It may be possible to have a bad meal in Louisiana, but it hasn’t happened to me yet. Everything from shrimp out of the back of a van to the off-the-track little diners and restaurants to the palaces of New Orleans to mom-and-pop boucheries in Cajun Country, Louisiana is an eater’s paradise. Cajun boudin is not the least among the state’s culinary glories.
Cajun boudin (boo-dan) is unlike French boudin, which is a more general term for sausages there. Cajun boudin is more like a meat stuffing packed into a hog casing and poached, grilled or smoked.
Some people eat it by squeezing out the good stuff from the casing — sometimes onto a cracker (Saltines appear to be the general cracker of choice), squirting some mustard on it and sitting on the back of your tailgate munching away and pondering the mysteries of life and sausages. Many others skip the crackers and just eat boudin like a meaty pop-up popsicle.
Boudin is a meal in a bite: Meat, fat, carbs from the rice, lots of vegetables and plenty of spice. Like dirty rice in a casing. It’s Cajun fast food.
If you are a hunter or an angler, boudin is a dish you need to know about, because Cajun boudin can (and is) made from pretty much anything. Pork yes, but also duck (as I did in this version), venison, rabbit, alligator, chicken, crawfish, shrimp, crabs, nutria, quail, turkey… you get the point.
And since you grind everything, it’s a fantastic way to use the wobbly bits like livers, gizzards and hearts. You won’t really notice they’re in the boudin, and you get the satisfaction of a) not wasting parts of the animals you’ve hunted, and b) telling your offal-hating friends what they just ate — after they’ve eaten seconds. Or thirds.
How do you make this wondrous sausage?
I honestly had no idea until I got a chance to tour Cajun Country as the guest of the folks from Tabasco a few years ago. Among other things, they introduced me to Legnon’s Boucherie in New Iberia. Ted Legnon is famous both for his cracklins’ and his boudin, but I honestly can only eat a few crackin’s at any one time. I can eat inordinate amounts of boudin, so I focused my attention to that.
Boudin is a cooked sausage, in that everything is cooked before it’s ground up and stuffed into a casing. They’re sold in long links that are often tied into a ring and either poached and served or smoked to be eaten on the go. It’s a sloppy mixture that is only loosely stuffed into the casings — very unlike the tight stuffing you do with German sausages to get that characteristic knacken or snap.
Ratios of meat to rice vary; Legnon’s goes for a 1:1 ratio. My recipe is a little more meat-heavy.
The sausage can be mild or very spicy, with lots of vegetables (usually the “trinity” of onions, celery and green peppers) or few, red with paprika or just a humble gray. The point is that everyone makes boudin differently, and I’d be insane to claim that my recipe is definitive.
But I did learn from Legnon’s and I’ve eaten an awful lot of boudin, so I can tell you that my boudin is at least in the ballpark, even if it’s different from how your grandma or your local boucherie makes it.
If your boudin is different, how so? I’d be interested in hearing your variations.
Cajun Boudin Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds duck, venison, beef, pork, whatever
- 1/2 pounds liver
- 1/2 pound pork fat
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 poblano or green bell peppers, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Instacure No. 1 (optional)
- 3 to 5 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, or see below
- 2 cups cooked white rice (long-grain is best)
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
- Hog casings
Instructions
- Chop the meats, liver and fat into chunks that will fit in the grinder. Mix the meats, liver and fat with the onion, celery, poblano peppers and garlic, then the salt, curing salt (if using) and either the Cajun seasonings or the spice mix you made from this recipe. Put it all in a lidded container and set in the fridge at least an hour, and up to a day.
- Put the contents of the container into a large pot and pour in enough water to cover everything by an inch or two. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until everything is tender, at least 90 minutes and up to 3 hours. Strain the cooking liquid (you'll need it later) and spread the meat, fat and veggies out on a sheet pan to cool.
- When everything is cool enough to handle, grind it through the coarse die (6.5 mm) on your grinder. You can also hand chop everything.
- Put your meat mix into a large bowl and add the cooked rice, parsley and green onions. Mix well, and add up to 4 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Mix this for 3 to 5 minutes so you make a more cohesive mixture to stuff into a casing. You now have boudin.
- You can just shape the mixture into balls and fry them (they're awesome), or use your boudin as stuffing for something else, like a turkey. Or you can case it. Stuff the boudin into hog casings, and while you're doing it, get a large pot of salted water hot -- not simmering, just steaming. You want the water to be about 165ºF to 170ºF. Poach the links for 10 minutes, then serve. If you are not serving them right away, no need to poach the links yet.
