Boudin is a sausage filled with a dressing prepared with pork, green onions and rice seasoned with few herbs and spices. The dressing is stuffed into a sausage casing and can be served hot or cold. Some unique variations also include crawfish, alligators and shrimp instead of pork. Boudin is a worldwide popular recipe. It is a simple and a versatile age old recipe prepared in the traditional way with unique and plentiful variations. A good recipe is presumed to have a crisp case with right proportion of meat, rice and other spices. It is served in different styles depending on the cuisine it belongs to.
Boudin recipes can be a part of the general breakfast or any other meals of the day or can be served in an exotic style in some grand get together parties. The Cajuns love boudin to be served along with a soft drink. The sausage can be made with or without blood along with the meat. It is usually prepared in charcuteries in France. There are special craftsmen or the boudiniers who make this versatile delicacy. Though the recipe can be easily made at home with many variations, some common boudin sausages are readily available in the market. They are available with or without the casing. The casing can also be removed for using the sausage in a particular dish. Boudin usually refers to the Boudin blanc originally of the French- Louisiana version.
Origin of Boudin
Boudin is primarily a delight of the Cajun countries particularly of the Southern Louisiana. French after being driven out by the British got their homes in Louisiana and brought their talent of the original boudin recipes in the new surroundings. They used a hog’s intestines which they filled with the spiced pork to make the delighting dish. Meanwhile Germans spread their unique sausage making creativity which influenced the traditional boudin cooking in the region. With the flourishing rice production in Louisiana by the nineteenth century, rice became an integral part of the filling of the sausage. Although the Cajun recipe is deeply linked to the French recipe but the two have their own unique texture and flavours.
Methods of Preparation of Boudin Recipes
Boudin Blanc– This is the world famous Cajun recipe which is often referred to as ‘boudin ’. It is made from pork, rice and onions but without blood. It is a white sausage. The steamed pork is blended with onion, rice and parsley. Later the dressing is stuffed in a sausage which is frozen. Unlike the Cajuns, the French alter the rice with milk which makes the recipe generally delicate. This dish is the readily available in the super markets.
Boudin noir- It is a blood sausage and is also known as Black pudding. The Dish is a popular boudin recipes prepared by thevarious cuisines from Asia to America. The blood of pig, cattle, sheep and goat can be used in the recipe. Sometimes the original rice can also be replaced with potato.
Boudin balls- It is an appetizer which is easy to be made. Egg and crackers are added to the general dressing of boudin .This is later rolled on bread crumbs and made to the shape of a ball. The balls are later fried in oil till brown.
Boudin sandwich– It is the unique and simple Cajun breakfast recipe. The filling of a typical boudin is smeared in between two slices of bread to make this tempting dish.
Crawfish boudin- It is a recipe of the Cajun cuisine which includes the crawfish meat with rice and is served with hot sauce, cold beer and crackers.
Boudin rouge- Traditionally a delicacy of Louisiana was prepared with the pig’s meat inclusive of the blood. This dish originated from the French boudin noir. Later these boudin recipes was discouraged with the growing awareness of good health.
Gator boudin- This is a typical dish of Louisiana cuisine made from alligator.
Boudin antillais- It is a famous boudin of Antilles where the traditional noir recipe is mixed with some Caribbean spices and chilies.
Boudin blanc de Rethel– It is a French version of the recipe popular in Rethal which prohibits the inclusion of flour and bread crumbs as filling.
Cuisines Commonly Making Boudin Dishes
Boudin is the delicacy of the Cajun Cuisines and also a part of Creole cooking style. Cajun is the cuisine of the French immigrants who settled in the Acadiana regions of U.S.A. popularly in Lafayette and Lake Charles in Louisiana. Some Boudin recipes are also connected to the Belgian, German, Louisiana and Catalan cuisine. In Louisiana the recipe is presumed to be braised with little oil. In New Orleans cuisine it is popular as an appetizer and is usually a fried delicacy. The recipe is famous in Rethal, France as Boudin blanc de Rethal. The French- Belgian version of the recipe usually includes grilling of the recipe where milk is used predominantly. In U.S.A. a boudin usually refers to Boudin Blanc.
Preferable Methods of Cooking Boudin
As there are many mouthwatering boudin recipes, there are numerous styles of cooking the same. Most common method includes steaming the pork and blending with rice and other spices. The stuffed sausage is refrigerated or frozen. The dish can also be served hot. It can be wrapped in a thin plastic and get it cooked in a microwave. Alternatively the sausage can be wrapped in an aluminum foil and sautéed, grilled or baked in an oven. Some delighting types of boudin like the boudin balls include deep frying. The skin being very delicate carefulness is required to avoid its breakage. The boudin recipes can also be boiled. In that case little salt needs to be added to the water.
Nutritive Value of Boudin Recipes
Boudin has some interesting nutritional facts. The inclusion of pork makes it rich in calories. There is a considerable amount of fat and carbohydrate supplemented in the recipe mostly due to the presence of rice as the prime ingredient. Some recipes are rich in sodium too. With the growing awareness the traditional boudin rouge is being discouraged due to the inclusion of the pig’s blood in the boudin recipes.