Traditional Irish Bacon, Cabbage, and Parsley Sauce Recipe (2025)

FAQs

What is the history of Irish bacon and cabbage? ›

History. Historically, this dish was common fare in Irish homes because the ingredients were readily available as many families grew their own vegetables and reared their own pigs. It was considered nourishing and satisfying. The dish continues to be a very common meal in Ireland.

Unlike American bacon, Irish bacon is made from the back of the pig instead of the belly and is much leaner than streaky bacon. I used a presliced Irish bacon for this recipe but whole versions are available in British specialty shops. Most of the flavor in this dish comes from the bacon that you choose.

Boiling bacon is an unsmoked, but cured pork loin that, unsurprisingly, you cook by boiling.

A little less fatty than American bacon, Irish bacon is meatier and leaner. It is a great addition to sandwiches, especially delicious in club sandwich or a monte cristo, and makes an excellent ingredient for making frittatas, omelets, salads, and pasta.

IMPORTANT WORD YOU SHOULD LEARN: Rashers. That's Irish slang for bacon.

To make the parsley sauce, melt the butter until foaming, whisk in the flour and gradually add the milk. Season and then stir in the parsley and mustard at the last minute. Serve with buttered new potatoes and the parsley sauce.

If the sauce is lumpy, whisk for a few minutes more, or strain through a sieve and return to the pan. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 1 min. Remove from the heat and stir through the parsley. Add the lemon juice and mustard to taste, if using.

Just use a third the amount your recipe calls for if you're swapping dried herbs for fresh. So if your recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, because 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons.

Bacon can come from a pig's belly, back or sides ⁠— essentially anywhere that has an exceptionally high fat content. In the United Kingdom, back bacon is most common, but Americans are more familiar with “streaky” bacon, also known as side bacon, which is cut from pork belly.

Rashers are bacon but Irish bacon is not like American bacon. Irish bacon is like slices of fried ham. Bangers are sausage but not like Jimmy Dean patties or links.

What cut of meat is Irish boiled bacon? ›

Boiling bacon is a side of pork that is traditionally cured, netted and partially smoked the Irish way. Our boiling bacon is produced from Linley Valley free range pork shoulders, a leaner cut compared to pork belly.

The Irish immigrants also realized that cabbage was a more readily available vegetable in America than in Ireland, where it was traditionally a fall and winter vegetable. So they combined the corned beef with cabbage to create a hearty, filling meal that was reminiscent of their homeland.

So it was the Irish-American consumption of corned beef that initiated its association with Ireland and the holiday of St. Patrick's Day. And as for pairing cabbage with corned beef, it was simply one of the cheapest vegetables available to Irish immigrants, so it was a side dish that stuck.

So when they found salted beef brisket was cheap in the States, they were quick to replace their traditional “Irish bacon.” Nutrient-dense cabbage was also readily available and affordable, and a dish combining the two became a staple for working classes across the country.

The name comes from the Gaelic phrase “cal ceannan,” which means “white-headed cabbage”. One of the earliest written references to colcannon comes from the diary of William Bulkeley, who wrote on October 31, 1735 while on a visit to Dublin: “Dined at Coz. Wm.