- Boudin does not keep well, so eat it all within a couple days. It does freeze reasonably well, however.
Notes
Nutrition
HOMEMADE CAJUN SEASONING
Make this if you can’t find store-bought Cajun seasoning. It’s a little different from my normal spice mix, but it’s reflective of what you often find in boudin. If you want a redder sausage, increase the paprika. If you want it less spicy, reduce the cayenne.
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Homemade Sausage Recipes
Find dozens more recipes for fresh sausages, from andouille to brats, Italian to kielbasa and more, here on Hunter Angler Gardener Cook!
Bill: I just made a triple batch. I added the bay leaves during the cooking portion of the process.
You never told us when to use the bay leaf
is it okay to use beef liver?
Kim: Yes it is.
Boudin is made from the leavings after butchering a hog, why would you use chicken livers.
David: Because boudin is made from all sorts of things, not just the leavings after butchering a hog.
So I’m from southeast Texas and I love boudain but I never saw anyone make it… it would just magically appear… and I just got a meat grinder and I’ve been dying to do this.. I tried another recipe before I got the grinder and it used chicken livers. I’m not sure if it’s possible to overdo it on the liver but the mixture was inedible and I’m not picky. Before I tried out this recipe I was wondering if you had any insight? Other tips?
I’ve been looking for a boudin recipe to try out, for some time now. I ‘ve made kielbasa and andoui, chorieso, and brats, multiple breakfast sausages. But no boudin yet!
I’m from Louisiana so I know I know what good boudin tastes like by far one of my favorite recipes to make.
If I were to use a pre mixed cajun seasoning blend, should I scale down the 4T of salt? Considering pre mixed spice blends have salt in them. I notice your spice blend doesn’t contain any salt.
Dakota: Absolutely. I might even cut it back to 1 tablespoon of salt in that case.
Last deer season, I was inspired by the boudin style of sausage and created what I call “stuffed pepper sausage”. I basically make a stuffed pepper meat mixture with the onions, garlic, green peppers and spices added in with cooked rice. Stuff this in casings, then cook in some stewed tomatoes from the garden, and it’s a great meal! I wonder if anyone else has had similar ideas? Thanks!
Out of curiosity if one were to make a double batch should the curing salt be scaled accordingly? I ask this because everyone or manufacturer seems to have a different answer or ratio for using #1 salt. Each answer isn’t exactly clear cut it appears it depends on if it’s a brine, sausage or something else. I’m new to this and it’s delicious stuff. I’ve made several single batches but for the sake of using all the casings I want to do a bigger batch possibly quadrupling this recipe. Allows me to use all my random cuts of game left over.
Rahn: Yes, you’d scale everything up.
Me and My Wife just had my Father In law FedEx our Meat Grinder from Southeast Texas to North Carolina to show my Co-Workers a LiL Coon-Ass Cuisine!!!
how long do you smoke it? Would you still poach or just smoke it and the same for if you are going to grill do you skip the poaching?
Lupe: I’d just smoke it, no poaching. How long? Up to you. I’d go 2 hours.
How do I make it into boudin balls to fry?Judy
Jusy: Don’t case the boudin. Mix in a few beaten eggs and roll into balls, coat in flour and/or breadcrumbs, then deep fry until golden. There’s a full recipe in my venison cookbook Buck, Buck, Moose: https://www.amazon.com/Buck-Moose-Techniques-Antelope-Antlered/dp/099694480X/ref=as_at/?creativeASIN=099694480X&linkCode=w61&imprToken=4xm1is1E9mUfOpgKTxHPEw&slotNum=2&s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447983531&sr=1-3
I’ve had equal success cooking the rice and add the uncooked meats when I stuff them. I do poach sausage afterward and that method it freezes nicely. But as you say there are a million different ways…. and all are tasty. Hank , my wife bought Metoyer buck buck moose book and enjoyed it a bunch. I a northern Illinois guy , but know my way around the bayou.
In addition to Hank’s comments, I think the instacure adds a nice little note to the flavor that many will appreciate. Go with it unless you’re allergic to something in it. Also if you use a cup or so of a dry white wine in your liquids, you’ll find a way to tweak some flavors. Sausage is a living experiment in gustatory delight.
So why is the cure needed for smoking? Could it be frozen in the casing and “reheated” in a smoker to 165F?
Harold: The cure isn’t 100% needed for smoking, but I think it makes a better product, and is safer if your smoker isn’t hot.
If you’re smoking it, how long and what temp? Since it’s already cooked, I’m guessing 1 hour cold smoke then inch up the temp for next 2 hours until 140/150 IT. Does that make sense?
