Description
Coddle is a traditional Irish one-pot stew featuring thick-cut bacon, Irish sausages, russet potatoes, and onions slow-baked to tender perfection. This hearty and comforting dish layers flavors beautifully as it simmers in a savory broth, making it a perfect rustic meal for cozy gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon (about 10 slices)
- 1 pound uncooked pork sausage links, preferably Irish (5 to 6 links)
Liquids
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or 2 cups reconstituted chicken or ham bouillon paste or cubes and water, prepared as per package directions), divided
Vegetables
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (5 to 6 medium)
- 4 medium yellow onions
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
Seasonings
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper or freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
- 3 bay leaves, divided
Serving
- Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 300°F to prepare for slow baking the dish.
- Cook the bacon: Trim and discard the rind from the bacon, then cut into 2-inch pieces. In a 7-quart or larger Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon gently, stirring occasionally, until the fat becomes translucent and watery liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Avoid browning or crisping the bacon. Transfer cooked bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.
- Brown the sausage: Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot. Add the uncooked sausage links and cook over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides, approximately 1 1/2 minutes per side; sausages won’t be fully cooked yet. Transfer sausages to the plate with the bacon.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour 1/4 cup of the chicken broth into the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour this liquid into a small heatproof bowl and set aside.
- Prepare vegetables and herbs: Peel and slice the potatoes into 1/3-inch thick rounds. Peel and slice the yellow onions into 1/3-inch-thick rings. Separate the rings by hand. Finely chop parsley leaves until you reach about 1/3 loosely packed cup.
- Cut sausages and divide ingredients: Slice the sausages into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Divide the sausages, bacon, potatoes, onions, and parsley into three equal piles for layering.
- Assemble the coddle: In the Dutch oven, layer one-third of each ingredient in the following order: onion rings, bacon, sausage pieces, potato slices sprinkled evenly with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, parsley, and one bay leaf. Press down firmly to compact. Repeat the layering two more times with the remaining ingredients, reserving some parsley for garnish.
- Add broth and start cooking: Pour the remaining 1 3/4 cups of chicken broth along with the reserved deglazed liquid over the top layer of potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil and then the lid.
- Bake the coddle: Transfer the covered pot to the oven. Bake for 2 hours. Check to ensure there is always at least 1 inch of liquid at the bottom; add water if needed. Remove the foil (keep the lid on), and bake for an additional hour.
- Check doneness and optionally broil: Ensure onions are soft; if not, cover and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Optionally, preheat the broiler. Brush the top potato layer with reserved bacon fat and broil until edges turn golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- Rest and serve: Let the coddle rest uncovered for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved parsley. Serve in bowls with juices from the pot, removing bay leaves as you serve. Offer crusty bread for dipping if desired.
Notes
- This dish can be cooked longer than the recipe states—up to 5 hours total—just be sure to monitor the liquid content to prevent drying out.
- Use Irish pork sausages if possible for authentic flavor, but any pork sausage will work.
- Deglazing the pot after cooking bacon and sausages adds depth to the broth and should not be skipped.
- Broiling the top at the end adds a delicious crispy texture to the potato layer but is optional.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated and flavors intensify after a day.
