Dublin Coddle is a classic pub meal you won’t want to miss, this Irish stew is made in one pot with bacon, sausage, onions, carrots, and a golden potato crust. A dash of Guinness makes the broth sooooo good!

Dublin coddle is a homey, affordable, Irish stew
It’s nourished families during the long winter months for generations. It’s more user friendly than lamb stew or corned beef, and just as delicious, if not more so! Make it for St Patrick’s Day, or any day you just want a comforting meal on the table in about an hour. Once you try this classic sausage and potato casserole you might want to do as the Irish do and vary it up with whatever leftovers you’ve got. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, turnips, or rutabaga would all be good choices.
coddle?
It means to simmer gently, referring to the way the stew is braised on a low heat until everything is tender. Traditionally it might cook away on a low fire all day long, but we don’t have time for that! Besides, I like my veggies to have a little bite left in them ๐ so this one hour version is a win-win.
why Dublin?
According to Wiki: “Coddle is particularly associated with the capital of Ireland, Dublin. It was reputedly a favorite dish of the writers Seรกn O’Casey and Jonathan Swift, and it appears in several references to Dublin, including the works of James Joyce.”
what you’ll need for this quick cooking Irish coddle
Like many Irish stews, this one has a simple list of ingredients and a rich, earthy flavor without lots of herbs and spices.
- sausage ~ bangers, which are a pork sausage, are traditional but sometimes hard to find in the US. I’ve used bratwurst with success.
- bacon ~ (rashers) give this stew great flavor.
- onion
- leeks ~ I love their mild buttery flavor.
- carrots ~ they add sweetness, color, and nutrition to the dish.
- pearl barley ~ gives the broth body and makes the stew extra hearty.
- chicken broth
- beer ~ use what you’ve got, but if you happen to have a Guinness…
- bay leaves ~ the subtle flavor of bay is lovely in this stew.
- Yukon gold potatoes ~ other waxy potatoes will work. Russets (baking potatoes) tend to fall apart.
- parsley ~ a small but essential element to brighten the finished dish.
- salt and pepper
- butter ~ I brush it on the potato crust before it goes in the oven.
You’ll also need a heavy oven proof braising pan, or Dutch oven (with a lid) for this stew that cooks first on the stove top, and finishes in the oven.
here’s my simple layering technique for this Irish stew
- Lay down a layer of onions, leeks, and carrots in the fat that was rendered when you browned the bacon and sausage. No need to sautรฉ them.
- Top with your crisped bacon and browned sausages.
- Add barley, bay leaves, stock, and ale.
- Top off with sliced potatoes.
the cook time for this coddle is a quick 45 minutes
We’re all familiar with stews that need very long slow cooking to become tender and flavorful, but this one can be ‘coddled’ in 45 minutes. Remember, our aim is to get the sausage cooked through, the broth concentrated and thickened, and for the veggies to become tender.
how to make Dublin Coddle ahead of time
- You can layer up the casserole in the morning, without the sliced potato topping. Cover and refrigerate.
- When ready to cook, slice and arrange the potatoes.
- I don’t like to add the potato crust early because it can turn brown due to oxidation. Waxy potatoes like we’ve used here don’t brown as readily as russets because they have less starch, but I don’t take any chances.
can you make this in a slow cooker? yes!
- Just layer it up through step #7 of the recipe instructions below (you’ll have to brown your meats on the stove first.)
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Be aware you won’t get the golden crust on your potatoes when you cook it this way.
what to serve with Dublin coddle
Dublin coddle is a complete meal, combining vegetables, meats, and starch. A good ale, of course, and some sort of bread is ideal to serve alongside because there will be lots of delicious juices to sop up. Here are some more suggestions for rounding out the meal:
Dublin Coddle
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, rough chopped
- 8 large fresh pork sausages (or whatever sausage you can get)
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 leeks, trimmed, sliced, and washed
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup barley (uncooked)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup beer
- 3 bay leaves
- salt and black pepper
- 4 large yukon gold potatoes
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and place in a bowl filled with cold water.
- In a large braising pan or Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate, leaving a layer of grease in the pan.
- Brown the sausages on both sides, and remove the to the plate.
- Add the onons, carrots, and leeks to the pot in an even layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the sausage and bacon over the veggies, along with the barley and bay leaves.
- Pour the beer and broth over all. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Thinly slice the potatoes and arrange in overlapping fashion over the top of the pan.
- Bring the pan up to a boil, then turn down to low, cover, and let simmer gently (coddle it!) for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425F
- Uncover the pan, brush the potatoes with melted butter, and then put in the oven (uncovered) for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and tender. Check the potatoes with the tip of a sharp knife to be sure they're tender. Note: If you like you can place the pot under the broiler briefly to get more color on the crust, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve asap with biscuits and beer!
Notes
- You can layer up the casserole in the morning, without the sliced potato topping. Cover and refrigerate.
- When ready to cook, slice and arrange the potatoes.
Amazing! So easy and delicious. A complete meal.
This is an amazing and spectacular recipe Sue. Will be making it often. Thank you!
Thanks Elly ๐
I’m with the review from Andy,
Although that looks and reads lovely, it’s not dublin coddle.
No browning involved and no other fancy stuff.
Only bacon,sausage, onoins and potato, thays all we had growing up in Dublin, its a poor man’s dinner, although still love it to this day.
This was dinner last night and not one scrap was left! Everyone at the table was oooohhhing and aaahing and stuffing their mouths! No photo because it was gone in a heartbeat!!
Takes me back to Ireland.
There is nothing better than a homey meal of sausages and potato! The only problem, which you alluded to, is that one cannot find a decent banger in the US!!! There is an abundance of fabulous sausages everywhere in Britain, and I sure miss that.
Hi Denise!
We have a few speciality store that caters to UK tastebuds and memories. You might want to Google zip codes in your area with bangers or British speciality shops; ask family members to do the same. Sausage makers (here anyway) tend to carry at least one type of banger.
Last but not least, search Amazon! I just searched bangers there and saw our local Whole Foods carry it as well as local sausage makers sell via Amazon.
Don’t give up hope!
xx
I’m from Dublin, and I’d stick with the traditional recipe:
Sausages
Back bacon cubed, or rashers
Onion
Potatoes – half of them cut small, so they dissolve and thicken the coddle.
Boil the bacon first for 30mins, remove salt scum, then add the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer on medium heat for 90-120mins, stirring occasionally.
That’s it! No oven cooking, no herbs. No browning of the sausages before adding them to the pot either!
We Americans love our browning…but I’ll try your method!
Right one Andy Itโs the poor mans dinner nothing like it anywhere
That recipe is Irish stew with sausages
Great option for me to be able to leave out the barley because of not being able to eat gluten!
Slow cooker version, please. Looks wonderful.
This dish sounds very warming. Iโm not a lover of the humble sausage but I think I would like them in this โcoddleโ. Lovely word that, it conjures up warm feelings.
Thanks Sue. :))
Wow! My Mom used to make this often when I was growing up, along with other Irish staples. The problem is she learned them from her Irish Mother and no recipes were written down. I am definitely going to try this, probably on St. Patrick’s day!
What a shame, I hope this recipe lives up to your memory.