Braised Cabbage Goes Great with Beef, Pork and Other Meats

Corned Beef and Cabbage is a traditional American St. Patrick’s Day dish and it’s likely that culinary custom came from back in the day when Irish immigrants substituted beef for pork and cabbage for potatoes because of cost. Yep, it was less expensive to eat corned beef with cabbage than it was to prepare pork and potatoes, which is what would have been eaten back home in Ireland on the feast day.

Cabbage is a budget-friendly vegetable that’s versatile, easy to prepare and nutritious Credit: Donna Britt

St. Patrick’s Day, also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick, is celebrated each year on March 17, the death date of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick. A 5^th-century Christian missionary credited with converting the pagan Irish to Christianity, Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in Roman Britain into a wealthy family whose father and grandfather were both leaders in the Christian church. The story goes he was kidnapped by Irish raiders when he was 16 and spent six years working as a slave. And according to the stories, God told him to flee to the coast where a ship would be waiting to take him back home. Once he got back home, he became a priest, returned to Ireland and started converting the pagans. Because of his efforts, the church sainted him and he’s been celebrated around the world for centuries now. The official Christian feast day began in the early 17^th Century.

These days St. Patrick’s Day is a worldwide phenomenon from Australia to Montserrat. There are parades, festivals, the wearing of the green, even the gifting of shamrocks from the Irish Prime Minister to the U.S. President each year. And check this out: nearly 35 million U.S. residents claim to be of Irish descent.

In honor of the upcoming St. Patty’s Day 2023, how about some braised cabbage? This simple, delicious side dish will pair extremely well with your corned beef if you want to try something different. It also goes well with roasted pork tenderloin, pork chops or even baked chicken, beef roast or lamb chops. Seriously, cabbage is your friend in the kitchen. It’s hardy. It’s nutritious. It’s easy to prepare.

Braised Cabbage

Makes 4 servings

-Bacon fat or olive oil, enough to cover bottom of pan ¼ inch or so

-½ head green cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces

-½ yellow onion, chopped

-¼ cup apple cider vinegar

-2 tablespoons sugar or monk fruit sweetener

-Kosher salt, to taste

-Black pepper, to taste

Heat bacon fat or olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients. Cook and stir until cabbage and onions are completely softened, being careful not to burn the veggies, turning heat down to low if necessary. Cover the pan and keep on very low heat until ready to serve.

Please note that this recipe can be easily doubled; just make sure you use a bigger pot for cooking it.