It’s time to start off the new year with tasty adventure and if you are fortunate enough to live in Louisiana or are planning a trip here, the bayou backroads are a source of delicious discovery. The food culture abounds along these rural highways and byways that offer up a treasure trove of good eating. There’s even a Louisiana Culinary Trails website and downloadable app to help you find what you hunger for. But, one irresistible culinary prize you will find linking all four corners of the state–especially here in Acadiana–is Cajun boudin.
Tasty links of fresh steamed Cajun boudin is a basic Cajun recipe seen throughout Acadiana.. (All photos credit: George Graham)
Arguments abound on the source of the best Cajun boudin in Acadiana. The Louisiana state legislature almost came to a screeching halt a few years back as the towns of Broussard and Scott fought over who should be named The Boudin Capital. Even marriages have been known to break up over such a quandary. There are so many options, so many differing styles that it is near impossible to answer the question.
Boudin (boo-dan) blanc is a curious blend of herbs and seasonings with bits of pork and liver included. All combined, put through a grinder, mixed with long-grain Louisiana white rice, and stuffed into a pig’s intestine casing. The good stuff, when you can find it, is boudin noir – pig’s blood added, but that’s for a different discussion.
Boudin blanc stops short of becoming a true smokehouse sausage because it is steamed rather than smoked. The character of Cajun boudin is its moistness–its squeezability. Eating boudin is akin to squeezing a tube of toothpaste, only directly into your waiting mouth. It is the essence of Cajun life and is sold in near about every roadside grocery, convenience store or gas station around.
There is even an official Cajun Boudin Trail pinpointing the location of most every stop along the roads selling the stuff. Robert Carriker has a PhD in Boudin–well, actually history–and he heads up the project as well as the history department at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. Dr. Carriker wrote the book on Cajun boudin. He has not only mapped out the spicy spots on the trail peppered throughout South Louisiana, but the site has reviewed every single one of them at the Boudin Link. I urge you to download a map, hit the trail and join the debate.
Who has the best Cajun boudin? The debate rages on.
Styles differ, and there are certain well-known specialty houses that have become meccas for the true Cajun boudin aficionado. Billeaud’s, Don’s, Best Stop, Kartchner’s, Billy’s, Poche’s, Bourque’s, Johnson’s Boucaniere’s — these are just a few of the A+ rated versions of boudin that provoke endless debate. “This boudin is too ricey…this one’s too spicy…ouch, this boudin is too livery…this one’s too bland”–the dispute rages on. I have a clear winning solution that if adopted (and it won’t) will end this silly babbling battle over Cajun boudin.
They’re all good.
Each has a nuance of flavor and taste profile all its own. It’s like asking which is the better wine–California Cab or Oregon Pinot?
It’s all good.
But, that’s too easy. And to broker an end to that discussion would be a diplomatic impossibility and, well, clearly wrong. So, the debate rages on, and as you travel the Cajun boudin trail in search of the perfect link, it’s not hard to see who the real winner is.
Boudin and beer–A Cajun recipe for a light lunch. Doesn’t get any better.
So, before you embark on your boudin-making adventure, take a look at this in-depth video produced by the guys at MUNCHIES. It’s an excellent tutorial on all things boudin with up close interviews and footage of a Cajun boucherie. (Note: Viewer discretion at 13:27 for a voice-over expletive.)
- 1 (4-pound) pork shoulder
- Water, for braising and boiling
- 1 pound pork liver
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 2 cups cooked Louisiana long-grain white rice, such as Supreme
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 4 tablespoons Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup diced green onion tops
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Dash of hot sauce
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a heavy pot with tight-fitting lid, add the pork roast and fill the pot with water to a depth of 4 inches. Cover, place in the hot oven and braise the pork roast for 2 hours or until falling apart. Remove the pork from the pot reserving the cooking liquid.
- In a pot with water over high heat, add the liver and boil until well done, about 10 minutes. Remove the liver and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the liquid and let cook for 2 minutes. Strain the onions and reserve.
- In a rice cooker, make the rice following the package directions and keep warm until ready to use.
- In a food processor pulse the meat and liver along with the onions and garlic until it reaches a smooth, yet chunky consistency. Be careful not to over process to a pasty, mushy stage.
- Incorporate the cooked rice in a ratio of 80% meat mixture to 20% rice. Gradually add some of the cooking liquid until the mixture is moist. Add the Cajun seasoning, cayenne, and green onions. Add salt, black pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Evenly incorporate ingredients together.
- Stuff the mixture into sausage casings using a sausage stuffer.
- Poach the stuffed boudin links in a large pot of simmering (not boiling) water (175ºF) for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
- To keep the boudin warm without drying out, I suggest wrapping it tightly in aluminum foil and place in a slow cooker set to warm with a half-inch of water in the bottom.
