Sausages and bacon in the same pot as the potatoes, with no browning at all? Yes. That is a Dublin coddle: pork sausages, bacon, potatoes and onions simmered gently in a little liquid until the potatoes soak up most of it. It’s kind of somewhere between a stew and a soup, and it is the type of dish you make on a cold night and eat for two days (second day even better!).
It is pale, and a bit gray in the best way. You can brown the sausages first if you like, and plenty of cooks do. No Irish sausages where you live? Mild pork breakfast links work fine. Serve it in a deep bowl with plenty of the broth, and Irish soda bread to mop it up. So good!
Tips for Making Dublin Coddle
Cut the potatoes thick and keep the heat low. Slice them about 1/2 inch thick and use a medium-starch potato like Yukon Gold. Russets fall apart. Check them at 45 minutes.
Layer it. Onions on the bottom so nothing sticks, then bacon and sausages, then the potatoes on top, where they steam and simmer in the liquid.
Go light on the salt. The bacon and sausages are both salty. Taste at the end before you add any.
Deal with the grease. The sausages and bacon give off fat. Skim it off the top at the end, or make the coddle a day ahead, chill it, and lift off the fat that sets on top.
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Dublin Coddle: Irish Sausage, Bacon and Potato Stew
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
Description
Sausages and bacon in the same pot as the potatoes, with no browning at all? Yes. That is a Dublin coddle: pork sausages, bacon, potatoes and onions simmered gently in a little liquid until the potatoes soak up most of it.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) pork sausages, Irish-style or mild breakfast links
- 8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 lb (900 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced
- 3 1/2 cups (840 ml) water or light chicken stock
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste (the bacon is salty, so go light)
Instructions
If you want to brown the sausages, cook them in a large heavy pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes until lightly golden, then remove them. Traditional coddle skips this and the sausages stay pale.
Layer the sliced onions in the bottom of the pot, then the bacon and the sausages, then the potatoes. Sprinkle with the pepper.
Pour in the water or stock. It should come about two-thirds of the way up the potatoes (add a little more if it does not). Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
Check the pot once or twice and push the potatoes down into the liquid. Do not let it boil hard or the potatoes will break up.
Taste, and add salt if it needs it. Stir in half the parsley, then serve in deep bowls with the broth, topped with the rest of the parsley.
Notes
- Slow cooker: layer the same way and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Make ahead: coddle keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes better the next day. Reheat gently.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Recipes
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 530
- Fat: 36 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Protein: 18 g
Frequently Asked Questions
Is coddle the same as Irish stew?
No. Irish stew is lamb or mutton with potatoes and onions (carrots are a common modern addition), and it has no sausage or bacon. Coddle is pork sausages and bacon simmered with potatoes and onions, and it is not browned. Coddle is also more broth than stew.
Can I add Guinness to coddle?
You can, though it is not traditional. Replace about half of the water with stout. The coddle comes out darker, richer and a little bitter, and you will want to hold back on the salt.
Is Dublin coddle gluten free?
Not automatically. Irish-style sausages usually contain rusk, which is wheat, and so do some American breakfast sausages. Stock cubes can too. Check the labels, or buy sausages marked gluten free, and use water or a gluten-free stock.
Can I add carrots, cabbage or leeks?
Yes, though it is a departure from the Dublin original. Sliced carrots or leeks can go in with the onions. Add shredded cabbage for the last 15 minutes so it stays tender and does not turn to mush.