Also, what you suggest between hickory and apple? I don’t have any pecan or oak.
Dave: I am not totally sure, but my gut tells me to yes, keep it cool, and I’d go for 2 hours or so.
Dear Hank, I made your recipe and it was fantastic. I doubled it since I had twice as much liver as your recipe called for. My husband, Deerslayer, loved it and informed me that I should make more. That was the ultimate compliment! I do have a question, though, What do you think about using par-boiled rice? Also, I used collagen casings because I was too lazy to look for hog casings. It took some wrangling. Any advice on how to tie up the links with collagen casings (since I have a bunch left)?
Deerslayer’s Wife: Thanks for the kind words! I’ve never used either parboiled rice or collage casings, so I dunno. Maybe tie off the casings with twine?
Mr Hank…
Just can’t feed the wife liver in any fashion. People say woodcock is livery…you think that would be a good substitute?
Holy smokes! Is that EVER GOOD!!!!!
I just made this recipe today with step by step with the exception of a Black pepper I personally smoked with hickory. FANTASTIC!!!! WOULD RECOMMEND HIGHLY. It ended up making 8 “large” links. I used the Cajun seasoning provided with exception to the black pepper. Awesome!
Boudin freezes well but DO NOT POACH or COOK it first. It’s already cooked!
After putting the boudin into the casing, do we need to boil it before freezing it?
Kristin: I’ve never frozen it. Anyone else know?
Work ed on oil rigs in the gulf,loved Cajun cookin.will try this one out for my birthday party,cajun style.I hunt pigs here in Florida and deer in Ohio,so that will be my meat.can’t waite
Thanks for the Recipes…My favorite is Bougouis Meat Market in Thibideaux. We’ve got some Coho going into the smoker today!
Hello M. Shaw.
You wrote: 2 cups cooked white rice (long-grain is best)
Should I understand that you only use approx 3/4 cup dried rice? Cook it and them add the 2 cups of cooked rice to your mix?
If so your recipe is very far from a ratio of 1:1 for rice/meat… This is why I ask this question… Alos I have your books and your Cajun Boudin Balls recipe includes 5 cups cooked rice.
Which recipe do a prefer for casing?
Regards
David: I like this one for casing. It’s meatier, as you’ve discovered.
Hank,
You beautiful person!!! I have been looking for a good recipe for ages!! Thank you very much for sharing your recipe and tool recommendations. I will be trying your recipe next weekend for sure!
Thanks for this recipe, Hank! Because I smoke 6 to 8 pounds of boudain (the way we spell it in Texas ;p ) every weekend for our family bbqs this is a recipe that was put to some good use. With my wife being from the Rio Grande Valley, and me a first generation Houstonian with cajun roots, we have a sort-of hybrid culture of dishes at these things: brisket(of course) that may or may not end up in a taco, carnitas, smoked ribs, and carne asada or fajitas, and the smoked boudain. But one thing that has become a huge representation of the cross-pollinization of cuisines is when my wife eats her borracho beans over an opened link of boudain. This has become popular with our guests and was made even better this past weekend with this recipe! But even as stand-alone links, which is my favorite, they were great!
About the crackers, it must be a southwestern LA thing, because every time I’ve ordered it in Lake Charles, Vinton, even Breaux Bridge, where my grandparents lived, boudain links are traditionally served with a couple of packets of saltines. But who am I talk about tradition, I eat it with sriracha sometimes!
Hank, I’m curious as to why you don’t use the stuffer attachment on the KitchenAid. Does it not work well with boudin? I just received some great looking pork liver and I’m itchin to give this a try.
L.S. Because the stuffer attachment for the Kitchenaid is terrible. I highly suggest you make boudin balls instead if you don’t have a proper sausage stuffer.
Where can I order casings I live in California and also what type of grinder needed I do have a Kitchen aid but I was told that will not work and I need to purchase a grinder and a sausage stuffer as well
would like to make next weekend Thank you all for the comments and especially thank you Hank Oh By the way please send a reference on purchase of equipment as well as casings to purchase and type thanks again
Burchell: It depends on where you live in California. I’d get the grinder attachment for the Kitchenaid, but yeah, you need a real stuffer. The Sausage Maker (Ad link is on the right side of this page) makes a great stuffer. If you want to go for a dedicated grinder, order one from either the Sausage Maker or Weston Products. Both companies make sausage casings.
By the way Loignons grocery in Gueydan makes boudin the way my mother made it at the boucheries when we were kids. The best and most original boudin I’ve found since I was a kid.
