St. Patrick's Day Countdown: A Divisive Dublin Dish
Written by Ciaran on Mar 06, 2026 | 0 Comments
We’re counting down the days to March 17th with an offer and a potato-stuffed recipe for you every day until St. Patrick's Day! Check back in with us each day to see what’s up next! For Day 6, we are leaving the French influences of the last two day’s recipes behind us and are firmly back in the Emerald Isle.
Our offering for Day 6 may not win any beauty contests, but it is tasty! And a popular choice for those returning home after a night at out enjoying another Irish staple... Guiness.
We have moved on to the main event for this dish: dinner! And though it can be divisive, there is no doubting Coddle's Irish credentials. It is the city cousin of stew, another famous Irish recipe, and is specifically linked to the capital here in Dublin.
Held in great affection by generations of Dubliners, Coddle does cause some tribal divisions, even here in Dublin, both over the specifics of the recipe and who will or won't eat it! It is also a recipe enjoyed in Ireland’s travelling community, with a wonderful quote that sums up this dish nicely:
People don’t always agree on the ingredients for a coddle. We all agreed our coddle was delicious.
From Pavee Peck: A Collection of Recipes and Stories by Traveller Women (Dublin: Pavee Point, 2024).
It was reportedly a favourite of Jonathan Swift and Seán O’Casey and it pops up not once but twice in the works of James Joyce.
Given its cultural significance, some have called for Coddle to be designated as part of Ireland's Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), as set out by UNESCO. Joining Hurling and Irish Harping on a growing list. High praise indeed for a simple dish made with sausages, ham or bacon, potatoes and onions.
Once you've seen one Coddle...
Traditionally a "Saturday night" dish here in Dublin, Coddle would make a very satisfying St. Patrick's Day dinner too, even if it is a weekday! This recipe is just one example of a Dublin Coddle. We are by no means suggesting it is definitive. When you've seen one Coddle, that just means you've seen one Coddle. We did try to keep it as simple and traditional as possible!
One thing in common to all Coddles is the presence of sausages and bacon. Purists will tell you there should also be absolutely no browning of the sausages before they go into the mix. It's another thing most agree on - Coddle is a white stew! But the browned sausage doesn’t add much colour at all, and I like to eat with my eyes first, so I prefer them browned, even just a little! Boiled sausage has never appealed to me, no matter how many Guinness I have on board!
If you are made of tougher stuff, by all means, add the sausages to the mix raw and enjoy how straightforward making a Coddle really is!
Ingredients
- A small splash of oil
- 8 thick rashers - unsmoked bacon chopped into 2 to 3 cm / 1 inch chunks. If you can’t find good rashers, smoked bacon is an acceptable substitute, or 250g bacon lardons, chopped into chunks
- 2 large white onions, peeled and sliced
- Ground black pepper
- A few fresh thyme sprigs, stems removed and finely chopped and 1 or 2 bay leaves (not typical of the most basic coddle but if you have them, they add nice flavour).
- 800g waxy or new potatoes - they hold together better than more floury types - cut into large chunks. Skins on or off is up to you
- 6-8 whole Irish pork sausages - enough for 1 or two for each person
- ½ litre water
- ½ litre of cider - Coddle is traditionally made with just water... so this is taking liberties. But the addition of 500ml of cider adds a pleasant, sweet-sharpness to all the savoury saltiness of sausage and bacon!
- 1 small handful of parsley
- Pinch of salt (if needed).
Method
- Add a splash of oil to the bottom of a large pot on a medium-high heat and fry the bacon until the fat runs and it just starts to brown.
- Remove the bacon before it starts to crisp and set it aside, keeping the fat in the pan. If you are browning the sausages a little, do that now and again, remove the sausages when lightly browned, and leave as much fat as you can in the pan.
- Turn the heat under the pot down to low, and fry onions, stirring regularly to ensure they soften but don’t brown!
- Stir in thyme season with a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
- Add the sausages (raw or slightly browned), the bacon and potatoes to the pot with the onion mix.
- Pour over the water and cider, and bring the mixture to a simmer
- Once simmering, cover and turn down the heat to cook low and slow for around 45 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through but not disintegrating.
- Taste the broth and add a pinch of salt or more black pepper if needed.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve in bowls with broth and 1 or two sausages per person.
Serving suggestions
This recipe serves 4 hungry people, or 6 if you serve it with generous amounts of Irish brown bread for mopping up! Another Irish staple (cabbage) is often served alongside this dish, too. I also like to add some brown sauce… sacrilege… don’t tell anyone!
So what do you think? Coddle - is it a yay or a nay? Does it deserve a spot alongside hurling and harps in the Irish cultural canon? Let us know in the comments below.
What's Next?
Check back in with us tomorrow for Day 7 of our St. Patrick's Day countdown, or open Door Number 6 of our 17 Days of celebratory offers!
Irish Harp
If you don't fancy a coddle but are still hankering for a tangible piece of Irish culture look no further than our Irish harp collection.
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Ciaran
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
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