Why do the Irish love potatoes so much?

The Irish often used the good land to grow things like wheat and corn that they would sell to pay their rent . This left the farmers with a small piece of land to grow their own food. Potatoes took up very little space and were very nutritious. One acre of potatoes could feed a family of four for a year.

Why do you think so many Irish recipes have got potatoes in them?

Potatoes became a staple crop for the Irish because they could grow them is a moist, mild climate and could produce substantial crops even on small plots of poor land. They were easy to grow and only required a spade.

What did the Irish eat instead of potatoes?

Until the arrival of the potato in the 16th century, grains such as oats, wheat and barley, cooked either as porridge or bread , formed the staple of the Irish diet. The most common form of bread consisted of flatbread made from ground oats.

How many died in the Irish potato famine?

It is estimated that the Famine caused about 1 million deaths between 1845 and 1851 either from starvation or hunger-related disease. A further 1 million Irish people emigrated. This meant that Ireland lost a quarter of its population during those terrible years.

Do the Irish actually eat a lot of potatoes?

And, in short, as for dispelling these Irish stereotypes, to say that all the Irish love potatoes wouldn't be fair or accurate. The truth is, simply, that they rely on them for sustenance throughout the year — especially the country dwelling population of Ireland.

What did the Irish eat before the famine?

The pre Famine peasant diet abundant in simple fares such as potatoes, buttermilk, vegetables, milk and fish kept the rural poor of Ireland much healthier than their urban counterparts.

Which year is considered the worst year of the Great Famine?

The worst year of the famine was 1847 , which became known as "Black '47". During the Great Hunger, roughly 1 million people died and more than 1 million more fled the country, causing the country's population to fall by 20–25% (in some towns, populations fell as much as 67%) between 1841 and 1871.

Why are potatoes so important in Irish culture?

The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, and calorie-dense—and easy to grow in Irish soil . By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet and the other half also ate potatoes frequently.

Did the Irish rely on potatoes?

Because Ireland was so dependent on the potato , one in eight Irish people died of starvation in three years during the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Although the famine ultimately had many causes, the disaster would likely not have been so terrible had more genetically variable potatoes been planted.

What do Irish people do with potatoes?

Champ (Mashed Potato and Onion) Irish champ is mashed potato with finely chopped scallion (green onion). It's a similar dish to colcannon, just without the kale or cabbage. Try champ with a side of fresh cod and vegetables. This easy recipe makes great use of either leftover or fresh potatoes.

Irish Potato Bites Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (2024)

Home Made Interest » Recipes » Appetizers » Irish Potato Bites

published March 9, 2022 — last updated February 21, 2024

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Irish Potato Bites are miniature potato skins filled with cheese and corned beef. They make a delicious appetizer recipe for St. Patrick’s Day and a great addition to any party!

Irish Potato Bites Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (1)

Irish Potato Bites are easy to make,super cute, and tasty, little bites of corned beef and potato goodness!

Just a few more days until we’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! I’ll admit I don’t go all out for the holiday but I sure do love a few good St. Patrick’s Day recipes. My guy always requests a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner but sometimes I like to put my own spin on it…hello Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls!

I use a little bit of the extra corned beef to make this easy St. Patrick’s Day appetizer. Who doesn’t love potato skins, especially when they are filled with corned beef and cheese!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Red potatoes – these need to be small, golf ball sized red potatoes. If you can’t find them small enough you can also look for new potatoes or baby potatoes.
Corned beef – I usually make these with leftover from my corned beef and cabbage but you can also get sliced corned beef at the deli counter to save time!
Cheddar cheese – Any cheese will work. I like cheddar because it melts well but you can also use Gruyere or even mozzarella.
Butter – I prefer salted butter for the extra flavor.
Salt – I recommend Kosher salt

What you will need to make Irish Potato Bites:

Melon Baller – This is perfect for scooping out the potatoes but if you don’t have one you can also use a teaspoon.
Silicone Mat – Hate doing dishes as much as I do? Line your baking sheet with this and nothing will stick!
Baking Sheet – Place your Irish Potato Bites on this baking sheet and you’re just a few minutes away from a delicious appetizer.

How to Make Irish Potato Bites

Step 1 – Boil potatoes. Boil small red potatoes until they are fork tender. Don’t over cook them because you want them to be able to hold up to being cut open and stuffed.

Step 2 – Prepare potatoes. When the potatoes are cooked and have had time to cool cut them in half and scoop out the middle.Save the scooped out potato in a small bowl for later. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of the potato (making sure not to go into the hollow part!) to give it a flat bottom to it on.

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Step 3 – Fill potatoes. Once all of the potato halves are scooped out take that bowl of saved potato centers and add to it 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of diced corned beef, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Press the mixture into each potato half and then place them on a baking sheet.

Step 4 – Bake. Bake the potato bites at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.

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When they come out of the oven you basically have one of the best potato skins you’ve ever had, filled with the flavors of St. Patrick’s Day! Add a dollop of sour cream on top and pop them in your mouth. They will be gone before you know it!

How to Freeze

You can make these little potato skins ahead of time and freeze them for use at a later time. Just fill the potatoes according to the instructions and then place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer.

Let them freeze for 1 hour then remove and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, placing a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between each layer, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat

When you are ready to use your frozen potato bites take them out of the freezer and place them on a baking sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Serve hot.

Want more St. Patrick’s Day recipes?

Irish Egg Rolls
Irish Deviled Eggs
Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls
Corned Beef Hash
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Bailey’s Irish Coffee
Irish Nachos
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes…

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Servings: 10

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Irish Potato Bites

Little twice baked potato bites stuffed with cheese and corned beef.

Print Recipe

3.99 from 53 votes

Ingredients

20 small Red potatoes, small (golf ball size)
1/2 cup Corned beef
1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
Add potatoes and boil until they are fork tender.
Preheat oven to 400°F
Once potatoes are cooked and have cooled cut each one in half and cut a small slice off of the rounded end so the potato can sit up.
Scoop out the inside of each potato half saving the potato insides in a bowl.
Add cheese, corned beef, butter to the bowl with the saved potato insides.
Salt mixture to taste. Also sprinkle some salt over the potato halves.
Scoop mixture into potato halves and then place them on a baking sheet.
Place baking sheet in oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 4bites, Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 187mg, Potassium: 1567mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 87IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.

Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell

Course: Appetizer

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This recipe was last published on February 19, 2019. It was republished on March 2, 2020.

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49 comments on “Irish Potato Bites”

Angela Marks — March 21, 2023 @ 8:53 pm Reply

These were WAY more flavorful that I thought they would be. I have to say that these were kinda an afterthought that I didn’t have a ton of hope for but I had all the ingredients so I decided to give them a shot.
Boy was I in for a treat. They were far and away my favorite appetizer of the evening. SO YUMMY! Deffo making again soon!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!