Dublin Coddle
Consisting of sausages, onions, slices of bacon called rashers, and potatoes, Dublin coddle is a typical winter dish. The name probably comes from the French word caudle, meaning to boil gently, while the origin of the dish dates back to the 1700s.
Allegedly, it originated from the habit of one-pot cooking employed by the sailors of Ringsend and was a favorite of both Jonathan Swift and Seán O'Casey, as well as mentioned in the works of none other than James Joyce himself. It was invented as a way to use leftovers and was typically prepared in bigger cities where it gained popularity because it was so easy to make.
Additional ingredients traditionally include barley and seasoning, consisting only of salt, pepper, and parsley, but nowadays carrots, other root vegetables, tomatoes, cream, and some Guinness stout for the broth are common additions. Read more
However, depending on the added ingredients, Dubliners recognize three kinds of coddle — the white, the brown, and the black coddle. The white coddle is just your basic sausages, onions, bacon, and potatoes with some seasoning, while the brown version has either Oxo cubes, beef stock, or oxtail soup added to the mix, which some Dubliners consider a sacrilege.
The black coddle, on the other hand, is hardly seen today as it's a remnant of a bygone era. In any case, no matter what kind of coddle is being served, it goes best with soda bread and a pint of Guinness.
Pairing tips
Guinness Draught
Guinness Draught is an iconic dark Irish stout that is made from malted barley and roasted unmalted barley. To this day, Guinness remains one of the most exported ... Read more
Serve with
Soda Bread
Although soda bread has been known for centuries and was first invented by Native Americans, it was not until the 19th century that ... Read more
Irish Brown Bread
Irish brown bread is a variety of soda bread hailing from Ireland. It's made with all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, rolled oats, buttermilk (for ... Read more
WHERE TO EAT The best Dublin Coddle in the world (according to food experts)
"This pub serves fantastic coddle, a time-honored comfort stew of slow-cooked pork, onion and potato."
"Where to get a lovely bowl of coddle in Dublin pubs: The Quays in Temple Bar are flying the flag for old Irish cuisine in the area that welcomes so many visitors to our traditions. Many people visiting from all the nations of the world have been introduced here to coddle and will no doubt be bringing it home to put their own spin on it using their own home grown produce."
"Where to get a lovely bowl of coddle in Dublin pubs: The Hairy Lemon on Stephens Street is an excellent example of a pub that offers some of the best traditional Irish cuisine in the city. This includes of course a steaming bowl of coddle. They call it their ‘Famous Dublin Coddle’ and it has certainly received good notices over the years. It must be as good as ever since the recipe never changes."
"I tried the Coddle, kind of a potato and sausage stew… which was a new experience for me. We enjoyed our meals, the prices were very reasonable, and it was the perfect cozy way to end our very long day of travel."
"Boxty House serves a coddle so good that it deserves an ode."
"Where to get a lovely bowl of coddle in Dublin pubs: Nancy Hands near the gates to the Phoenix Park have a ‘Liberties Dublin Coddle’ on their menu, paying homage to the most Dublin of Dublin areas."
"Mmm, this was a simple stew-like dish and VERY flavorful."
