Dublin Coddle is a traditional Irish potato and sausage stew that slow cooks in the oven. It’s great for St. Patrick’s Day or any day you need comfort food!
Heat a large, oven-proof Dutch oven over high heat. Add in 8 slices bacon and cook until crisp, about five minutes. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Leave the grease in the Dutch oven.
Add 1 pound high-quality pork sausages in, a few at a time (don't crowd the pan), and cook on each side until just golden brown—no need to cook all the way through. Remove to a plate and continue with additional sausages. Remove to plate. When cool enough to handle. Slice into 1" pieces.
Reduce the heat to low, and then whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Then remove from heat completely.
Whisk in 1 bottle Guinness beer (see notes if you'd like to not use beer).
Place half of the potatoes in the gravy, followed by half of the onions, half of the garlic, half of the bacon, half of the sausages, half of the parsley, the bay leaves, the thyme, and black pepper. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.
Pour 2 cups beef, ham, or chicken broth over the whole thing. Place lid on, and bake in preheated oven for at least 2 hours (see notes).
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Notes
If you can find traditional Irish pork sausages, that'd be awesome, but honestly, any good-quality pork sausages will do. Use whatever you can find and you like (bratwurst, polish sausage, even good-quality breakfast sausage).Between the bacon, sausages, and broth, this dish is inherently very salty. Do not add more salt without tasting it first! I almost never add additional salt when making coddle.If you want to skip using the beer, just sub in 1 ½ additional cups of whatever broth you are using.The coddle will be ready to eat after 2 hours in the oven, but it can easily stay cooking for 3-5 hours without any consequence. This isn't a delicate dish. You don't have to worry about breaking it.