When we asked Eugene and Ronan Greaney, founders (and brothers) of The Dough Bros — named Ireland’s best pizzeria in 2020 — to create a traditional St. Paddy’s Day pizza recipe, they immediately knew what they wanted to make: It had to be bacon and cabbage.
As Eugene explained, “You ask any Irish person what their favorite Irish dish is, most would say bacon and cabbage. We’re no different. In fact, it could be our death row meal.”
If you’ve never had this traditional dish, bacon and cabbage is not as simple as it sounds. In Ireland, “bacon” is a thick hunk of pork loin — not the streaky, smoky breakfast strips that might come to mind. Traditionally, the loin is poached in water, then sweet cabbage is cooked in the reserved liquid. Served with floury potatoes and a mustard or parsley sauce, the dish is hearty and comforting. This is a classic home-cooked meal just like Mammy used to make.
For their bacon and cabbage pizza, The Dough Bros took a more finessed approach to the iconic dish’s key elements. Instead of pork loin, they used ham hock, slow roasted until it falls off the bone, then grilled with mustard and hot honey. On the pizza itself, it’s layered with a thick parsley cream sauce, mozzarella, crispy roast potatoes, and slivers of umami-packed miso butter-braised cabbage.
As with many good things, a little extra time and work will go a long way. Eugene and Ronan are big fans of sourcing quality ingredients. Visit your local butcher for the best ham hocks, and take the time to prepare the meat and braised cabbage. You can choose your own favorite roast potato recipe, but if in doubt, check out our extra-crispy roast potatoes.