- Optionally, you can form the bulk boudin into patties. If your boudin is not in a casing, then first wrap it in plastic before adding to the slow cooker.
- Boudin links should be eaten hot with an ice-cold beer and saltine crackers. Boudin balls can be rolled in crackers and fried. And boudin patties — one of my favorites — are perfect as a base for fried eggs at breakfast. Any way you try it, boudin is perfectly delicious.
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Like y’all comments :Ayeeee they all good .I do have one comment Billy’s needs to come down on their prices and make the Boudin bigger like The Best stop my favorite, Happy eating
Best Stop is the best.
I just came back from spending Christmas with my family in Southwest Louisiana and I again asked for Boudin. I love this stuff! I asked for a recipe for it and this looks almost exactly like what my nieces husband gave me. I’m going to try it soon. Anybody reading this that isn’t familiar with Boudin – you are missing a huge treat! This is the best stuff ever. Thanks for this recipe. You have some great hints for making it. Can’t wait to try making my own.
Hey Jane – You are correct: Boudin is an undiscovered Cajun delicacy and with the first bite, it will win you over with its intense flavor. All the best.
George,
Where are you getting your pork liver? I’m from Crowley but have been in Southeast La. Some time now and you can’t get good boudin this way. I figure the next best thing is to cook it myself…
Hey Chris – You can buy pork liver at Rouses Market or from most any meat market. All the best.
Most of those asian grocery stores carry it.
It is too bad a Christian is not able to watch the video on this link. Why is it necessary for these men to use foul mouthed language?
Patricia – My apologies to you and thanks for the heads up. I have added a note as per: (Note: Viewer discretion at 13:27 for a voice-over expletive.)
George,
I was wondering if the only difference between this recipe and a recipe for boudin noir would be the addition of fresh pork blood? And if so, how much would be an appropriate amount to add?
Thanks in advance and I’m really looking forward to enjoying some boudin soon thanks to your recipe.
Danny-
Yes, you are correct, but I have never made boudin noir and would not be able to give you an educated direction. I urge you to search online or reach out to a Louisiana boudin artisan if you live in the area.
All the best.
I’m a native Creole born in Lafayette LA. I remember helpin’ my grandma (aka mommie)(aka Petite French for little) make dat big huge cast iron pot ya use outside unda a wood burnin’ fire. We had two of em. One for the boudin, and the other for the hog crakalin and sliced sweet potatoes. We use a big boat oar to stir, and a big round spatula to fish out da potatoes. It was how I learned to make boudoir as a kid. THANKS MOMMIE. We would kill the biggest hog we had and catch the blood to make the boudin noir. You have to heat dat blood a lil bit, not too much, and add it to dat boudin mixture. Hold back on some of the water, ok? HAPPY EATS Y’ALL!
Can you freeze after stuffing or after simmering (ready to eat)? Sounds like the best recipe out there! I stumbled upon it at a bar when visiting New Orleans at the end of the St. Charles trolley.
Hey Cindi- Yes, boudin can be frozen in links (or bulk) and kept for up to 6 months. To serve, thaw the links in the refrigerator overnight and once thawed completely, steam gently until heated through (I use a slow cooker or steaming basket in a pot over gently simmering water). All the best.
Is it 6 months vacuum sealed? We’re processing this hog all boudin about 30lbs.
Heather- Ideally, you would vacuum seal the boudin to keep air out and reduce the risk of freezer burn. All the best.
I actually microwave my boudin that I buy in Scott, Louisiana. I nuke it for 1 to 2 minutes. There’s no need to go through all the trouble of steaming the stuff or slow cooking. It all depends on the power of your microwave. Start at 1 minute and add 30 seconds until you figure the right amount of time. Especially if you just want 1 piece! Just cover it in case it explodes, you don’t want to tick off your wife making a mess in her microwave!
Please tell me this is a joke. I hope you don’t really microwave boudin. The boudin you buy is likely already boiled. At least cook it on the grill or on the stove top.
If you’re in a rush, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave to your liking…almost the same as poached. Nothing beats the grill/smoked. Humbly opinionated…
Hello George, if you’re not stuffing the boudin mixture into casings and making patties instead, do you need to poach the patties or what do you recommend for step 8: Poach the stuffed boudin links in a large pot of simmering (not boiling) water (175ºF) for 10 to 12 minutes.
Hey Chris- The thing about boudin is that all of the ingredients are fully cooked when it is assembled either as links in casings or formed in bulk patties. The steaming/simmering is to bring it all together and heat through forming a sturdier mixture. If you are not inserting the boudin into casings, then I recommend forming into a ball or patty and tightly wrapping in plastic wrap. Then, fill a slow cooker with about a half-inch of water and bring to a simmer. I like to add some crumpled-up aluminum foil to the bottom of the cooker and then rest my plastic-wrapped boudin patties on top to keep warm until serving. All the best.
