Corned beef is not Irish: 17 Days of St. Patrick

I'm gonna break it to ya hard and fast. There is no easy way around it. The truth is, corned beef is not really Irish.

True, true. Eating corned beef on St. Patrick's Day is an American ritual. It is not a tradition in Ireland. I wouldn't lie to ya about something so important.

In America, we, Irish, take corned beef very seriously.

Except when we spell it. There is an annoying epidemic of "corn beef" on menus across the country.

Otherwise, there is nothing like a good corned beef sandwich in March to make you feel like you're celebrating the Irish. Match that up with a pint of Guinness or a "Harp and lime" for a downright gastronomical explosion.

As best as I understand it, the tradition came about sort of like this. First of all, the process starts with a brisket. To "corn" it means to cover it in salt. Apparently the Brits referred to grains of salt as corns of salt. Therefore, a corned beef (past tense) means it was cured by covering in salt.

This next part is a little sketchy. The Irish raised a lot of beef but could not eat any of it because it was fed to kings or exported. However, this curing process was apparently common in Ireland.

And yet, because the Irish were not allowed to eat beef, their celebration meals included instead a pork joint. The emigrants state-side couldn't find the kind of pork cuts they were used to, so they discovered that the Jewish version of corned beef was similar enough in texture.

Or maybe because it was cheap.

Whatever the case, I am pulling from multiple sources, including books and Internet. So I do not verify that any of that history is actually true. My knowledge of corned beef could be full of bologna. (Or is it baloney?)

What I do know for sure is that during my multiple extended stays in Ireland, we never once ate corned beef. As a teen, I lived in Northern Ireland with the Arkinson family in Castlederg, County Tyrone. Every single day, Mrs. A cooked what we would consider a full Sunday dinner. She would get that pressure cooker going and we ate roast and potatoes every Noon. I gained a ton of weight. But none from corned beef.

However, over here it is a great tradition. Even bad corned beef is good. Of course, my mom makes the best corned beef. I have searched high and low and none compare.

She even makes a fabu cooked mustard sauce that starts with roux, adds an egg yolk, mustard and a dash of lemon. (But don't tell her I spilled the secret.)

No matter where you go, cabbage or no cabbage, potatoes or no potatoes, you must, absolutely must have horseradish. Life is not complete without it.

Shorewood has some good corned beef available for those on the hunt. Matty's West has corned beef every Thursday all year round. During the week of St. Patrick's Day, they have it every day. Grill Marx serves up corned beef hash for breakfast. Plus, they will add the real McCoy to the menu closer to the big day.

Of course, you will be able to find the corned beef brisket in most of the grocery stores here. Mom boils it on the stove. I'm a crock pot girl, myself. Always add the cabbage in at the last minute as to not over cook.

Some people cook it in Irish beer. I agree, and usually open a bottle. But somehow it never makes it into the pot.

No matter how you cook it or where you order it, corned beef is as Irish as a McTaco.

Come March 17, you have got to grab a green beer, and put on your "Kiss Me I'm Irish" button. And don't forget to eat some corned beef.