Looking for corned beef Irish stew? Want to know about the many different corned beef stews available? Read our guide for more information on choosing the right beef stew for your meal…
Different Types of Corned Beef Irish Stew
Corned beef is actually salted beef and is a form of preserved meat that was widely exported by the Irish until 1825. The Cork area in Ireland was famous for corned beef which was shipped in cans all over the world. The term ‘corned’ beef derived from salting beef in large crocks with corns of salt. The resulting salted beef was preserved for the long winter months.
As peasants normally reared cows for milk, corned beef was the food of royalty. Irish stew made with corned beef was therefore a delicacy and savored as a special dish for festive occasions. Corned beef is cooked with potatoes, onions and carrots with green peas and herbs to produce a delicious Irish stew.
The thick sauce is flavored with beef stock and the long simmering makes the corned beef tender and succulent to taste. You can add spices like cardamom and cloves to vary the flavor. Guinness stout is ideally included in the corned beef stew for a rich and satisfying broth.
How to Serve Corned Beef Stew
This stew is normally cooked in a large sauce pan over a low fire or on a hot place. You should use fresh vegetables when you cook corned beef stew for the best results. Normally Irish stew would be made from locally available root vegetables like carrots and potatoes.
Nowadays you can put in leeks and celery or parsnips and turnips according to your liking. Corned beef that’s cooked in its own juices is often served with cabbage. Add cabbage to the stew towards the end of the cooking process.
Simmer the dish and boil the beef until it becomes tender. You could add meat tenderizer to speed up the process. Irish soda bread, which is made from baking soda, is the perfect accompaniment to corned beef stew. Boiled green peas could form a side dish with the main meal.
You could make corned beef Irish stew for special occasions to celebrate Easter and Thanksgiving. Often, the Irish community serves corned beef stew as the main meal for all the family as it’s packed with nutrition.
