Every time I have Boudin it feels like a slice of home. I remember stopping for a link or two to warm up after a cold morning in the duck blind. I also recall many of cool fall afternoons with Boudin and cold beer while tailgating at Tiger Stadium. LSU even has a chant that references Boudin. This amazing sausage is somewhat of a Cajun superfood, it’s a complete meal in a tube.
As I have traveled and lived in various states around the country and I would occasionally come across a place selling boudin. In finding these places my initial excitement would quickly turn to disappointment. Often times the sausage was poorly executed. The most common mistake I found was, it appeared that someone was making andouille and would throw in rice at the end, almost as an afterthought. My disappointment has turned into drive. With countless hours of research and several attempts to recreate the flavors and texture I remember; this is the recipe I have been most successful with. I was even confident enough with this recipe to overnight a batch to some lifelong boudin experts…My Parents. Try it for yourself. Make a batch and make some memories.
We use RecTec pellet smokers/grills for all of our outdoor cooking and all of our wild game is processed using Made With Meat equipment.
Recipe by Chef Lance Lewis
Ingredients:
- 4lb Wild Hog Shoulder
- 1lb pork liver
- 2 large yellow onions (onion diced 1 onion rough chopped into quarters)
- 7 stalks of celery (3 stalks diced 4 stalks rough cut into 1/3rd)
- 1 head of garlic (6 cloves minced the remainder crushed
- 1.5 Cup green onion finely chopped (save bottoms/root end to add to Braise
- 2 bay leaf
- ½ cup Cajun seasoning (recipe provided on fromfieldtotable.com) or your favorite commercial made brand.
- 1TBSP cayenne pepper
- 2 Cups Long Grain White Rice (Louisiana Supreme recommended)
Method:
Braise:
- Using ¼ cup of Cajun seasoning rub outside of hog shoulder. Preheat oven to 375
- In large pot place rough cut onion and celery, crushed garlic, green onion bottoms and bay leaf. Now place seasoned hog shoulder in pot and fill with water until shoulder is completely submerged cover and place in oven.
- Allow shoulders to braise until they are fall off the bone tender. This should take approximately 2.5 hours
- Once done remove shoulder from braising liquid and set aside and allow to cool.
- While shoulder is cooling strain braising liquid to remove the vegetable used while cooking the hog shoulders. This can be done by simply removing large the large bits with a large spoon.
- Return pot with strained liquid to stove top and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering poach pork liver in liquid. This step should take 3 to 5 minutes.
- Once liver is removed and liquid is simmering add diced yellow onion and celery allow to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions become translucent. Once done remove and set aside.
- Save braising liquid, it will be used later.
- When making Boudin I have had better success with rice made in advance. The rice seems to hold up better while mixing and gives a better texture
- The ratio of rice/meat you are going for is 1 cup of cooked rice to 1lb of meat.
Assembly:
- Debone and break up shoulders by hand. Run through grinder with the poached liver using only the stuffer die. If your grinder does not have a stuffer die, chop by hand and quickly pulse in food processor adding just a touch of the braising liquid.
- Once shoulders and liver are ground, place in large bowl/tub or meat mixer
- Add cooked rice, onions, celery and remaining ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Add braising liquid as needed. The texture should just stick you your hand
- Once you have the desired texture, taste the mix and adjust seasoning to desired level of spice.
- Stuff into all-natural pork casing. Links should be between 10 and 12 inches long and weigh approximately 8 ounces.
Chef Tips:
- Traditionally Boudin is steamed (do not boil) for at least 45 minutes and eaten hot right from the casing or served on saltines with a cold beer.
- Other methods to cook boudin are smoked, chilled and rolled into balls and breaded in cracker crumb than fried until golden brown or simply pan fried and served for breakfast like a hash.
