My Irish grandmother swears by this hearty comfort meal for chilly March nights. It is cheap, filling, and tastes like home.

Variations & Tips
To keep the spirit of a thrifty Irish coddle, feel free to adapt this based on what you have. If you can’t find traditional Irish bangers, use any mild, high-quality pork sausage; avoid strongly flavored Italian or smoked varieties, which can overpower the simple broth. For a slightly lighter version, use turkey sausages and leaner bacon, or reduce the bacon to 4 ounces. You can also stretch the meal for more people by adding an extra potato or a handful of sliced carrots between the potato and onion layers; just be sure your slow cooker isn’t filled past about two-thirds full and add an extra 1/2 cup of broth if needed. For a deeper, pub-style flavor, deglaze the sausage-and-bacon skillet with 1/2 cup of the broth (or a splash of stout beer if you don’t mind going beyond five ingredients) and scrape up the browned bits before pouring it into the slow cooker. If you prefer a thicker, stew-like consistency, lightly mash a few potato pieces into the broth at the end of cooking. Leftovers reheat very well on the stovetop or in the microwave, and like many simple, slow-cooked dishes, the flavors often improve by the next day.