When we eat it at home we pour Steen’s syrup in a plate or bowl and dip the boudin in it. Deliscious!!!
Great site, respect all your opinions. Best stop and Billy’s were my favorite places to purchase boudin ball / links, cracklin’s, etc. but, appreciate the recipe, ordered from Billy’s after arriving home to Arizona, couldn’t get enough of Billy boudin. Cost more to send than the boudin itsself. However, it is so good and we savor every bite. Now, we are going to try this recipe. I think your Cajun seasoning recipe may just be perfect. We like that just right “kick” to it. I am hoping the cayenne is about the same amount as Billy’s. I too, purchased pork liver at an Asian store in SD. Thanks for everyone’s input, let you know how it turns out. PS, I will make balls for a first attempt before casing.
Nice recipe. I make Boudin for my stuffed flounder, will have to try yours. Recipe isn’t much different. I usually make it too spicy, so my wife may like yours better.
I grew up in the swamps of south Louisiana. We had crackers and butter on the table at every meal. Didn’t eat a lot of bread. Especially at Grannies house. So yes, if it was poached Boudin, we usually squeezed it onto crackers. I prefer it grilled and just eat it like sausage. We even had crackers with our Gumbo. Still do.
This recipe looks great. I am going to try it with elk heart, ground venison and pork fat.
I’m. Polish and love polish sausage products, but I have to say I have never eaten anything as heavenly as boudin. I’m glad I had discovered this great food, I could live the rest of my life on boudin, unfortunately they don’t have it in nc. So. I’m going to try to make my own. I’m exited to make it. I’m sure I’m going to love it however it turns out. It will be better then nothing .
I did cook the rice with broth and discarded the mirepoix from the meat. I replaced it with fresh mirepoix that I sweated in a little butter and a little broth. I did use the Cajun spice blend recommended here but added a tablespoon of Thyme. This turned out really great!
Except the banana thing. I’ve never heard of that one, but I’m willing to give it a shot.
Proclaiming “how boudin is eaten” or not eaten for that matter is absurd & asinine. It’s like BBQ, the cooking method is largely the same, but the techniques & details vary greatly. I’ve had every kind of boudin eaten every kind of way. My family is scattered throughout Louisiana from the city to the backwoods and I can tell you this: They all think their boudin is the best…the way they like it. I have definitely seen some hard core Cajuns put boudin on a cracker and sprinkle some hot sauce on it. I’ve also seen some hard-core Cajuns eat it straight out of the casing. I’ve seen a little of every method mentioned by the author and the comments. Just take the tips, make the Boudin and get over yourselves.
I poach my boudin then cut casing off and mix the stuffing with a little shredded cheese & a little cream cheese & bread crumbs. Stuff this mixture into mushrooms and bake or grill until done to your liking. Boudin stuffed mushrooms are the favorite at any party.
I’ma gonna make loads of boudin soon as Best Stop cajun seasoning arrives on Monday from Aunt Angele. Have to make do with frozen pork liver from Chinese grocery up here in Michigan but appreciate the tips on cooking rice in braising liquid, (re)addition of peppers, onions, celery and thyme. I’ll devein some fat jalapenos, add smoked Spanish paprika…maybe toss in some pork cracklins and call it good. Hella good!
best I have ever eaten is from Bourgeois meats in Schriever,La
I’ve been eating boudin for over fifty year and have never squeezed it out of the casing. I just heat it in the oven until the casing crisps and eat the whole thing. We drive from the Dallas area to near Mamou and purchase 30 pounds per trip. T-Boy’s Slaughter House has won the boudin cookoff in Lafayette several times…
Great article and comments. Thought I’d mention that Tony Cachare’s (sp?) is availible in salt free. It’s every bit as good!
Got to try it with ketchup!
— from breaux bridge la
First time on site and great info. Wondering if anyone has suggestions for an issue I have when making boudin. I have noticed a slight sour smell/taste after making my boudin. Casing seems to sweat after refrigeration. Problem seems to have just started with last few batches.
I love boudin too. My favorite way is remove the casing, put butter/oil combo (small amount) in a skillet and cook boudin till crispy on bottom. Stirand crisp again, turn heat low and top with two eggs. Put on a lid and allow heat and steam to cook the eggs till yolk is thick and creamy. Salt and pepper eggs and savour an awesome meal!
Lo: Eating boudin with a ripe banana is the worst thing I’ve heard. Keep up the good work Hank.
