Why do people eat corned beef on St. Patrick's Day?

Question

ok...so most people don't know....

I'm asking: what is the story behind the tradition? Why do many people NOT of Jewish or Irish descent follow this tradition? As an honor to the poor people of yesteryear?

Answer 1

www.europeancuisines.com says "Corn beef and cabbage, a dish which still turns up on some Irish tables at Easter, has become familiar to North Americans as the usually overcooked glop which becomes unavoidable around Saint Patrick’s Day. Of why the festive association of corned beef slipped from Easter to the Saint's day on the western side of the Atlantic, there's no indication. But one thing seems fairly certain: the basic understanding of the preparation of the dish has suffered over time. In the USA, at least, it's almost never done right in any restaurant. It’s possibly too labor-intensive to cook the cabbage fresh every time, and not overdo it."

Personally, I think the above is rather opinonated, and still doesn't give much of a reason why the dish is eaten on any holiday - St. Patrick's Day included.

From nearly everything I've read on the subject of Irish foods during this time, this is what I've gathered:
They rarely even ate beef (they kept cows for dairy products, and would slaughter a cow only past it's milking days). Beef was far too expensive for most Irish. Instead, they would have a pork (some say akin to bacon) meal at Easter which resembles today's dish of Corned Beef & Cabbage. When those Irish came to the states, the butchers at the time had "corned" beef (so called because the salt pellets used to preserve the beef were corn kernel sized) which they were trying to get rid of. The Irish were poor immigrants and ended up buying it most often (perhaps because it resembled the pork or bacon type dish they served on holidays). They served it at Easter dinners, but at some point St Patrick 's Day became their "special" day of celebration, and the tradition born.

Answer 2

Well, Someone (ACC) gave the answer I had just found the other day, Good Job, Acc. But In addition....I thougt this was cute...

GOOD GRIEF - NOT BEEF!
I just want to put something straight
About what should be on your plate,
If it's corned beef you're makin'
You're sadly mistaken,
That isn't what Irishmen ate.

If you ever go over the pond
You'll find it's of bacon they're fond,
All crispy and fried,
With some cabbage beside,
And a big scoop of praties beyond.

Your average Pat was a peasant
Who could not afford beef or pheasant.
On the end of his fork
Was a bit of salt pork,
As a change from potatoes 'twas pleasant.

This custom the Yanks have invented,
Is an error they've never repented,
But bacon's the stuff
That all Irishmen scoff,
With fried cabbage it is supplemented.

So please get it right this St. Paddy's.
Don't feed this old beef to your daddies.
It may be much flasher,
But a simple old rasher,
Is what you should eat with your tatties.

Answer 3

It's an US tradition. When the Irish came to the US (100 years ago), they lived in non Irish neighborhoods. Some of their neighbors were Jewish. The Irish couldn't get all of the meat products they had in Ireland, so they borrowed corned beef from the Jews, It was inexpensive and taseted good.

Answer 4

bacon and cabbage mate NOT corned beef OK the corned beef is a Irish American custom

Answer 5

Corned beef and cabbage is great any day. It is beyond me why people don't have it three times a day year around.

Answer 6

back in the day when ireland was very poor the farmers would eat the corn out of the cow's poop. hence, corned beef
(beef as in cow)

Answer 7

Because I love it!

But then I cook it about once a month.

Answer 8

tradition.

did u?