Corned Beef and Cabbage is the king of the table in Irish-American homes in the United States when it comes to celebrating Irish food. That is indisputable. However, that dish was not always indicative of the Irish and their cuisine. In Ireland its original counterpart was Bacon and Cabbage. When the Irish arrived in this country, it was hard to find that type of bacon or even pork for that matter. Upon arrival to America in the mid 1800s through the 1900s, they amalgamated with the Jewish communities on the Lower East Side of New York. We do not have to point out the obvious. Boiled bacon was not an easy commodity to find in that area. What was similar was corned beef. The processes of brining both meats are similar. The texture was somewhat similar. It is also known that during that time period, bars would offer free meals of corned beef and cabbage to Irish workers. The meal most likely became more synonymous with the Irish not out authenticity, but out of the affordability of a free meal (with the purchase of a few pints, mind you.)
The concept of boiled bacon and cabbage is more intriguing to me as a.) the son of a butcher,and b.) a person who appreciates authenticity from a culinary perspective. Do not get me wrong, I like and appreciate corned beef. It represents the Irish-American community very well. It has its place as a representation of the culture. Being a lover of pork and pork products though, I feel that boiled bacon is a bit superior. Then again, I feel that way about pork vs beef in a lot of other situations. Pork ribs are better than beef ribs. Ground pork is better in many applications over ground beef. Granted, there are plenty of beef recipes where I would not substitute with ground pork, but that is an article unto itself for another time.
When I left the restaurant the first time around, I was hell-bent on maintaining my love for Irish/British food and culture. I began to produce my own loin bacon, sausages, black and white pudding among others. I connected with butchers from Ireland and the UK to have reference points. I made copious notes. I studied the foods whenever I was able. It became an obsession. Then, I realised that the one thing that I had not tackled was boiled bacon. It was March of 2016. I set out to conquer this site on my bucket list. I took my notes that I had been keeping and pieced together advice from various and experienced butchers from across the pond. I dry cured the pork butts for 24 hours. Then I created a brine with which the pork butts were injected and soaked in for 3-4 days. The pork is then air dried for a good amount of time. Sometimes it can even be smoked for a more complex flavour.
I am working on bringing this bit of authenticity to the restaurant. So far, we have done it as part of a whiskey tasting as well as adding it to the Easter brunch menu. I feel confident enough to bring it back for part of Mother’s Day as well. It is a good solid dish. For those that like ham, it is a good bridge to similarity. Here, we serve it with boiled potatoes, cabbage, and parsley sauce. It is something that you will not find in too many places locally. It is yet again of those dishes that helps us put or stamp on uniqueness and authenticity for the food that we are creating here at The Red Stag Pub and Whiskey Bar.
Kelly Shay
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