Like the Irish Stew recipe I posted recently, this dish has as many variations as there are mothers in Ireland. I like this one from my Facebook friend, James Aker. I did swap organic bouillon granules and spices for the Lipton onion soup mix that he originally called for, and I cook it in an oven instead on the stovetop – but otherwise it’s the same.It’s important to use good quality sausage – cheap stuff just doesn’t hold up well with the long cooking time.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: Dublin Coddle
Servings: 12Servings
Author: Don Herman
Ingredients
1/2poundBacon
1poundPork SausageI used sweet Italian sausage
2lgOnionssliced
2clovesGarlicsliced
4lgPotatoespeeled and thickly sliced
2lgCarrotspeeled and cut into chunks
2tbspBeef Bouillon Granules
1/4tspParsley Flakes
1/8tspCelery Seed
1/8tspPaprika
1/8tspGround Pepper
1smallBunch Fresh Herbs“bouquet garni”, tied together with string (I used thyme and parsley stalks)
1wholeBay Leaf
Black Pepper and Salt to taste
12ozHard Cidersome for the pot, some for you
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Mix together the bouillon, parsley, celery seed, paprika and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Brown bacon until crisp. Place in large cooking pot with a lid.
Brown sausages in bacon fat. Add to cooking pot.
Sprinkle bouillon mixture over meats.
Add two cups water.
Soften sliced onions in the bacon fat. A minute or two before they’re done, add the garlic and stir around. Add to cooking pot.
Layer carrots next, then potatoes.
Add the bundle of herbs and push down into the middle.
Add hard cider just to reach the potatoes (should only be another cup or two).
Sprinkle potatoes with freshly ground black pepper.
On the stovetop, cover tightly and bring JUST to a simmer. It should not boil.
While bringing to a simmer, preheat the oven to 300 F.
Place covered pot in the oven and bake for 2-3 hours. Even 4 hours isn’t too long, if you check after the 2-hour mark and add more liquid if needed. There should always be at least 1 inch of liquid in the pot. (Hint – toward the end, a splash of Guinness wouldn’t be unheard-of.)
Half an hour before you want to eat, check and make sure the carrots are done. If they aren’t, raise the heat a bit until they are cooked through. By now, broth should have thickened enough that you can serve this on a plate. Taste broth right before serving and add salt or pepper, if needed. Garnish with parsley. Great served with Irish soda bread or Spotted Dog.