Traditional Irish food is all about comfort and no dish represents that more than Dublin Coddle, an Irish Sausage and Potato Soup Recipe. This Irish Coddle recipe is delicious and hearty and can be prepared with many variations to suit what you have in the pantry.
Why it is called Coddle?
The name ‘Coddle,’ comes from ‘caudle,’ and is a culinary term meaning ‘to boil gently, parboil or stew. Most notably this term is used in reference to eggs but there are no eggs in this dish. The term is simply referring to the gentle braising method.
Slow Cooker [paid link] Dublin Coddle is best served with Irish soda bread, or another crusty bread to soak up the wonderful juices created during the slow braising process. That being said, Dublin Coddle is also perfect for the Dutch oven [paid link].
Dublin Coddle History:
This traditional supper consisting of pork sausages, thick-cut rashers (similar to Canadian bacon), onions, potatoes, and herbs dates back at least as far as the early eighteenth century. Carrots and chicken stock were not included in the original recipe, but have been added in modern times as families alter their recipes to fit their ingredients and budgets. Adding carrots and barley makes this a very hearty and filling meal.
What Type of Sausage is Best for Coddle Stew?
Traditionally, fresh pork sausage in casings is used. Typically, these are added raw without browning, but I prefer to brown mine before adding them so I can cut them into bite-sized pieces prior to simmering. I purchase my sausages from a local farm called Sunny Cedars Farm. If you do not have fresh sausages, you might also try a Cajun-style Andouille sausage to add a spicy flavor to this tasty potato soup. Polish Kielbasa, jalapeno, or your favorite smoked sausage would also work very well in this recipe.
Can I add Beer?
Traditionally, Coddle was prepared with nothing more than water and salt, but you can very add Guinness beer in place of an equal amount of the water or chicken stock for a more festive take on this Irish recipe.
Originally stewed in the oven on low heat for several hours, this coddle recipe has been adapted to suit our hectic lifestyle and is made in the crockpot, slow cooker [paid link] or instant pot [paid link] (using the slow cooker [paid link] feature). Although this is easy to prepare and uses very simple ingredients, the flavors are amazing. This is true Irish comfort food!
Traditional Dublin Coddle Recipe Ingredients and Tools:
- Artisanal Pork Sausages – I purchase quality onion sausages in casings from a local farmer. The casings are preferred over bulk ground sausage to keep it together while cooking. Traditionally, the sausages would go into the pot uncooked, but the pale color of the sausages can be off-putting. Browned food tastes better! Don’t worry – the cooked sausages can still stand up to the slow braise.
- Bacon – called streaky bacon in the UK, American bacon has a lot of fat for this recipe and, if used should be drained and excess greased removed from the pot. Canadian bacon is a good substitute for the more traditional European rashers.
- Waxy Potatoes – not all potatoes are created equal and in this recipe, waxy red potatoes tend to hold their shape better and are preferred over Russets which can tend to fall apart.
- Carrots – not traditional to the very original coddle recipes, carrots are a tasty part of the modernized coddle recipe.
- Onions – I use sweet Vidalia onions because they are what I keep on hand but white, brown or pearl onions could also be used.
- Chicken Stock – not traditional to the original coddle recipes, chicken stock is seen now in modernized versions. Traditionally only salted water was used. For a festive take on coddle, you may omit chicken stock for an equal part of Guinness beer. See the recipe notes below.
- Pearl Barley – Pearl barley is a grass grain that’s hearty enough to stand up to the slow braise. Typically served with beef barley soup, this is a comfort food staple in my European countries. If you preferred, pearl (large) couscous pasta could be substituted for barley. Barley and couscous are not gluten-free. For a gluten-free variety, omit these from your recipe.
- Parsley – I prefer Italian flat-leaf parsley, but curly parsley may also be used.
- Thyme – I prefer lemon thyme over other varieties but you may use any variety you prefer.
- Bay Leaf – typical to may traditional soup recipes, the bay leaf may be omitted if you do not prefer the flavor or have any on hand.
- Ground Black Pepper – freshly cracked has the most flavor but if big pieces of peppercorn aren’t your thing, you can always use ground black pepper (more or less) to suit your own tastes.
