Irish Coddle Recipe – is there any such thing as a true recipe for Irish Coddle? An Irish Coddle is a dish commonly served with the purpose of using up leftovers. While there is not a specific Irish Coddle Recipe, this one-pot meal starts with sausages, “rashers” (fatty bacon), onions, and potatoes. Additional ingredients are added according to the preparer’s preferences and what is available in the pantry.
The word “coddle” itself means to pamper or treat tenderly. Even coddled eggs are heated gently. The Irish Coddle, also often referred to as “Dublin Coddle,” is comprised of hearty meats and vegetables, intended to warm (or “coddle”) the body on a cold day.
Peeking into history, one can find references to Irish Coddles as early as the 1700s. A traditional Irish Coddle recipe was said to have been a favorite of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels and dean of a Dublin cathedral.
A good Irish Coddle recipe begins with good stock. It’s best if you start by boiling a ham bone to create the pork stock. Some cook their coddles by layering the rashers, sausage, sliced potatoes, and onions in a large pot, seasoning the layers with salt and pepper.
Irish Coddle Recipe – Traditional Ingredients:
- 2 quarts water or pork stock
- 1 lb. pork Irish sausage links*
- 1 lb. sliced fatty back bacon (called “rashers” in Ireland)
- 3 lbs. potatoes, cut into chunks
- 2-3 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped (optional)
*You can use breakfast sausage links, but there’s a recipe for basic Irish sausage links in my FREE cookbook – Taste of the Irish. This page (https://hopetolerdougherty.com/free-cookbook/) explains how to get your free copy.
Irish Coddle Recipe – Irish/Italian Version:
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 6 oz. Canadian bacon
- 5 Italian sausages
- 2 carrots, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 4 Russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups beef stock
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop meat and vegetables.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and meat and stir well. Cook until meat starts to brown, but not so long that the onions burn.
Transfer half the meat mixture to an oven-safe pan or casserole dish. Next, layer half of the carrots, then half of the potatoes. Repeat layering, ensuring potatoes are on the final top layer.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour stock over the meat and vegetable layers, then cover with a lid.
Cook for 45 minutes at 425 degrees, then lower heat to 350 and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Check by piercing with a fork. When you reduce the heat, peek at the dish to check the liquid level. If it is getting too dry, carefully add a bit of hot water.
Serve with Irish Soda Bread. (Note: A recipe for traditional Irish Soda Bread is also included in my free recipe book. Get your copy here – Taste of the Irish: Recipes from the Emerald Isle.)
