Dublin Coddle
Cadal Bhaile Átha Cliath·(kad-uhl wahl-yuh aw-huh klee-uh)
The Big Pot (Soups, Stews, and Coddle)
This is the smell of a working-class Dublin kitchen on a Thursday night in the Liberties. Born of economic necessity and the impending Catholic meatless Friday, Coddle is less a recipe and more a brilliant survival mechanism. Purists will argue until they are blue in the face that the sausages must be boiled raw to a pale, ghostly white. We are taking a calculated liberty for the modern weeknight: a quick sear in bacon fat. It adds a deep, savory backbone that makes the resulting broth utterly irresistible without losing an ounce of the dish's working-class soul.
Before you start
Preheat the oven.
Set your oven to 300°F and ensure a rack is placed in the lower-middle position so your Dutch oven will fit comfortably with its lid on.
Ingredients
- high-quality mild pork sausages1 lb
- thick-cut Canadian bacon8 oz
- thick-cut American smoked bacon4 large slices
- yellow onions3 large
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes2 lb
- low-sodium chicken or beef stock3 cup
- fresh parsley1/4 cup
- freshly cracked black pepper1 tsp
- fresh thyme2 sprigs
- bay leaf1 large
Method
- 01
Render the bacon fat.
In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped American bacon until crispy, then remove it with a slotted spoon to leave that liquid gold in the pot.
- 02
Blister the sausages.
Drop the pork sausages into the hot bacon fat just long enough to put a golden-brown sear on the outside. Pull them out once browned, turn off the stove, and leave any remaining fat right where it is.
- 03
Construct the foundation.
The secret to a proper coddle is that you never stir it. Lay down half the sliced onions to protect the rest of the ingredients from scorching, followed by half the potato chunks.
- 04
Season the middle.
Scatter half of your Canadian bacon, the crisped American bacon, and the sausages over the potatoes. Hit it generously with the fresh parsley and black pepper, but hold the salt entirely, as the pork brings plenty to the party.
- 05
Finish the build and add the liquid.
Repeat with the remaining onions, potatoes, meats, parsley, and pepper. Tuck the thyme and bay leaf into the top layer, then pour in the stock until it reaches about two-thirds of the way up the ingredients without completely submerging them.
- 06
Coddle the stew.
Bring the pot to a very gentle simmer on the stove, cover tightly with the lid, and transfer to the oven. Let it gently braise for an hour and a half to two hours, until the top layer steams to perfection and the bottom melts into a rich, peppery gravy.
- 07
Serve with soda bread.
Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Ladle the hot coddle into wide, shallow bowls and serve immediately with thick slices of buttered soda bread to mop up the broth.
Notes
A note on the meats.
Irish bangers have a notably soft texture due to breadcrumb fillers, and traditional rashers are cut from the lean pork loin. To recreate this authenticity in an American grocery store, avoid heavily seasoned Italian or maple sausages; stick to uncooked plain pork bratwurst and thick-cut Canadian bacon.
The grandmother's weeknight secret.
Like most stews, Coddle tastes exponentially better the next day. Make this on a Sunday afternoon, store it in the fridge, and gently reheat it on the stove during a busy week. The potatoes will break down further, thickening the broth to a luxurious consistency.
From Cook Irish-American Food.