- Salt – add this at the end to taste after the soup has simmered. Save the salt until the end so you can see how much salt you have already in the broth from the sausages and bacon.
How to prepare Irish Dublin Coddle in four simple steps:
For full instructions, see the recipe card below. You will:
- Brown the sausages and bacon.
- Layer the ingredients into the pot.
- Add the chicken stock. herbs, and spices.
- Cover and cook until potatoes are fork-tender.
Best Ever Dublin Coddle Recipe FAQs:
How much is a portion for this Dublin Coddle Soup Recipe?
For this recipe, I have calculated the nutritional value to feed 4 people. So 1/4 of the entire pot of soup! It’s a rather large, filling portion even without the addition of barley.
Can I cook more/less than the recipe indicates?
You can easily double or halve this recipe, just select the number of servings you’d like on the recipe card below and it will scale to fit your needs. Note that scaling the recipe may require a larger (or smaller) Dutch Oven [paid link] or slow cooker [paid link].
What’s the best way to defrost sausages?
- Refrigerator thaw: Planning ahead is the key to this method because of the lengthy time involved. A small one-pound package of sausages will require a full day to thaw.
- Cold Water Thaw: The package should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Small one-pound packages of meat usually thaw in about an hour.
- Microwave Thaw: Because food heats to a temperature in the “danger zone” of food safety, microwave thawing is not recommended.
How to store Irish Dublin Coddle Stew leftovers?
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to reheat leftovers?
In the microwave, heat leftover soup in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 30-second intervals stirring in-between added intervals of time.
On the stovetop, reheat leftovers in a small pot over low heat, stirring occasionally until the soup reaches your desired temperature.
Can I freeze Dublin Coddle Recipe Slow Cooker leftovers?
No. The potatoes in the soup do not stand up well to freezing.
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Dublin Coddle – An Irish Potato and Sausage Soup
Equipment
- Slow Cooker [paid link]
- Dutch oven [paid link]
- Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 1 large onion , sliced
- 3 carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 lb Pork sausages [See Note 1]
- 5 slices Bacon , cut into 1 inch pieces [See Note 2]
- 3 cups Chicken Stock, unsalted , unsalted [See Note 3]
- 1/2 cup Pearl Barley , optional, (a grass grain) [See Note 4]
- 1 lb potatoes, red , peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
- 1/4 cup Parsley , freshly chopped [See Note 5]
- 1 Bay Leaf , optional [See Note 5]
- 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme , optional [See Note 5]
- 0.25 tsp pepper , more or less to taste
Instructions
- Cook the sausages over medium heat until caramelized. Remove to a plate and add the bacon. Cook until crisp and then drain bacon on a paper towel. If cooking in a Dutch oven [paid link], remove any excess bacon grease before proceeding to step 2.
- Into the bottom of the slow cooker [paid link] crock or Dutch oven [paid link], layer the sliced onions, sliced carrots, sausages (whole or sliced), bacon pieces. Top with fresh herbs and season with ground pepper. If you are including the barley, add it now, then layer the sliced potatoes over the top.
- Pour the chicken stock, water, or beer over the top.
- For Slow Cooker [paid link]: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours until the potatoes are fork-tender.For Dutch Oven [paid link]: Bring the pot to a boil and then cover and cook on LOW for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. For either slow cooker [paid link] or Dutch Oven [paid link]:Only If desired: When the potatoes are tender, remove the lid and dot the potatoes with butter. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste before transferring to the oven to cook for 15 minutes more to brown the potatoes.
- Serve Dublin Coddle in deep bowls garnished with freshly chopped parsley and a hunk of Irish Soda or other crusty bread to mop up all of those luscious juices.
Notes
- Artisanal pork sausages in casings may be replaced with spicy andouille sausage, jalapeno sausage or smoked sausages. If cooking gluten-free, chose a brand that is gluten-free.
- Traditional American Bacon is okay for this dish but remember to drain the oil. Streaky bacon is not typical of this dish and Canadian bacon makes a great substitution. If cooking gluten-free, chose a brand that is gluten-free.
