Description: A festive twist on the traditional Irish favorite. Tender boiled bacon is lightly glazed with honey and served alongside buttery cabbage, finished with a bright parsley cream sauce — perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Bacon
- 2–3 lb Irish back bacon joint
- 1 onion, halved
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 2 tbsp Irish honey
For the Cabbage
- 1 large green cabbage, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp butter
- Salt and black pepper
For the Parsley Cream Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and white pepper
Instructions
- Boil the bacon: Place bacon in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then add onion, carrots, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Simmer gently for about 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Glaze: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove bacon from pot, place in a roasting tray, brush with honey, and roast for 10–15 minutes until lightly caramelized.
- Cook the cabbage: In the reserved cooking liquid, simmer cabbage wedges for 10–12 minutes until tender. Drain and toss with butter, salt, and pepper.
- Make parsley cream sauce: Gently warm cream in a saucepan. Stir in parsley and Dijon. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
- Serve: Slice bacon thickly and serve with buttered cabbage and a spoonful of parsley cream sauce.
Serving Suggestion
Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or champ for a truly festive Irish feast.
