The Pioneer Woman Wants You To Pour This Beer Into Corned Beef And Cabbage

When it comes to celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, most people use the day as an excuse to wear green and drink beer of the same hue. But foodies who love to entertain know that March 17 brings the opportunity to try our hand at making delicious, hearty Irish fare. Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, loves the tradition of making corned beef and cabbage to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and we don't blame her. And to double down on the Irish-ness of it all, she steams her cabbage with none other than Dublin's own Guinness stout.

Claiming that the rich, deep flavor of Guinness brings a little something extra to the cabbage, Drummond first sears large wedges of cabbage at high heat. She finishes the cabbage in the oven, on a rack that's placed over a sheet pan. She pours Guinness into the sheet pan and lets the cabbage steam for about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can simmer cabbage in Guinness with aromatics, like in our recipe for Charred Cabbage with Guinness.

If that's just not enough Guinness for you, it is possible to use it to amp up the flavor of corned beef. Although Drummond chooses to simply cover hers in black pepper and roast it for about three hours, you can rub it in brown sugar and roast it over Guinness. Place the meat on a rack on top of a sheet pan (just like with the cabbage), douse it in Guinness, and pour the rest in the pan before slow roasting it. Or, if you're making our Crock Pot Corned Beef recipe, swap out the PBR for Guinness.

There are plenty of options when it comes to sides to serve with corned beef. Ree Drummond suggests grainy Irish mustard to accompany the meat (great choice), and boiled new potatoes. We think that traditional Irish colcannon would be an excellent side, along with some honey-roasted carrots for a touch of sweetness. Drummond drizzles a balsamic reduction over the Guinness-steam cabbage, but we think a Guinness-balsamic glaze would be an even nicer touch.

When it comes to drink pairings, nothing beats a pint of Guinness to match corned beef and cabbage infused with stout. Any Irish beer will do, though, as a sip of ale is the perfect complement to the savory, salty beef. When it comes to the best wine to pair with corned beef and cabbage, we've found that a crisp sauvignon blanc is an admirable companion due to its acidity. However you serve your Guinness corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, just make sure to share it around a table with friends and family to cheers with.