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Mashed potatoes with an Irish twist, Alton Brown's colcannon with brown butter recipe is packed with tender cabbage and Irish whiskey.
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Course: Sides & Salads
Keyword: Comfort Food, Gluten-Free, Sides, St. Patrick's Day, Vegetarian

Colcannon with Brown Butter

Colcannon with brown butter from Alton Brown in a bowl with a pool of brown butter in the center.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
My colcannon mash recipe is made with the Irish trifecta: Potatoes, cabbage, and Irish whiskey. And no, you don't have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to enjoy it.
This recipe first appeared on altonbrown.com.
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  • 1 pound russet potatoes, rinsed, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 pound red potatoes, rinsed, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 pound green cabbage, cored and shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 fluid ounces Irish whiskey, plus more to taste
  • 4 fluid ounces whole milk, warm

Specialized Hardware

  • 11-inch straight-sided saute pan
Colcannon with brown butter from Alton Brown in a bowl with a pool of brown butter in the center.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Procedure

  • Combine potato chunks and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt in a 4-quart saucepan. Add just enough cold water to cover the potatoes, slap on the lid, and bring to a boil over high heat, about 15 minutes. Then remove the lid, drop heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are easily crushed with tongs, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter in an 11-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter just starts to brown, then carefully pour half of the butter into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
  • Add the cabbage to the remaining butter in the sauté pan along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and all the pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Kill the heat and deglaze the pan with the whiskey, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
  • Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Shake for 30 seconds so the excess water can evaporate. The drier the potatoes, the better.
  • Move the pot to a trivet, hot pad, or towel on the countertop and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the cabbage and milk, and mash the potatoes to your desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Transfer the potato mixture to the serving vessel of your choice and use the back of a spoon to create a crater in the top of the potatoes. Pour the reserved brown butter into said crater and serve immediately to a thankful planet populated entirely by Irishmen. Best enjoyed alongside classic corned beef.
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