While preparing my annual feature article about St. Patrick’s Day food and beverage options in Morrison, IL, I sent a Facebook request to Liz Fischbach. She owns Baked By Liz, 119 E. Main Street. I asked her, “What deliciousness will you serve?” She replied, Chocolate Mint cupcakes and Nutty Leprechaun latte.
That brief exchange caught the attention of my Irish Facebook friend in Dublin, Ireland! Johnny Joyce answered, “Dublin coddle.” I immediately searched Google.com for information about his recommended deliciousness. Here is one article and recipe by Cassie Johnston.
Those who wish to create a more authentic meal to celebrate Ireland, other than corned beef and cabbage, should try this Dublin “coddle.” It’s hearty, it’s easy, and it’s delicious. It’s what locals have served for ages. Corned beef, apparently, is an Irish-American thing–not from the homeland itself. Dublin Coddle is a traditional Irish potato, sausage, and bacon stew, that slow-cooks in the oven. It is great comfort food.
It is like the Irish version of beef stew. Everything I’ve seen about coddle talks about its working-class roots. This is not a delicate meal. It can cook in the oven for hours, while you are working, and be delicious when you come home. The crazy thing about Dublin Coddle is that you think it is not going to be flavorful enough. It is too simple to be delicious, but magic happens in the oven! This dish is bursting with flavor that only gets better as leftovers.
I do not recommend using the slow cooker. Most slow cookers cook with very moist heat; sometimes moist heat makes potatoes mushy and mealy, instead of tender and soft
When making Dublin Coddle, do not add salt. Serve coddle with soda bread.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
8 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 pound high-quality Irish pork sausages, AKA bangers (Substitute with good-quality pork sausages, bratwurst, polish sausage, or breakfast sausage.)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 bottle Guinness beer (If you omit the beer, substitute 1.5 additional cups of broth*.)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large onions, sliced
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
Preheat oven to 300°.
Heat a large, oven-proof Dutch oven over high heat. Add in the bacon and cook until crisp, about five minutes. Remove the bacon; drain on paper towels. Leave the grease in the Dutch oven.
Add the sausages a few at a time; don’t crowd the pan. 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.
Reduce the heat to low and then whisk in the flour. Cook for two minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat completely.
Whisk in the bottle of Guinness or 1.5 cups broth.
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, bay leaves, thyme, and pepper. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.
Pour the broth over all. Place lid on, and bake in preheated oven for at least two hours. It can easily cook for three-to-five hours.