Boudin
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A lot like hogs head cheese, and come to think about it a lot of southern cuisine, Boudin is a food that makes first timers nervous. Aside from its appearance, which can be less than appealing, boudin has a fairly normal list of ingredients. The ingredients in boudin are run of the mill: pork, rice, seasonings, and well…liver. Although some may take pause at the mention of liver, I can assure you I use the minimum amount in my recipe. More on that later.
Boudin’s origins can be traced to Europe, France, Romania, and Germany. All of which have similar types of sausages. Boudin eventually made its way across the Atlantic to Louisiana where it became (like hogs head cheese) a great way to stretch the meat taken from a pig during a boucherie. (Long story short, boucheries were/are the day in Cajun culture when the pig was ready for processing so everyone got together and worked quickly so the meat wouldn’t spoil). When you grow and/or raise something for you and your family’s consumption, out of respect and necessity, you never waste anything. Once the popular cuts of meat are distributed and utilized you are left with the leftovers. Nothing gross or out of the ordinary, just scraps with no other use. Simply mix these scraps with rice and some veggies and you have a very unique treat. Drives through South Louisiana are often (and sometimes not often enough) punctuated by stops at little out of the way gas stations (the absolute best places to eat boudin).
Boudin is actually a very simple sausage to make. Stuffing the cooked sausage into casings can be on the difficult side without the proper experience and equipment, which is why I usually just roll it into boudin balls (recipe to come later) or wrap it into an egg roll wrapper with your favorite cheese and deep fry away. Healthy? Hell no, but that is hardly the name of the game today. Boudin freezes very well, so just fill your ziplock bags and keep it for a rainy day. Also worth mentioning are the many varieties of both flora and fauna with perfect natural cavities that just beg to be stuffed with boudin on the way to the smoker or oven (chicken and peppers to name two). Even those without the aforementioned natural cavities can always have manmade voids added with a sharp paring knife so as to not be left out of the stuffing party. Pork chops, fish, and tomatoes leap to mind.
Although fairly simple in both ingredients and effort, the one thing boudin does require is time. It’s definitely a great dish for a rainy weekend. Especially if the end game is boudin balls. For the main protein, the best cut is pork shoulder. It has the right combo of meat and fat that is just right for boudin. Most authentic recipes call for pork liver. Outside of certain Louisiana grocery stores this can be difficult to find. So here is my handy and helpful animal liver hierarchy for boudin:
1.Pork
2. Calf
3. Beef
4. Chicken
To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t tell the difference which liver is used. So if you can find pork liver, use it. If not, don’t sweat it. Most recipes call for the liver to be chopped. I find it’s better if you blend it and make a kind of raw pate. Discard any solid pieces leftover and add it to the marinade.
The next special ingredient note is on peppers. If you can’t find the peppers on the ingredient list feel free to substitute. However, it’s probably wise to consult an online list of peppers and their place on the Scoville scale of heat. You don’t want to substitute a habanero for a fresno, for example.
As with salt, it’s always better to err on the side of caution when adding to the pot. If the dish isn’t up to par with salt and spice at the end you can always add. It is however, way more complicated to take away. As in, darn near impossible. And I think that is it as far as special notes and mindless commentary. So enjoy this boudin and stuff something nice.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder chopped into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 lb pork liver blended
- 1 vidalia onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 jalapeños diced
- 2 fresno peppers diced
- 1 medium bell pepper diced
- 1 poblano pepper diced
- 7 cloves of garlic diced
- 3 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 5 cups minimum reserved liquid
Instructions
Put all ingredients except rice, parsley, green onions, and reserved liquid in a large bowl. Toss well to combine. Cover well with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to let marinate overnight.
The next day put the pork and vegetables in a stockpot and fill with enough water to cover the pork. Bring to a boil then simmer.
When the meat is tender, strain everything making sure to reserve the liquid.
Put the pork and veggies in a food processor and puree until you have a combo of lightly pureed pork and some small pieces. This, in my opinion, gives the boudin a nice, rustic look.
Put pork in a big bowl and add the green onion and parsley. Stir well.
Then, add the cooked rice one cup at a time until you reach the ratio you like. I personally like a little more meat than rice but there is no right way. (You can, for additional flavor, cook rice in reserved liquid. Although highly recommended, this is optional).
After the rice, stir in the reserved liquid one cup at a time allowing the meat and rice to absorb the liquid. (You may not use all 5 cups. When liquid begins to settle at the bottom, you have added enough).
Once cooled sufficiently, put in the fridge and stir well after 30 minutes. After an hour or so, taste your boudin and check the salt/spices. If you like a spicier/saltier boudin add a little more salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Either use right away or let cool completely and put in ziplock bags to freeze.
