Are you looking for ideas for Irish dishes on New Year’s eve?
In Ireland, the end of the calendar year, or New Year’s Eve, is known as Oche Chinn Bliana. It is common practice among the Irish to organize their belongings, stock up on necessities, and throw parties to celebrate this day.
It is important to note that New Year’s Eve (December 31) is not a holiday in Ireland. This means most stores and restaurants are open during regular business hours.
Although most individuals have to work on New Year’s Eve, many choose to take time off in the days leading up to and including December 31. Then in the evenings, many people visit the houses of friends or relatives, bars, and hotels for meals, parties, and galas.
The New Year’s Eve celebrations often culminate in a countdown to midnight. There could be fireworks, parades, or traditional musical performances at midnight. The festivities usually last well into the first hours of the new year.
The start of a new year has always been a time of optimism and excitement on the Emerald Isle, home to some of the most unusual superstitions in the world and a wide variety of traditions stretching back centuries.
In the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, people used to clean their houses, change their bed linens, and ensure they had enough food and other necessities for the coming year. They thought it would be an excellent way to begin the new year.
But what do the two Irish have for New Year’s Eve dinner? You will most likely find traditional Irish dishes paired with alcohol-infused sweets.
Here is a rundown of the Irish New Year’s Eve fare to give you an idea of what to expect as the new year begins.
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7 Irish Dishes On New Year’s Eve
1. Corned Beef And Cabbage
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When large quantities of corned beef were shipped from Ireland to Europe and the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries, it became too expensive for the typical Irish individual to buy beef on the local market because so much of it was exported. That’s why it was saved until New Year’s Day and enjoyed as a symbolic gesture of prosperity.
In contrast to the expensive meat, farmers in Ireland back in the day often relied on the cabbage as a source of cheap and nutritious food. It came before the potato, and as early as 600 B.C., it had been brought under human control and was already being farmed. When served with corned beef, cabbage is a symbol of the good fortune and wealth that many households seek as the New Year begins.
If you want a prosperous and happy New Year, then you should celebrate with a meal of corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and onions, as is customary in Ireland. Corned meat is boiled and simmered until it reaches the proper texture and flavor, and the dish is then seasoned with spices and herbs.
2. Soda Bread
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Irish soda bread is a staple of Irish cuisine that has gained international popularity. During extreme famine and poverty in Ireland, it rose to prominence as a necessary last resort. Baking soda was utilized as the leavening agent, and only a few components were needed to achieve repeatable results.
Irish soda bread and tea have become commonplace breakfast fare today. It comes unflavored, with dried fruit and with herbs. There are many who take soda bread so seriously that they founded a group dedicated to maintaining it: the Society for the Preservation of Soda Bread.
Before the advent of buttery toast and champagne, the Irish celebrated the New Year on the Day of the Buttered Bread. While this isn’t frequently observed in modern-day Ireland, there’s no reason you can’t bake a loaf of your favorite soda bread, spread some butter on a slice, and celebrate the spirit of the holiday in your kitchen.
A box of Hogan’s Brown Irish Soda Bread Mix is a good alternative if you don’t have a go-to recipe. It’s a convenient way to sample this time-honored food.
3. Irish Stew
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One of the most famous traditional Irish dishes is the stew, which is an excellent choice given that the weather on New Year’s Eve tends to be chilly. The time-honored ingredients of Irish stew are lamb, onions, and potatoes.
If you go to the southern region of the country, there is a good chance that you will come across carrots as well as other types of root vegetables included in the stew.b
In some areas of Ireland, goat’s meat is used, and although beef wasn’t typically consumed in the past, it is now occasionally used in some areas. Even though it was a departure from the norm, the beef and Guinness stew served in the Guinness Storehouse was also quite delicious.
4. Guinness Chocolate Mousse
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You can’t get much more stereotypically Irish than a pint of Guinness. Many Irish pastries benefit from adding this stout due to its depth of flavor. The Guinness cuts through the sugariness of the desserts, which balances and enhances the flavors.
A Guinness chocolate mousse is a great way to end a meal on a hearty note. The alcohol content is low enough that it won’t overwhelm the dessert, but it will add just enough warmth and kick to make it an ideal New Year’s Eve treat.
The sweetness is perfectly balanced by the slight bitterness of the Guinness and the delicate airiness of the dark chocolate mousse.
If you have a sweet tooth, you can garnish the mousse with some fresh Irish whipped cream, chocolate flakes, and Bailey’s.
5. Soda bread pudding
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Do you want a twist on the traditional soda bread? Make a pudding and serve it with chocolate sauce or Irish cream on top!
Use a loaf of this Irish bread that needs a fast bake, then coarsely slice it into cubes before soaking it in a combination that includes heavy cream, milk, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Bake it until the surface turns a golden color. To make a more festive and luxurious New Year’s Eve dessert, you may serve it with ice cream or homemade crème anglaise instead.
6. Irish Whiskey Truffles
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After being infused with some of the best Irish whiskey available, truffles transform from a Swiss delicacy into a popular Irish dessert traditionally served on New Year’s Eve in Ireland. These already stunning truffles may be taken to an entirely new level with the addition of some whiskey, which is produced in Ireland and is widely considered to be the best in the world.
After combining the chocolate of your choice with butter and fresh cream, the next step is to add a healthy splash of your preferred Irish whiskey. This completes the process of making the truffles. flavorful, mouthwatering, and bursting with booze.
7. Irish coffee
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Joe Sheridan, a cook working in the village of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, is credited with inventing the dish around 1942. Even though it’s a drink, dessert after dinner is frequently replaced with an Irish coffee. It is made by combining Irish whiskey, coffee, and brown sugar and then topping it all off with cream as if that weren’t decadent enough on its own.
If you don’t want to get too drunk on New Year’s Eve but you still want a little bit of a kick in your post-dinner drinks, some Irish coffee, and some truffles are the right combination for you.
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 60 countries for the past 12 years. I also lived in 4 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and now in Europe. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.