National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day – March 17, 2025

History of National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day

Ever imagined how Corned Beef and Cabbage came to exist?

Once upon a time, long ago, Irishmen immigrated to the U.S. They found simple jobs and earned little, which changed their lifestyle. When it came to food, naturally, they preferred to eat their native dishes like pork and potatoes before adapting to other food in the states.

Unfortunately, the price of food differed drastically. In their homeland, beef was always more expensive than pork, but it was quite the opposite in the U.S. After seeing Jewish immigrants replace bacon and pork with corned beef, the Irish did the same, commenting that the two were very similar.

Corned beef is made using the same salt curing method the Irish used to prepare pork. This is the main reason for their similar texture and taste. By now, you must be wondering, how did cabbage come into the pot? After moving to the U.S, the Irishmen had to be economical, so they removed some food staples from their platter, potato being one of them. Cabbage became the more affordable option. Thus, it took center stage next to corned beef.

The corned beef and cabbage dish is made by boiling corned beef, spices, cabbage, and other affordable vegetables together. The meal has become popular worldwide, with some restaurants even serving it as a starter or main.

National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day was adopted by Irish Americans on the same day as St. Patrick’s Day, making the day all about Ireland. The day is celebrated with Irish parades and eating frenzies where corned beef and cabbage are among the main dishes.