Alton Brown's Whiskey-Glazed Cabbage Brings Bold Flavor To St. Patrick's Day

Looking to liven up your St. Patrick's Day this year? You're in luck — Alton Brown shared his whiskey-glazed cabbage recipe to ring in the holiday. While Brown suggests serving this dish on the side of corned beef for a St. Patrick's Day feast (try our easy Crock Pot corned beef recipe, just leave out the cabbage), he also shared an alternative serving option that he tends to do: "Eat it straight out of the pan and wash it down with more whiskey." Either way sounds good to us.

If you don't tend to be a fan of cabbage, this might be the recipe that changes your mind, and it really couldn't be simpler. Gather just five ingredients: one pound of cabbage (cored and shredded), 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 2 ounces of one of the 11 best Irish whiskeys money can buy.  

First, brown the butter in a high-sided pan over medium-high heat. Once browned, add the cabbage, salt, and pepper, then saute until the cabbage is slightly browned and tender. Turn off the heat, then deglaze the pan with two ounces of whiskey, using it to scrape up all those delicious brown bits on the pan and incorporate with the cabbage.

Be forewarned: ABrown's whiskey-glazed cabbage might just steal the show at your St. Patrick's Day gathering, so you might as well build the rest of your meal around it. Start with classic  appetizers like beer cheese dip or potato soup alongside traditional Irish brown bread or soda bread. For your main course, stick with Brown's suggestion of corned beef or serve this recipe with shepherd's pie or fish and chips. Speaking of chips, potatoes make an excellent side pairing with cabbage — think classic Irish renditions like colcannon (Irish mash), Irish boxty (potato pancakes) or Irish farls (pan-fried potato bread).

Whiskey isn't the only Irish libation that can elevate your cabbage dish. If you err more Guinness than Jameson, try our test kitchen's Charred Cabbage with Guinness recipe. Whichever cabbage variety you choose, enjoy your meal with an Irish-inspired cocktail to round off the occasion. We recommend an Irish mule (made with your favorite Irish whiskey) or a classic Irish coffee. Sláinte!