New Years Day Traditions Corned Beef and Cabbage

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating. (Or sitting at home in your jammies like I did!) Ok friends, let's just get something out of the way first. I'm not a food blogger. I do not intend to become a food blogger.

In fact, this is the first recipe I've ever posted on this blog. Ever. So why am I making an exception for this one? Well first of all, it's literally my favorite meal of the entire year. It's our family tradition to eat this meal on New Year's Day, and to keep it special I only make it once a year.

I realize I'm not sharing this in time for you to make it for New Year's this year, but feel free to pin it for later! I also know several people make this meal for St. Patrick's Day.

Another reason I'm choosing to share this recipe is because it's one of the only things I make that I halfway consider "my" recipe. I looked for a recipe for this dish a few years ago when I started making it, and just didn't find one that sounded exactly like what we wanted, so I concocted this one using a few ingredients from each recipe that I came across until it tasted just right.

I'm not claiming that no one has ever made it this way before, I'm sure they have. But I like the fact that I experimented until it came out how we like it, and that doesn't happen often. I am no recipe developer/test kitchen cook/etc. I don't really even enjoy cooking, but I do enjoy eating, so I cook as a means to an end. 🙂

Now, for the recipe! You can include any additional veggies that you'd like. I always throw in carrots, celery and potatoes in addition to the cabbage.

I serve the meat sliced or shredded, with a side of black eyed peas. The meat is so tender it will fall apart — this is why I love it in the slow cooker! This meal is traditionally thought to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. Whether or not you believe in that mumbo jumbo — it's a tasty meal that you're sure to love!

This recipe serves 4-6 people. Most recipes say 8-9 hours, but I have found that 8 hours on low is plenty.

Ingredients:

1 Corned Beef Brisket (approx. 3 lbs) with seasoning packet
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
Water (to cover)
8-10 peppercorns
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Wedges of cabbage
Thick slices of carrot (optional)
2 Stalks celery, sliced (optional)
Potatoes cut into thick chunks (optional)

Cook on low in slow cooker for 8-9 hours.

Add cabbage the last 3-4 hours.

Click here to download a printable 4×6 version of the recipe.

Sidenote: I have to say, I don't know how food bloggers do this all the time. You have to be pretty dedicated to get good pictures. I was more like "I need to hurry up and shoot some pics before this food gets cold so we can eat it!"

Plus it was dark outside so I had no natural light. And I sure as heck don't know how to make a slab of meat look pretty on a plate. But it tastes good, and that's what counts right?

We look forward to this meal all year long, and we definitely enjoyed it on New Year's Day this year! What are your New Year's traditions? Do you have any special meals that you look forward to at certain times of the year?

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