If you are ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day sans a trip to the bar, what better way to enjoy the day than grilling out with family and friends? Spring is just around the corner, so get your grill warmed up. You could ask others to bring Irish-inspired side dishes such as potato salad, colcannon (a combination of potatoes, bacon, onion, and cabbage), or Irish soda bread.
In the meantime, start prepping the corned beef and cabbage. You may be used to putting corned beef in the oven or crockpot, but it can be grilled as well. You want to make sure you let it soak for a few hours to get some of the salt out, then season it to your liking with black pepper, coriander, onion and garlic power, cayenne pepper, paprika, and thyme. You will want to grill it low and slow. At 250 degrees Fahrenheit, an average sized corned beef will take around an hour or two. You do not want to grill it too long or at too high of a temperature or it will dry out.
To go along with your corned beef, you could throw some cabbage on the grill as well, or foil packets with red potatoes, carrots and onions to add as a side.
Not feeling the corned beef? How about grilling Irish flank steak instead? It is another meaty, simple dish to throw on the grill. You could also grill up some bratwursts as well. There are plenty of possibilities for your meat course. Once the corned beef has finished cooking, you can use leftovers to make paninis on the grill to get that seared crust.
Finally, to quench everyone’s thirst, bypass the green beer and whip up some non-alcoholic drinks such as minty Shamrock shakes, green punch or St. Patrick-tinis! You could also get creative with fruit juices, soda water, sparkling cider and food coloring to make your own delicious creation.
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday traditionally known for drinking, but you can start your own sober traditions and make it a fun-filled day you are sure to remember.