History of Traditional New England Boiled Dinner This dish originated in New England, probably with Irish immigrants who used ham in Ireland but had an easier time getting brisket in the U.S. And let’s be clear, the Irish didn’t invent boiling meat and vegetables together.
Pro Tip: How to Mellow the Salty Flavor of Corned Beef
Because corned beef is a salt-cured product, it’s wise to take steps to mellow its salty flavor. Discarding the first batch of simmering water as recommended in our recipe instructions will help reduce the saltiness of the meat and let the infused flavor of the cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaf shine through. You can also soak and rinse the meat before cooking, but the simmering is quicker and also eliminates a little bit of extra fat.
An Easy One-Pot Meal
New England Boiled Dinner is a simple, one-pot meal made with corned beef brisket, potatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables. Our recipe is a fairly standard version made on top of the stove. It takes a little over 3-1/2 hours from start to finish, but the hands-on time is minimal.
In addition to the potatoes and cabbage, our recipe calls for carrots, turnips, and pearl onions. And, to add extra flavor to the dish, we cook our veggies in the same water the corned beef simmered in and serve the finished dish with horseradish cream sauce and whole grain mustard.
New England Boiled Dinner is on the menu
FAQ
Why is it called boiled dinner?
Is corned beef English or Irish?
What is the history of corned beef and cabbage?
What is a New England boiled dinner?
A New England boiled dinner is a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef with cabbage and one or more root vegetables, such as potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, carrots, turnips, or onions. The leftovers are traditionally diced and fried into “red flannel hash” for breakfast the next day.
Should you cook New England boiled dinner a day in advance?
If you prepare your New England Boiled Dinner a day in advance, you have the option of serving the beef pressed or unpressed. Pressing the corned beef must be done while the meat is still hot. When the corned beef is pressed, any grains of heavy fat intermingled throughout the meat would be squeezed out yielding a less fatty looking slice.
What does boiled dinner mean?
Boiled Dinner means making food the old-fashioned way. That is the way they continue to do things at the venerable Homestead Inn. Like Eleanor Early’s grandmother, Mrs. Serafini gets up with the sun to start the beef boiling in a large kettle.
What to eat for New England boiled dinner?
Cabbage – Common green cabbage is the typical choice for a New England Boiled Dinner and we don’t recommend using other varieties for this recipe. Root Vegetables – You can make this easy dinner with any variety of root vegetables but we do recommend at least some potatoes (we used new red potatoes), carrots and onions.