Great recipe! Im a Creole 7th ward native, but grew up in Carencro, La. Y’all ought to try boudin on da grill smoked with pecan wood until da casing gets crispy…..OMG! My Parain would always make it when we had a crawfish boil….gotta try it.
Thanks Lloyd for a great idea. Next time I fire up my grill, I will try your pecan wood smoke recommendation for boudin. All the best.
That’s how we did ours down in New Iberia/Franklin/Centerville, (smoked boudin is best) when we’d have a crawfish boil or fish fry. This recipe is the closest thing to what I learned in Agriculture class in St. Mary Parish, thanks to my teacher Mr. Mike Payton.
Grilling it till the casing gets crispy is my favorite way to eat it.
I lived in Opelousas/Ville Platte area for a while. Boudin was an instant favorite of mine. My boss would bring us some about mid-morning once or twice a week. There’s a one-stop in between those two towns I had to pass everyday. So I stopped in and bought some bulk boudin they had. It was frozen so I was told to grill it. WOW! Its even more amazing grilled (wood not LPG). Of course, there are so many other Cajun dishes I absolutely love, but boudin has that can-eat-anytime-anywhere feeling to it.
Hey Joseph- Perfect description of your boudin experience, and why it has become a treasured dish of our Cajun food culture. Thanks.
Is this a recipe for Billy”s boudin? I live in west Texas now, and I can’t find stuff like that.
Hey Jay- This is my recipe for boudin, which I believe is a tasty starting point for discovering all the different versions there are in South Louisiana. And you are correct: Billy’s has one of the tastiest, top-rated boudins on the market. And don’t miss their boudin balls stuffed with pepper jack cheese. All the best.
My grandmother introduced me to boudin when I was small. We are not Louisiana-born people, but are related. Took one bite, and i have been an enthusiast ever since.
Are the 2 cups of rice, cooked or uncooked in order to achieve a ratio of 80% meat to 20% rice? I made this recipe once and ended up having to cook more rice, and still was not sure if I had the right ratio. It was very good.
Hey Rod- The rice is cooked. Your personal rice ratio is subjective; some folks like it meaty, some like it ricey. Make a couple of different batches and let your family help you decide which way to go. All the best.
We’re going to try your recipe for boudin next weekend. I have a question about the casings. I’ve been making homemade “pan” sausage for years, but this will be my first attempt at anything with a casing. How do you “tie off” (or seal) individual links of boudin?
Carol- There is an informative visual for the technique of creating links of boudin on this YouTube Video. I hope you find this helpful. All the best.
Thank you! That did help.
Honestly, a really solid recipe. I browned my onions and garlic in a pot, before I added it to the mix, instead of boiling with the liver. Came out amazing!
Greetings! I am of Hungarian descent, and my grandmother made two types of traditional sausage. One called Hurka is very similar–rice base, onions, hog liver. She also used meat from a hog’s head. I tried my hand at it and was a little too heavy on the liver. When I am asked what it tastes like, I always refer to Popeyes Cajun rice as similar. Appreciate your recipe.
Al- Thanks for the perspective. Louisiana is a melting pot of culinary influences, and it is nice to know that bold boudin flavors are seen in your culture, as well. Keep the comments coming.
Yep, there was a Hungarian settlement in Albany, Louisiana. I wondered if they had any influence on boudin.
Al- Boudin is a traditional French technique that still exists today in France, although the similarities to Cajun boudin are hard to see. I once visited Paris and searched for boudin, and the one I found was boudin noir made with the pig’s blood which is still seen in Cajun country today. All the best.
I ran across your recipe today, and I’m going to try it this weekend. Originally from Eunice, I live in Nephi, Utah, and I’ve brought boudin back with me and these people can’t get enough. I’ve been trying different recipes but its never quite what I want. Can this recipe be used for boudin balls? I still listen to KBON radio every Saturday morning just like my daddy did. Either way, I’ll let you know how it comes out. Thanks for posting.
Hey Bobby- Here’s the deal: My recipe is a basic tutorial on how to make boudin, but you should make your boudin to your taste. Adjustments in the rice ratio, liver, spices, etc will help define the tastiest boudin to your taste. And yes, this recipe, as well as any boudin recipe, should make very tasty boudin balls. All the best.
I can’t find pork liver anywhere. Can I use chicken liver or beef liver?
Going to try this recipe tomorrow.
Gary- Here in Louisiana, I see pork liver in many supermarkets. And only pork liver is acceptable in a true Cajun boudin. However, there are some boudin cooks who leave it out altogether. Rather than substituting another type of liver, I recommend you leave it out. Let us know how it turns out.
