Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (2024)

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I know many of you will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef and cabbage, and no offense to you guys (I mean, I love corned beef and cabbage, too), but this Dublin coddle is what you should be having instead. It’s hearty, it’s easy, it’s delicious, and from my research, it’s a more authentic way to celebrate Ireland than corned beef.

Granted, I’m pretty much the last person who should be writing with any authority about Irish culture. The entirety of my education on Ireland came from this awesome Irish restaurant in my college town that I went to weekly. I don’t have many Irish ancestors. I’ve never been to Ireland. But that doesn’t make this any less delicious. So I’m going with it.

Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (1)

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What is Irish coddle anyway?

If you’ve never had Dublin coddle before, it’s somewhat like the Irish version of beef stew. It’s bacon, pork sausages, onions, and potatoes, all long-stewed in a thick brown gravy. Everything I’ve seen about coddle talks about its working-class roots. This isn’t a delicate meal. This is the kind of meal that can slow cook away in the oven for hours and hours and hours while you’re working hard, and still be delicious when you come home.

Another tidbit I’ve read about coddle—every family seems to have their own special recipe. One true “authentic” version of coddle doesn’t really exist—it changes based on what’s available. Basically, you put whatever you have kicking around your kitchen into a pot, and it always turns out delicious. Because bacon. My version will guarantee tasty results, but feel free to experiment!

Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (2)

Can you make this in the slow cooker?

This is a slow-cooked recipe that I actually don’t recommend doing in the slow cooker! This coddle cooks for 2-3 hours in a very low oven, and while you could do it in the slow cooker, most slow cookers cook with very moist heat. Sometimes I find that moist heat actually makes potatoes go mushy instead of tender and soft. And considering this stew is 75% about the delicious, pillowy potato bites? No one wants them to be mushy. Mushy potatoes are great for mashed potatoes, less great for a stew.

Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (3)

Instead, I recommend investing in a nice, sturdy, cast iron Dutch oven, and doing this baby at a low temp in your oven. There are a lot of really beautiful and really expensive Dutch ovens out there, but the one I always recommend to folks is the Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. It runs right around $60, comes in beautiful colors, and works like a champ! I’ve had mine for years.

What kind of sausage do you use in coddle?

Traditional Irish sausages can be a bit tricky to track down here in the U.S., so I recommend going with any high-quality pork sausage you can find. I’ve used both bratwurst and Polish sausage in this recipe with good results.
Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (4)

What’s the best kind of beer to use in this stew?

Why, Guinness, of course! I highly recommend keeping on theme here and going with Guinness stout. Thanks to some wonderful Dubliners that took the time to comment on this post (seriously, thank you!), I now know that many people consider coddle a white stew with no beer in it. But Irish chef and author of The Irish Cookbook, Jp McMahon says in the headnotes for his coddle recipe that, “Often it contained a drop of Guinness (or it was eaten with plenty of pints and soda bread).” So if you choose to go the beer route, I think it’s safe to say that Guinness is a perfectly fine choice! Of course, any other dark beer would do the trick—either a stout or porter. Buy a six-pack and put one in the stew and drink the rest with dinner! #pleasedrinkresponsibly

What if you don’t want to use beer?

No problemo! Just sub in more beef or chicken stock in place of the beer. It’ll change the flavor slightly, but your coddle will still be delicious.

What to serve with Dublin Coddle?

I think it’s just wrong to serve coddle without a side of warm, crusty homemade soda bread! I always like to make a green salad to go along with the coddle and bread to give us something fresh on our plates, too.

Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (5)

It’s easy to think that there is no way this Dublin Coddle is going to be flavorful enough. It seems too simple to be delicious, but magic happens in that oven! Seriously. Mag-ic. This dish is bursting with flavor that only gets better and better as leftovers. Enjoy!

Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (6)

Dublin Coddle

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Dublin Coddle is a traditional Irish potato and sausage stew that slow cooks in the oven. It’s great for St. Patrick’s Day or any day you need comfort food!

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 pound high-quality pork sausages (see notes)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 bottle Guinness beer (see notes)
  • 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 large onions, cut into slices
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 cups beef, ham, or chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  2. Heat a large, oven-proof Dutch oven over high heat. Add in the bacon and cook until crisp, about five minutes. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Leave the grease in the Dutch oven.
  3. Add the sausages in, a few at a time (don't crowd the pan), and cook on each side until just golden brown—no need to cook all the way through. Remove to a plate and continue with additional sausages. Remove to plate. When cool enough to handle. Slice into 1" pieces.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, and then whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Then remove from heat completely.
  5. Whisk in the bottle of Guinness (see notes if you'd like to not use beer).
  6. Place half of the potatoes in the gravy, followed by half of the onions, half of the garlic, half of the bacon, half of the sausages, half of the parsley, the bay leaves, the thyme, and black pepper. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.
  7. Pour the broth over the whole thing. Place lid on, and bake in preheated oven for at least 2 hours (see notes).

Notes

If you can find traditional Irish pork sausages, that'd be awesome, but honestly, any good-quality pork sausages will do. Use whatever you can find and you like (bratwurst, polish sausage, even good-quality breakfast sausage).

Between the bacon, sausages, and broth, this dish is inherently very salty. Do not add more salt without tasting it first! I almost never add additional salt when making coddle.

