Boudin (Festival)

Down in Louisiana, boudin is more than a sausage. It’s a way of life.

You’ll find it at every festival, gas station, and family gathering from Lafayette to Lake Charles. This recipe gives you the real thing at home.

Pork and liver simmer until tender, then get ground and mixed back into the seasoned stock with onions, green onions, parsley, celery flakes, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. The liquid cooks down until most of it is gone, then cooked rice folds in to soak up every last bit of flavor.

Stuff the mixture into natural sausage casings, prick them a few times, and simmer in water for 12 minutes.

The result is a soft, savory, slightly spicy sausage with a rice filling that’s pure Cajun country comfort.

Variations

• Boudin Balls: Skip the casings. Roll the filling into balls, bread them, and deep-fry until golden and crunchy.
• Spicier: Add a diced jalapeño or increase the red pepper flakes for more Louisiana heat.

Kitchen Tips

• The liver gives boudin its distinctive flavor. Don’t skip it, but a small amount goes a long way. An eighth of a pound is plenty here.
• Cook the stock down until most of the water has evaporated before adding the rice. Wet filling makes for soggy, hard-to-stuff boudin.
• Prick the casings 3 to 4 times before simmering. This lets steam escape and prevents them from bursting.