Irish Bacon and Cabbage in a White Wine, Mustard, and Shallot Sauce

Irish bacon and cabbage? Not corned beef and cabbage, you ask? Let me explain.

Irish bacon, yes bacon, and cabbage dates back hundreds of years. While the wealthy Irishmen could afford beef, regular, everyday Irishmen could not. If they had access to meat at all, it was likely pork. Because there was no way to store pork for long periods of time, the Irish would cure or brine the meat and turn it into bacon as a means of preserving it.

When mass immigration began after the famine in the 1800s, many Irishmen and women immigrated to the Americas and found that beef was affordable there. Beef was actually more affordable and accessible than pork, and therefore corned beef and cabbage began to catch on.

That being said, we’re sticking to true Irish traditions in this dish and using pork.

This recipe typically calls for Irish Bacon which is different…