Recipe: Newfoundland Jiggs' Dinner

If you've never travelled to Newfoundland, you might be a stranger to the Jiggs' Dinner, but this hearty meal is a Sunday evening staple over on the East Coast. Packed with salt or corned beef, tons of root veggies and dumplings to boot, there's bound to be something on the plate for everyone. Try out our Alan Doyle-approved take on the classic to bring a dash of Maritime charm to your next family dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 lb salt beef
• ½ head green cabbage
• 12-16 slender carrots
• 1 large turnip
• Water
• 10-12 small Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 cups yellow split peas
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• Black pepper, to season

Dumplings:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup water

Preparation

The night before:

Add your split peas to a bowl and cover with cold water, soak overnight on your countertop. Add your salt beef to a bowl and cover with cool water, then seal the bowl with plastic wrap. Soak overnight in the fridge then drain and rinse before cooking the next day.

The day of:

Transfer your peas to a food safe canvas pudding bag or in 5 layers of cheese-cloth. Use butcher’s twine to tie the bag/cheesecloth shut.

Add your rinsed, drained salt beef and split peas to a 6-8 L stock pot. Fill water almost to the top and boil on medium heat for 2 hours. 

While the pot is boiling, prepare your vegetables. Cut your cabbage into 6-8 wedges. Next wash, peel and trim the greens from your carrots. Peel your turnip and slice into 1 inch thick wedges. Add cabbage, carrots and turnips to pot with salt beef and split peas. Boil for approx 30 min until almost tender. At this point add your potatoes to boiling mixture and cook until tender, about 30 minutes.

While potatoes are boiling, start your dumpling batter. Mix together flour, sugar and baking powder. Add enough water so dough has a sticky consistency when mixed, about ¾ cups. Transfer to a pudding bag or 5 layers of cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine. Add to pot and let pudding boil for at least 20 minutes. Check your potatoes, if they are tender you are ready serve.

Remove your split peas and mash with butter and season with black pepper. Remove your bread pudding and slice, add both to a large serving platter. Using a slotted spoon add all vegetables and meat to same platter, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, give a generous season of black pepper, and enjoy!