical menus Monday for a traditional Irish feast: corned beef and cabbage.
Across the U.S. and Michigan, St. Patrick's Day celebrations on March 17 include the meal. But is corned beef and cabbage really Irish? Or even traditional? Why is everyone eating it on St. Patrick's Day?
Irish traditions, English meddling and a famine all have something to do with the annual holiday meal.
Cattle in Ireland weren't used for their meat, but for working in the fields, milk and dairy products, Smithsonian Magazine said.
"In Gaelic Ireland, cows were a symbol of wealth and a sacred animal," writer Shaylyn Esposito said. "Because of their sacred association, they were only killed for their meat if the cows were too old to work or produce milk. So, beef was not even a part of the diet for the majority of the population."
Only the wealthy few and royalty ate beef during a celebration or festival. If the Irish were to eat meat, it was likely pork.
Here's how corned beef became an Irish tradition.
The English played a role in Irish beef consumption
The English ate beef since the Roman times, the Smithsonian said. And after conquering Ireland, the English used the island nation as a place to raise cattle and export them to England.
The English Cattle Acts of 1663 and 1667 fueled the Irish corned beef industry. The acts prohibited the export of live cattle to England, which then flooded the Irish market and lowered the cost of meat available for salted beef production.
With large quantities of cattle and high-quality salt, Irish corned beef was the best on the market. It didn’t take long for Ireland to begin supplying Europe and the Americas with its beef.
Why is the salted beef called 'corned' beef?
The British invented the term “corned beef” in the 17th century to describe the salt crystals used to cure the meat, which were the size of corn kernels.
After the Cattle Acts, salt was the main reason Ireland became the hub for corned beef. Ireland’s salt tax was lower than England’s, and the Irish could import the highest-quality salt at an inexpensive price, according to the Smithsonian.
Potato famine immigrants picked up corned beef habit
The corned beef the Irish immigrants ate was much different from that produced in Ireland 200 years prior, the Smithsonian said.
Irish immigrants to the U.S. almost solely bought their meat from kosher Jewish butchers. The Jewish population in New York City was made up of new immigrants from eastern and central Europe who made corned beef from brisket, a kosher cut of meat from the front of the cow.
Since brisket is a tougher cut, the salting and cooking processes transformed the meat into the tender corned beef now consumed.
Why do we eat cabbage on St. Patrick's Day?
Historically, cabbage was common in Irish cooking, but in America, it became even more essential, Forbes explained.
Like brisket in the 1800s, cabbage was a less expensive vegetable choice that new immigrants could afford.
According to the USDA, the one-pot preparation wasn’t just about taste — it was a practical way to cook in working-class households, saving both time and fuel. Over time, corned beef and cabbage became the go-to dish for Irish-American celebrations, especially on St. Patrick’s Day.
Why did so many Irish immigrate to America?
Phytophthora infestans, a fungus that invades the potato plant and causes its rapid decay, struck for the first time in the eastern United States in the summer of 1843, Ireland's Great Hunger Museum said.
By August 1845 the blight was recorded at the Dublin Botanical Gardens, and a week later, a total failure of the crop was reported in County Fermanagh. By October, there was panic in the west of Ireland as the blight destroyed healthy potatoes harvested in August.
In 1846, the destruction of the potato crop was as rapid as it was comprehensive, the museum said.
Between 1845 and 1855, nearly 2 million people emigrated from Ireland to America and Australia, and another 750,000 to Britain, to escape hunger.