By Cassie Patton
The corned beef and cabbage has officially entered the group chat! While this iconic dish may not be a fan favorite for all, this dish is what makes St. Patrick’s Day a main staple of the American tradition.
England’s Cattle Acts of 1663 and 1667 were what kicked off the beginning of the well-known dish of corned beef and cabbage that many Americans, Irish or not, celebrate by eating on March 17. These acts banned the export of live cattle to England, which led to an oversupply of beef in the Irish market. The Acts helped to boost not just the meat market, but the market for salted beef production specifically. Salt was the main reason why Ireland became the center for corned beef. This high-quality corned beef was nothing like what we eat today on St. Patrick’s Day, with meat which was cured with salt the size of corn kernels.
One theory, however, states that corned beef was such a high request that when England and France were at war with each other during the 1700-1800s, the English allowed the French to dock in Ireland for the sake of this reason. According to an article by the Dublin Institute of Technology’s School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, “Anglo-Irish landlords saw
exports to France, despite the fact that England and France were at war, as a means of profiting from the Cattle Acts… During the 18th century, wars played a significant role in the growth of exports of Irish beef. These wars were mainly fought at sea and navies had high demand for Irish salted beef for two reasons, firstly its longevity at sea and secondly its competitive price.”
A plot twist, however, the Irish people were not fortunate enough to buy the luxurious beef for themselves, as England confiscated Ireland at the time, putting into place harsh laws discriminating against Irish Catholics. This would eventually lead to the million Irish immigrants arriving in America after the severe Great Famine, 1846-1851.
According to the Smithisonianmagazine.com: “It didn’t take long for corned beef and cabbage to become associated with St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe it was on Abraham Lincoln’s mind when he chose the menu for his first Inaugural Luncheon on March 4, 1861, which was corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.”
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Cassie Patton, born and raised in Washington state, says she has always enjoyed writing about any topic possible. When not actively writing, she can be found baking up a sweet treat or watching football.