CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE DINNER
Sunday, March 17, 2024
The Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner is always held the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day (March 17), unless St. Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday and in that case, the dinner will be on St. Patrick's Day.
Dining Room: Noon-5 PM - St. Patrick Church Social Hall (405 S. Church St)
Carry-Outs: Noon-6 PM - St. Patrick School Cafeteria (701 S. Church St)
Tickets can be purchased at the door (church social hall or school cafeteria) on March 17.
Our meal includes corned beef, ham, parsley potatoes, carrots, cabbage, corn, applesauce, cornbread, horseradish, and homemade dessert. This authentic, kettle-cooked meat dinner is $17 for adults (13+) and $5 for children (4-12). Carry-out dinners are available in the St. Patrick school cafeteria from 12 - 6 PM for $15.
ONLINE VOLUNTEER SIGNUP LINKS
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Food Prep Volunteer Sign Up CLICK HERE
bit.ly/cbcPREP
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Carry Out Volunteer Sign Up CLICK HERE
bit.ly/cbcCARRYOUT
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Dine-In Volunteer Sign Up CLICK HERE
bit.ly/cbcDINEIN
VOLUNTEER SIGNUP ALTERNATIVE
For those who prefer not to sign up online, you may call or text Rita at 636-237-3293.
DESSERT, BREAD, & BAG DONATIONS
We ask St. Patrick Parish families to donate two dessert items such as BAKED PIES (Apple, Cherry, Lemon, Pecan, or Pumpkin) or CAKE (Chocolate, Yellow, or Angel Food) or HOMEMADE BREAD (white or wheat only). Gluten-free & Sugar-free options are welcome (please attach a note stating gluten and/or sugar-free).
Drop desserts or bread off at the SCHOOL on Friday 3/15 and at the SOCIAL HALL on Saturday 3/16 or Sunday 3/17.
We also need grocery bags (paper or plastic) for carry-outs. Just drop them in the social hall anytime.
Rita Molitor • 636-237-3293
Corned Beef and Cabbage Quilt Raffle
Tickets on sale after any weekend Mass (pending volunteers) starting February 24 or in the parish office.
$1 per ticket | $5 for 6 tickets
Cash or check only (no credit/debit cards)
Winner will be drawn at the CBC Dinner on March 17
Volunteers are needed to sell raffle tickets. Sign up online at bit.ly/cbcQUILT
Corned Beef and Cabbage Volunteers
It takes over 600 volunteers to have a successful dinner.
- Saturday, March 16, 2024 prep includes kettle cooking meat, cupping horseradish, peeling and cutting carrots (bring a knife/peeler/pan), cleaning potatoes, cutting cabbage, making applesauce, cleaning and setting tables, organizing desserts, and slicing meat.
- Sunday, March 17, 2024 dinner volunteers help in both the social hall and cafeteria with collecting money, serving meals and drinks, slicing potatoes and cornbread, cleaning dishes, trash service, and clean-up crew. If you cannot work your assigned time or would like to help, please call and leave a message.
Who can Volunteer?
- Anyone that would like to help! We have sitting jobs, standing jobs, and run around like crazy jobs. Something for everyone!
- Kids, do you need service hours for your Girl Scout or Boy Scout requirements, high school or confirmation volunteer hours? Give us a call and we can hook you up!
- Thank you so much to those of you that always helps! Our volunteers make our school & church amazing!
History of Corned Beef and Cabbage at St. Patrick
The Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner has been a major event at St. Patrick Parish since the first dinner was held in 1947. The first dinners were held at the Wentzville Community Club then located where Crossroads Square Shopping Center is now on Pearce Blvd. The families of the parish prepared most everything for the dinner from scratch including the horseradish.
"The parish used to make homemade horseradish. Someone would go over to Illinois and bring back big bags of horseradish roots that they bought. Parishioners went to Schroeder's to peel it and grind it. Dad always said that there was a green cloud of fumes where they were grinding it. Nobody complained about sinus problems." —Jim Schroer
In the beginning, members recall Alma and Pres Heady cured the beef at their house. In 1951 they started cooking the beef in cauldrons over open fires at Schroeder's farm. The first year 200 pounds of beef were prepared. There were 2,400 pounds of corned beef prepared for the dinner in 2004.
Present Day
The parish now orders and prepares over 2,800 pounds of beef and 450 pounds of ham for the one-day event and is still cooked in kettles over the fire.
In preparation for the dinner, many volunteers gather early the day before the dinner, to wash, peel, and cut up 1,000 pounds of cabbage, 600 pounds of carrots, and 1,100 pounds of potatoes, all of which gets cooked fresh that Sunday. Cornbread is also mixed that day and hundreds of homemade cakes, pies, and loaves of bread are delivered.
Even though it takes a lot of preparation and work by many volunteers, it is also a great source of fellowship by all those working together and the results are delicious.