Dublin Coddle: the mouthwatering, hearty Irish one-pot stew recipe

If you're looking for a delicious, flavorful main dish you can serve this St. Patrick's Day, Dublin coddle is the ideal meal to make. Dublin coddle is an incredibly tasty stew made from succulent Irish sausage, smoky bacon, and tender potatoes.

This one-pot stew recipe is slow-cooked to perfection on low flame. Dublin coddle is a great dish to serve on St. Patrick's Day, but you can enjoy it all year round. It's an amazing, warming dish that's wonderful during the cold winter months. Don't forget to serve it with some thick slices of Irish soda bread.

What is a Dublin Coddle?

Dublin coddle is a hearty, comforting one-pot stew from Ireland. It's made by layering Irish pork sausages, bacon, potatoes, and onions slow-cooked in broth and flavored with Irish stout.

The word “coddle” comes from the French word “caudle,” which means “to stew or boil gently”, which makes sense given the way Dublin coddle is prepared. Dublin coddle is a traditional Irish recipe that dates back to the 1700s, around the time of the Irish famine.

What is the Best Sausage for Dublin Coddle?

Irish sausages (also called bangers) are the classic sausage for Dublin coddle. They're made from pork. If you can't find Irish sausages, any high-quality pork sausage will do the trick.

What Beer to Use for Dublin Coddle?

The best type of beer for Dublin coddle is an Irish stout such as Guinness. It will give your stew the richest, deepest flavor and complement the smokiness of the bacon and sausages.

How to Make Dublin Coddle

Dublin coddle is a fantastic one-pot stew, which makes it a breeze to prep and cook. Here's how to do it. Start by letting your oven heat to 300F. Add a little extra virgin olive oil to a Dutch oven, then sauté the bacon until it's browned and crispy. Remove it with a slotted spoon to drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Cook the sausages for 2 minutes on each side, until browned, then set them on the plate next to the bacon. Pour out most of the grease, making sure to keep a little bit in the Dutch oven. Cook the onions until they begin to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir the stout into the mixture. Let the beer cook off, then remove the onions with a slotted spoon. Turn off the heat.

Layer half of the potatoes in the Dutch oven. Season them with salt, pepper, and parsley. Layer half the onions and half the bacon. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, onions, and bacon, then add in the sausages. Add the chicken broth to the Dutch oven.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and place it in the oven. Cook the stew for 2 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with the rest of the parsley and serve with some Irish soda bread, and enjoy!

Can You Make Coddle in a Slow Cooker?

You can definitely make Dublin coddle in a slow cooker. Cook it on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Can You Make Dublin Coddle Without Beer?

Absolutely! While adding a cup of stout like Guinness with give your Dublin coddle a richer, more complex flavor, you can leave it out if you prefer. You can substitute cider or wine for beer.

What to Serve With Dublin Coddle

Enjoy your Dublin coddle with a light green salad, some roasted vegetables, and some Irish soda bread. If you don't have any soda bread on hand, you can mop your stew up with dinner rolls or some freshly baked crusty bread.

Tips for the Best Dublin Coddle

For an even heartier stew, add some cabbage to your Dublin coddle.

You can use pancetta instead of bacon.

If you don't have Irish bangers, you can use any type of high-quality pork sausage.

You can use any type of broth to cook your stew. Chicken broth, beef broth, and ham stock all work and will yield delicious results.

How to Store Dublin Coddle

Let the stew cool slightly then transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it on the stove over medium-low flame until completely heated through.

Can You Freeze Dublin Coddle?

Dublin coddle contains potatoes, which means it's not the best dish to freeze – cooked potatoes are notorious for not freezing well.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300°F.

Sauté the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, or until browned and crispy.

Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Sauté the sausages for 2 minutes on each side.

Remove the sausages and place on a plate. Remove most of the grease from the pot, reserving a tablespoon or two in the pot.

Add the onions.

Sauté the onions for 3 to 5 minutes, until they begin to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the stout to the Dutch oven. Let the beer cook off until it's almost completely evaporated.

Take the onions out of the pot and place them in a bowl.

Turn off the heat. Place half of the potatoes in the Dutch oven. Season them with salt, pepper, and some parsley.

Layer half the bacon over the potatoes.

Layer half the onions.

Add the parsley.

Repeat. Add in the sausages.

Add the chicken broth to the Dutch oven.

Bring it to a boil then place the lid on the pot and put it in the oven.

Cook for 2 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.

Garnish with the rest of the parsley and serve.

Notes

Make sure there's always about one inch of liquid at the bottom of the pot. If needed, add more liquid.