St. Patrick's Day 2016: How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage

There are many traditions associated with St. Patrick's Day: drinking Guinness, shots of Jameson, drinking Guinness, wearing green (or orange, for you Protestants), eating corned beef and cabbage and drinking Guinness.

According to Smithsonian magazine, cows were actually viewed as sacred animals in Gaelic Ireland. Cows were a symbol of wealth and "were only killed for their meat if the cows were too old to work or produce milk." Instead, the traditional St. Patrick's Day meal in Ireland is usually lamb or bacon.

On the other hand, Americans or non-traditionalists can try a recipe for corned beef and cabbage courtesy of Food Network's Alton Brown. 

The ingredients you'll need: 

2 to 2 1/2 pound corned-beef brisket, recipe follows

Brown's recipe includes a lengthy brining process that requires the following spices and aromatics:

2 quarts water

If you prefer devoting more of your time pregaming, or if you need corned beef in time for St. Patrick's Day, this Allrecipes recipe is relatively quicker and definitely simpler because you can prep and leave it in a slow cooker. For the health conscious imbiber, Wellness Mama offers a healthier version of corned beef and cabbage.