Corned Beef and Cabbage is an American invention, not traditional Irish fare.
However, this makes for a good recipe:
"Irish Boiled Dinner"
Fresh Brisket (is traditional) or corned beef (rinsed of spices).
Dredge meat in flour, put in a dutch oven with some hot oil (enough to lightly cover the bottom of the pan). Brown on all sides. Pull the meat out, and brown 1 chopped onion and 3 or 4 minced cloves of garlic. Once they are browned, return the meat and turn the heat down low.
Open 4 bottles of Lager style beer (dark beers are too strong for this recipe). Pour 2 over the meat, add enough water (beef stock instead of water gives a better flavor) to cover by about 1". Drink the remaining beer.
Add a couple of bay leaves, chopped scallions (about 1/4 cup), 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or dried will work) pepper and salt to taste.
Simmer (just under a boil) for 1 to 1 1/2 hour per pound.
One Hour before the meat is done, add about 5 or 6 good sized carrots, in 1/2" thick slices, a couple of chunks of turnips (traditional, but I hate the damn things, so I don't use them). Add a bunch of small peeled potatoes, or chunks of larger potatoes. (I personally use canned New potatoes--they aren't traditional, but taste great in this dish--about 3 cans whole new potatoes, drained will work.) Open another bottle of the beer and drink it to cleanse your taste buds for dinner.
At 45 minutes to go, take a small head of cabbage, cut it into 1/8ths, and put it in the pot, cover and finish cooking--stirring every 10 minutes or so. Take the last bottle of beer from the six pack, and toast the death of Cabbagehead.
Pull the meat out, slice and serve with a good sized plate of the vegi's. Goes good with beer.
If you must use a dark beer, I have a recipe for beef braised in Guiness that is quite good.
AFARR