If you want to skip using the beer, just sub in 1 1/2 additional cups of whatever broth you are using.

The coddle will be ready to eat after 2 hours in the oven, but it can easily stay cooking for 3-5 hours without any consequence. This isn't a delicate dish. You don't have to worry about breaking it.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 770Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 1314mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 50g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

Want more St Patrick’s Day recipes like this one?

  • Corned beef and cabbage
  • Shamrock shake
  • Irish soda bread
Dublin Coddle Recipe (Irish Sausage and Potato Stew) | Wholefully (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a coddle and a stew? ›

The primary difference is that a coddle is cooked in layers of vegetables, meat, and potatoes with just a small amount of liquid. A stew is much more like a thick soup with cubed meat, veggies, or both.

What is Dublin coddle made of? ›

Dublin Coddle is a traditional Irish dish consisting of layers of sausages, bacon, potatoes and onions that are braised in broth to perfection. Sometimes, it can also include barley. The name comes from the word “coddle“, which derives from the French verb “caudle“, meaning 'to boil gently, parboil or stew'.

What is traditional Irish stew made of? ›

Irish stew is considered a national dish of Ireland. Irish stew is a celebrated Irish dish, yet its composition is a matter of dispute. Purists maintain that the only acceptable and traditional ingredients are neck mutton chops or kid, potatoes, onions, and water.

What kind of sausages do Irish eat? ›

Irish Sausage is also commonly known as “English Sausage”, “British Sausage, and as “Bangers” outside of the UK; the terms are used interchangeably. The traditional recipe consists of ground pork, a rusk bread filler, eggs, seasonings and a natural pork or beef casing.

Why do Irish people eat Irish stew? ›

The origins of Irish stew are somewhat shrouded in mystery, but it's believed to have originated in the 17th or 18th century. At that time, the dish was often made by shepherds and rural farmers who had access to only a few ingredients but needed a nourishing meal to sustain them through long days of work.

What does coddle mean in Irish? ›

The word “Coddle” derives from the French term caudle which means to boil gently, parboil or stew. Apparently, coddle dates back to the first Irish famine in the late 1700s where anything to hand got thrown into the pot.

What was the potato thing in Ireland? ›

The Irish Potato Famine, also known as the Great Hunger, began in 1845 when a mold known as Phytophthora infestans (or P. infestans) caused a destructive plant disease that spread rapidly throughout Ireland.

What is Ireland's signature food? ›

To many across the country, Irish stew is the national dish of Ireland. The methods and flavour of an Irish stew vary from person to person and have evolved over the years. Previously, it all depended on which ingredients were cheaper and more common at that time.

What is Boxty and coddle? ›

Boxty is an Irish pancake made with potatoes, both freshly grated and mashed, mixed, and fried. Coddle is made from leftovers like sausages, bacon, onions, and potatoes. They are mixed and lightly simmered in stock or broth which reheats the leftover ingredients and makes a thick soup or stew.

What gave the Irish stew its fresh flavor? ›

What gave the Irish stew its fresh flavour? - Quora. Simply by using good quality meat and FRESH vegetables, not frozen. While making stew, the woman of the house would go out to the kitchen garden and cut or pull what she needed, rinse them in cold water, chop them up and add them to the pot.

What are 2 names for Irish stew? ›

Irish dishes
English nameIrish name
Gur cakeCáca gur
Irish stewStobhach/ Stobhach Gaelach
JambonSiamban
Limerick HamLiamhás Luimnigh
32 more rows

Why is my Irish stew bitter? ›

Stouts, like Guinness, are known for their bitterness. If the stew is cooked too quickly or if it doesn't include ingredients to balance the bitterness, this flavor can be very pronounced.

What do Irish call bacon? ›

It may also be called back bacon or rashers. The term rashers may also be used as in “rashers of bacon,” meaning individual slices. Traditionally Irish bacon is made from the back meat of the pig, as opposed to the pork belly used in American bacon.

What is the most eaten meat in Ireland? ›

Human Consumption of Meat

In 2021, 42% of the Total Meat eaten by Irish consumers was Poultry Meat, followed by Pig Meat at 34% and Beef & Veal at 21%. The remaining 3% was Sheep Meat.

What do Irish eat for breakfast? ›

All full Irish breakfasts include some or all of the following: Bacon, sausages, baked beans, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and perhaps some cooked leftover potatoes made into a hash or a bubble and squeak. There will also be toast, butter, marmalade, and lots of tea to drink.

What does coddling mean in cooking? ›

transitive verb. 1. : to cook (something, such as eggs) in liquid slowly and gently just below the boiling point. coddled the eggs for the Caesar salad.

Is coddle positive or negative? ›

“Nurturing raises a child's self-esteem. It is healthy and positive. Coddling has a more negative connotation.

What defines a stew? ›

Another way to look at it: Soup is any combination of ingredients cooked in liquid. Stew is any dish that's prepared by stewing—that is, submerging the ingredients with just enough liquid to cook them through at a simmer in a covered pot for a long time.

What is the difference between stew and Irish stew? ›

The main difference between an Irish stew and classic beef stew comes down to the protein. Traditional Irish stew is usually made with lamb, while beef stew is always made with beef. Our version includes beef chuck, which is less traditional, but easy to make and equally delicious.

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