Corned Beef Became Irish-American Tradition

Corned beef and cabbage is not a traditional Irish dish; the original meal combines boiled back bacon with cabbage and potatoes. Bacon and cabbage became common in Ireland because families could grow their own vegetables and raise pigs. During the mid-to-late 19th century, Irish immigrants in the United States replaced bacon with cheaper, more readily available corned beef. The American adaptation eventually became a popular Saint Patrick's Day meal.

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