Northern Irish cuisine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Northern Irish cuisine encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with the UK as well as Ireland.

Ulster Fry[edit]

The best known traditional dish in Northern Ireland is the Ulster fry. The Ulster Fry is distinguishable from other full breakfasts by its griddle breads – soda bread and potato farls, fried (or occasionally grilled) until crisp and golden. Bacon, sausages, an egg, a tomato and sometimes mushrooms complete the dish and it is usually served with tea and toast.

At breakfast people of Northern Ireland are also partial to porridge, made with rolled oats, milk or water and a pinch of salt or sugar. For extra luxury at the weekend it can be dressed with cream rather than milk, and brown sugar. Some even add a dash of Bushmills whiskey.

Soda Bread[edit]

Soda bread is one of Northern Ireland’s unique griddle breads, it can be eaten straightaway, or cooked until golden in an Ulster fry. They are sometimes eaten with butter and homemade jam, or with savoury food such as smoked salmon, fresh fried eel, or thick dry-cured bacon.

Ardglass Potted Herrings[edit]

Ardglass potted herrings, are found in butcher's shops and fish traders. They are Herrings that are marinated in vinegar, rolled with bay leaf and baked with breadcrumbs.


Boxty is mainly found in County Fermanagh, Boxty is a weighty, starchy potato cake made with 50:50 mix of cooked mashed potatoes and grated, strained, raw potato. The most common variety is boiled boxty, also known as hurley, a large round loaf which is boiled whole for several hours, allowed to rest and then sliced and fried, often with bacon.


Pasties are made from mixture of sausage meat, onions, mashed potato is shaped like a burger, and spiced with black pepper. You can order them battered from most Chip Shops.

Vegetable Roll[edit]

Another uniquely Northern Irish speciality is vegetable roll – slices of peppery minced beef, flavoured with fresh leek, carrot and onion.

Potato bread farl[edit]

Potato bread farl are a dense, earthy flat bread, made with potatoes, flour, and buttermilk and cooked on a griddle.

Soda bread farl[edit]

Soda bread farls where first baked in 19th century Ireland when local peasants added baking soda to help the dough rise. They are a thick, chunky soft bread with a fluffy texture. They are rarely eaten alone, more commonly with an Ulster fry.

Wheaten bread[edit]

Wheaten bread is a brown bread originally made with whole wheat flour. Its colour is often more because of the addition of molasses, even with white flour, rather than due to the flour.

Yellow man[edit]

Yellow man is a crunchy golden confectionery and looks a bit like honeycomb. It is mainly sold at fairs and markets.


Champ is a made with potatoes when they are mashed with milk and chopped spring onions are added.


Dulse is a salty, seaweed snack, originally harvested by fishermen to supplement their income when fishing was slack.

Northern Ireland Chefs[edit]

Jenny Bristow
Michael Deane
Noel McMeel
Robbie Millar
Paul Rankin
Clare Smyth