Ok, thanks.
Hi! I live in Beaumont, TX, and boudin is huge here, too, but the best was in Iowa, LA. I forget the name of the place; it was kind of a cross between a rundown truck stop and smokehouse, but the boudin was INCREDIBLE! I have yet to run across any that compares.
Hey Heidi- There are so many great boudin spots in the unlikeliest places. It’s fun to drive the boudin trail and taste the many different versions of this Cajun delicacy. Iowa, LA is the home of my favorite smoked sausage, Rabideaux. Be sure to pull off the interstate and pick up some for your next gumbo. All the best.
You’ve got some of the best commercial boudin made right there in Beaumont. Try Zummo’s. I guarantee you’ll like it. Also sold in some Walmarts in south Louisiana.
Hebert’s is my favorite. I can’t believe I haven’t seen it mentioned in the comments. Zummos is my least favorite. I am in Arkansas and every time I am near Opelousas, Lafayette, Alexandria or anywhere down there, I always try several different kinds but Hebert’s is still my favorite. I just bought 8 pounds of LeBlanc’s (St Amant, LA) in 4 different varieties and we are having a boudin tasting tomorrow. I can’t wait!
Just came back from a vacation in Texas, and my niece suggested a Cajun restaurant in Crowley, TX called Boo Rays. They had boudin on the appetizer menu. I ordered it, everyone sampled, and even my brother-in-law had seconds. I highly recommend them if your in the DFW area.
How do you make it stick together to fry boudin balls?
Hey Stephen- Remove the boudin from the casing and refrigerate. Once chilled, the rice tends to be sticky and will easily hold together as you roll it into a ball. Billy’s Boudin in Scott, Louisiana is famous for their pepper-jack cheese boudin balls, so try encasing your boudin around a cube of your favorite cheese. Once fried golden brown, the cheese oozes out in every bite. Thanks for a great question.
I don’t like the use of the food processor instead of a grinder to make boudin! Boudin should be shredded or chunky not like a potted meat, and that’s what a food processor will do to the meat. Also an 80% meat to rice is rather rich, most recipes are closer to 50/50, 60/40…
Thanks for the info on the Boudin Trail and book. I really like info on south Louisiana and FOOD!!!
Mr. Mike
Boudin? One can’t beat the boudin at T-Boy’s near Mamou. My wife, a Fontenot, and I have visited a dozen or so of the “so called” best places to eat boudin in South Louisiana and still stick with T-Boy’s. Since we moved from Natchitoches to Texas, we often drive back to Mamou to purchase 30 pounds of boudin in Mamou. Yep, we’ve tried the Mowata boudin, and “Best Stop,” and “Billy’s,” and many more. If it’s traditional boudin, it must use pork liver.
Hey Nola – You said a mouthful, and T-Boy’s is one of my favorites, as well. Paul “T-Boy” Berzas produces an award-winning version of traditional Cajun boudin, and one of his secrets is that he raises and butchers his own pigs. It is true farm-to-table, artisan-made boudin. Thanks for the comment.
Ville Platte was where I tried boudin for the first time; it tastes like my granny’s stuffed bell peppers! Well, she was from Nawleans!
Johnson’s in Lafayette is the best in my opinion. I thought Best Stop in Scott was like coarse-chopped pork, not enough liver. Juneau’s in Mansura is my second favorite, the short time I was in Louisiana working, I spent a great deal of time driving and eating boudin. Didn’t hit as many places as I’d have liked but Johnson’s Boucaniere is absolutely my favorite.
Hey James- Lots of great boudin stops in Cajun country, but I will agree that Johnson’s Boucaniere is on the short-list of the best. Thanks for the comment.
I know boudin is sometimes made with seafood so I took a gamble. It needs liver so….I used whitefish livers and covered both bases. Whitefish livers are a delicacy and near impossible to find unless you live near Lake Superior. I tell you what, it totally worked and is flat out amazing. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hey Jay- Your creative thought process is the way great, new recipes are born. All the best.
Where can you buy pork casings ?
Toby- Here in Cajun country, most any good butcher shop will sell them. They are sold online, also. Best wishes.
I lived in Lafayette for 12 years and fell in love with Cajun food. Live in WV now and want some of my family to experience the awesome flavors from Acadiana. So glad I found this site and look forward to many a good family meals Cajun style.
Hey Joe- You are part of a vast “Cajun Culinary Army” of Louisianans that continue to carry on the traditions of Cajun cooking in the rest of the country. It is because of your love of our heritage and foodways that people across the world come to know all about it. Be sure to pick up a jar of our Rox’s Roux and give your friends a taste of a deep, dark Cajun gumbo. All the best.
When you say 80% meat and 20% rice is that by weight or volume?
Bernie-
Good question, and the answer is “volume.” All the best.