DUBLIN Coddle TRADITIONAL IRISH dish is a hearty and warming stew

Presenter / Channel

• Rick (Backyard Chef) makes Dublin Coddle, an Irish stew traditionally simmered slowly (“coddle” = slow simmer).

Ingredients (with quantities/substitutions as mentioned)

Meat

• Pork sausage (cut into pieces; some sausage meat rolled into small balls after removing casings)
• Processed ham (leftover from Christmas; chunk(s))
• Bacon lons / homemade bacon (used to fry and render fat)

Vegetables

• Potatoes (size affects simmer time—small can get mushy)
• Carrots
• Onions
• Parsley (chopped; stirred in or sprinkled on top)

Liquid / Seasoning

• Chicken stock (main cooking liquid; “chuck a lot of chicken stock in… with some water”)
• Water (added so the liquid comes to nearly the level of the potatoes)
• Black pepper
• Dry thyme (optional; “completely optional… you don’t have to”)
• No salt added by the presenter
  • “not salting this because the bacon… was salted; the sausages have salt; and the chicken stock”

Equipment (implied)

• Large pan/pot with lid
• Ladle/spoon for serving
• Fork (to test potato softness)
• Optional: slow cooker/crock pot for long cook

Preparation & Method (step-by-step)

1. Fry bacon to render fat + color (optional)

   • Turn heat on and fry bacon lons until you get a little browning/crisp.
   • Goal: “send out” fat juice for body.
   • Browning is optional—families/regions differ.

2. Add sausage pieces and lightly brown (optional)

   • Add pork sausage pieces; brown for color (presenter’s preference).
   • Alternative: add sausage straight without browning—it cooks fine, just paler (“more white”).

3. Add ham and cook briefly for color

   • Add processed ham chunks.
   • Cook only enough for a little brown color—not fully cooked at this stage.

4. Prep sausage meat “meatballs”

   • Take some sausage meat (remove skin first).
   • Roll into small balls (“like eating meatballs”).
   • Drop a few into the stew as it cooks.

5. Build the stew base in a big pan

   • Keep everything in the large pot including bacon fat.
   • Add chicken stock, then enough water so liquid comes to nearly the level of the potatoes.
   • Add potatoes, carrots, and onions.
   • Toss/shuffle briefly.

6. Season (without adding salt)

   • Add black pepper.
   • Add dry thyme only if desired (optional).
   • Do not salt (bacon/ham, sausages, and chicken stock are already salty).

7. Bring to a boil, then simmer “low and slow”

   • Bring to a boil.
   • Lower heat, cover with the lid.
   • Simmer 1½ to 2 hours, checking potatoes are soft with a fork.

8. Slow-cooker / crock pot variation (timing)

   • Cook for ~5 to 6 hours (results after about 6 hours), depending on how large the potato pieces are.

9. Froth note (optional)

   • If desired, scoop off froth during/at boil.
   • Presenter says it’s pointless because it cooks back in.

10. Finish with parsley and serve

    • Stir chopped parsley into the pot or top bowls with parsley.
    • Serve with soda bread (baked earlier by the presenter) and butter.

Tips / Common “tradition” cues

• Browning meat is optional, but adds deeper color and uses rendered fat for extra body.
• Salt is intentionally avoided because bacon/ham, sausages, and stock are already salty.
• Potato cut size matters
  • Smaller cuts may mush if simmered too long.
  • Use fork softness as your doneness cue.

Plating / Serving suggestions

• Ladle into bowls and top with parsley (or mix in).
• Serve with soda bread + butter.
• The presenter emphasizes soaking up “all that juice” with bread.

References

• Backyard Chef (Rick) — cooking demonstration for Dublin Coddle.
• No external written sources are referenced in the subtitles.