A hearty Dublin one-pot of sausages, bacon, onions, and potatoes slow-simmered in a savoury broth — the definitive city of Dublin comfort dish.
Dublin coddle is a dish unique to the Irish capital, associated with working-class Dublin life for centuries. Jonathan Swift, the 18th-century author of Gulliver's Travels, is said to have been fond of it, and it has graced Dublin tables continuously ever since. Unlike an Irish stew, coddle is not browned — everything is layered raw and simmered gently, producing a pale, flavoursome broth. Traditional coddle uses pork sausages, streaky bacon rashers, potatoes, and onion. It is humble, filling, and extraordinarily good eaten on a cold evening with a thick slice of soda bread and a pint of Guinness.
Serves 4
Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan / 325°F). Coddle is ideally cooked in the oven for gentle, even heat, though the stovetop works too.
In a large, heavy casserole dish with a lid, layer the sliced potatoes on the bottom. Top with sliced onions and garlic. Lay the bacon pieces over the onions. Nestle the sausages on top.
Pour the stock over everything. Tuck in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Season with black pepper (the bacon and sausages provide enough salt).
Cover tightly with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. The liquid should be at a barely-there simmer — adjust oven temperature if needed.
Discard the thyme and bay leaves. The potatoes should be completely tender and beginning to break down into the broth. Scatter parsley over the top and bring to the table in the pot.
Use good-quality sausages with a high pork content — cheap sausages fall apart and make the broth greasy.
Do not brown anything — coddle is defined by its pale, gently simmered character.
Serve with soda bread to mop up the deeply savoury broth.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Some recipes add a bottle of stout for a darker, more robust broth.
Pearl barley can be added for extra body and texture.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little stock or water if the broth has been absorbed.
Coddle's origins are debated but it appears consistently in Dublin food writing from the 1700s onwards. It was the food of working families who needed to make economical use of leftover bacon and sausages. Its name derives from the verb 'to coddle' — to cook slowly and gently.
Nothing is browned in a coddle — the characteristic is deliberate. The paleness reflects the slow, gentle cooking method that defines the dish.
Yes — use the lowest heat setting, keep the lid on, and it will take about the same time. Check periodically that it is not boiling vigorously.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving (540g / 19.0 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.