- A portion of the chicken stock may be replaced with Guinness Beer for a more festive take on this traditional dish. Do note that all the alcohol will NOT cook-off, and the beer will give the broth a strong flavor. So do make sure you enjoy the flavor of Guinness beer before adding it to your soup base. If cooking gluten-free, omit the beer and remember to choose a brand of chicken stock that is gluten-free.
- The barley is written in as an optional ingredient and is not a part of the nutritional values defined below the recipe. Pearl Barley is a grass grain that’s hearty enough to stand up to the slow braise. Typically served with beef barley soup, this is a comfort food staple in my European countries. If you preferred, pearl (large) couscous pasta could be substituted for barley. Barley and couscous are not gluten-free. For a gluten-free coddle, omit these from your recipe.
- Herbs and spices are written as optional ingredients as I know not everyone prefers the same herbs and spices. As a rule, I use fresh lemon thyme as I prefer the flavor over other varieties. I use flat-leaf Italian parsley over curly parsley though the flavors are comparable. Bay leaf can have a strong flavor and is one I do not prefer, but my mother did always use it in her soup recipes.
- How do I defrost Sausages?
- Refrigerator thaw: Planning ahead is the key to this method because of the lengthy time involved. A small one-pound package of sausages will require a full day to thaw.
- Cold Water Thaw: The package should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Small one-pound packages of meat usually thaw in about an hour.
- Microwave Thaw: Because food heats to a temperature in the “danger zone” of food safety, microwave thawing is not recommended.
- How to store Irish Dublin Coddle Stew leftovers? Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
-
How to reheat leftovers?
- In the microwave, heat leftover soup in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 30-second intervals stirring in-between added intervals of time.
- On the stovetop, reheat leftovers in a small pot over low heat, stirring occasionally until the soup reaches your desired temperature.
- Can I freeze Dublin Coddle Recipe Slow Cooker [paid link] leftovers? No. The potatoes in the soup do not stand up well to freezing.
- How much is a portion for this Dublin Coddle Soup Recipe? For this recipe, I have calculated the nutritional value to feed 4 people. So 1/4 of the entire pot of soup IS ONE serving! It’s a very filling portion of soup even without the addition of barley or couscous.
- Can I cook more/less than the recipe indicates? You can easily double or halve this recipe, just select the number of servings you’d like on the recipe card below and it will scale to fit your needs. Note that scaling the recipe may require a larger (or smaller) Dutch Oven or slow cooker.
while i haven’t tried it yet, i will be making it today and i wanted to review the recipe and write it down. i thought i’d leave an idea that works well in our house in case anybody would be interested. We use carmelized onions alot in recipes so i cook them up and freeze them in big ice cube trays and when they are frozen transfer them to a freezer bag to use in cooking. it saves the hassle of cooking some onions up for a recipe every time you need them. i am going to add one to this recipe and try it with smoked sausage. Your recipe collection looks good. thanks for sharing!
Very tasty recipe. Thanks for sharing
Always have loved this one Ronda
i was just looking at this earlier this week myself.
Never heard of this. Sounds good.
I’ve ready it’s very localized to Dublin but becoming more popular due to American St. Patrick’s Day and the surge of Irish Cookbooks.
Sounds great. Should make this and simmer for after the pub crawl. :)
Anything would be better than those street vendor Italian Sausages you guys eat.
Perfect crock pot cooking!
You can cut it up smaller to make a thicker sauce base.
THere’s nothing wrong with those street vendor Italian Sausages.
Ha ha ha! I always wonder how you fellas don’t get sick – especially after a pub crawl. They look so greasy.
Oh my goodness! I am encountering issues with your RSS. I don’t understand the reason why I
can’t join it.
Hi Roberta, I’m not sure why that would be happening. We are http://Kitchendreaming.com/feed or you can join our e-mail list on the sidebar of our main page and have automatic updates sent directly to your inbox.
You’ve got interesting posts here. I’ve never heard of Coddle but in looking at the ingredients think it’s something I might try.
Let us know if you do!
I love, love, love this recipe and can’t wait to make it myself!
Thanks Mary! I used some fresh, local sausages from Sunny Cedars Farm! :) They sausages were so tender and delicious!