Slow Cooker Sausage, Bacon & Potato Stew
This is a variation of the Dublin Coddle recipe I found that was a crowd pleaser at my house.
This is a variation of the Dublin Coddle recipe I found that was a crowd pleaser at my house.
- Carbohydrate 38.9187188912083 g
- Cholesterol 143.282827175 mg
- Fat 73.8169113131667 g
- Fiber 3.14068326190611 g
- Protein 30.4649290475 g
- Saturated Fat 25.4929236730604 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (544g)
- Sodium 48351.4450883859 mg
- Sugar 35.7780356293022 g
- Trans Fat 6.18630012182918 g
- Calories 944 calories
Step-by-step
- Add two cups of water into the slow cooker.
- Turn it on high and add the cube of beef bouillon.
- While that's cooking, cook the sausages and bacon in a frying pan just enough so they're browned (not fully cooked).
- Drain the sausages and bacon on paper towels to remove excess fat.
- Cut the bacon and sausages into 1-inch bite size pieces (you could do this before browning if you'd like).
- Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks (1-1.5" each).
- Chop parsley and onions.
- Once the beef bouillon cube has dissolved, add coarse black pepper (from a pepper mill ideally) and a little salt, then turn the slow cooker to medium and add all ingredients, stirring to make sure the soup base seasons everything and the ingredients are mixed up. (The soup/gravy will increase as the meat starts to cook).
- Cook for 4 hours on medium then change to "keep warm" until ready to serve.
- We serve ours over rice but this can also be served with bread.
Why does browning cured pork matter before it ever touches a slow cooker? Direct heat triggers the Maillard reaction, developing savory compounds that raw simmering liquid cannot replicate on its own. Without that initial skillet pass, fat renders unevenly and proteins turn gray instead of developing deep color. Russet potatoes contain high amounts of starch, which acts as a natural thickening agent when subjected to long, gentle heat.
The Mechanics of Pre-Cooking Meats
Skillet browning accomplishes two distinct culinary goals simultaneously. First, it renders excess bacon fat so the final broth does not become overwhelmingly greasy. Second, searing sweet Italian sausage creates structural integrity, preventing the casings from bursting and shedding meat into the broth during four hours of simmering. Drain the browned meats thoroughly on paper towels before transferring them to the basin. Coarse black pepper released from a mill provides volatile aromatics that survive extended cooking times better than pre-ground powder.Managing Liquid Ratios and Starch
Two cups of water combined with a single beef bouillon cube forms a concentrated stock that absorbs rendered juices from the pork and beef. Russet potatoes absorb these surrounding flavors efficiently as their cells soften. Cut tubers into uniform chunks measuring one to one and a half inches to ensure even softening. Starch molecules swell gradually at medium heat, creating a cohesive gravy without requiring added flour or cornstarch. Adjust salt levels only at the very end of cooking because cured bacon and bouillon contribute significant sodium during the reduction process.