Eating up a mess of Boudin right now – loving your recipe. And this weekend we are cooking up 150 pounds of crawfish. Oh how I love the Cajun’s! Thanks for posting – and eat it up, however it is served it is awesome!
I have lived in South La all my life and eat boudin with or without crackers. Our duck hunting club has a ritual after hunts we grill boudin and eat it with bread or crackers and cold beer !!Have made it a few times with variations on amount of rice. From about Lafayette west to Lake Charles there seems to be more rice in the recipe. Best Stop, Jerry Lees and Bergerons in Port Allen are all good.
Eating boudin with a dip is the worse thing i’ve heard. True cajuns eat boudin directly from the casing. Pick up the link and bite it. Its alright to have a few saltines with it but please dont think that you have to spread the boudin on them. We usually eat crackers with boudin because most boudin tend to be a little greasy. Sidenote: try eating your next link with a ripe banana.
Lo: Whatever. I do this because a) I like it, and b) EVERYONE was eating their boudin like this at The Best Stop. So get off my back.
I’ve lived in South Louisiana all of my life and have eaten boudin from several places but I’ve never tackled making it myself. Until this past weekend when I discovered this recipe. I used the seasoning as it was listed but added a tablespoon of thyme. I’ve received rave reviews from co-workers and friends who are connoisseurs of boudin. One of my most prized compliments was “This boudin is better than Jerry Lee’s!” Since I think Jerry Lee’s boudin in Baton Rouge is the tops in boudin, that was a major compliment to me and this recipe.
Hey your absolutely right about the store brand Cajun seasoning. I made up my 1st try using Toneys, which I do like, but it was so salty I had to throw the whole thing out. If anyone has a recipe that taste close to best stop in Scott La. please pass it on to me. Thanks, and yes, hold the crackers. maybe a slice of loaf bread
I just stumbled across this blog after just visiting my family back home in Lafayette and one of my family members brought me some boudin from Legnon’s.. The crawfish and the regular boudin was out of this world good.. I too have never eaten it with crackers but I love squeezing out the filling between two pieces of soft white bread.. Boudin sandwiches are awesome. I live in Arizona now and of course you can’t find it here but would love to try and make it.
As far as the cracker question goes, I, too, have not had boudin w/crackers, but see no problem w/that. As I drive through Cajun country my “hot boudin” is sold w/a couple slices of plain white bread. Never had it any other way.
Hank,Love your books and web site.
I Love boudin! I live in Gonzales,La. and have an old family recipe. It calls for 5lbs. of pork shoulder and 5 lbs. of cleaned pork skin. You boil the skin first for a couple hours, then grind it ad add it back to the pot with the shoulder meat and the rest of the seasonings. The skin is THE secret in good boudin! One thing I will say is that the farther west you go in South Louisiana, the more rice they put in boudin. I like more meat than a 1:1 ratio. And we do not eat boudin on crackers. BTW-boudin is THE #1 duck blind food. Period. LOL!!
I was taught the crackers were to help you get full, because you can never have too much boudain!
I second that Ms. Robicheaux. I have family in Lake Charles, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge areas. We just push the insides through the skin. No crackers or dip. This is the way I was taught to eat it by my parents and grandparents. Just a little insight from a Cajun.
Gotta love Cajuns! You know the only reason I know about the crackers is because everywhere I bought boudin in Cajun Country I was served crackers with them. So everyone does it a little differently, it seems.
I vote to chill the cooking liquid well, and whisk well the liquefied fat into the broth. Add it slowly during the mixing process. I also would throw out the first cooked mirepoix (I don’t use peppers), and start a new cooked mirepoix (probably in some rendered fat). I do like lots of parsley and green onion, black pepper.
Another suggestion would be to maybe smoke cold the boudin for two hours heavy (AmazN tube lit at both ends) after the poach, chill, and dry casing. I think a spot in Scott, LA smokes but can’t remember the name of it. Could be Best Stop.
Also, Ronnie’s in Hammond is ok but I usually pick up some boudin from Jerry Lee’s in Baton Rouge when I’m there to get Hog Head Cheese.
My experience is in eating more than processing-only stuffed it a few times with some guys that really didn’t understand.
Thanks for the recipe, and I’m ready to try my hand with duck, pheasant, chukar, and fat hog that I have too much of at the moment. Maybe this will be a saving grace for preserve released pheasant that are often too lean, and discouraging to get into.
I believe that you can transcend your cracklin’ eating limitations by incorporating them into your boudin!
Oooh… nice idea!
Will: Excellent point! I don’t put salt in my own mix. I think the Cajun mix sold by Penzey’s Spices is salt-free, too. But Tony Chachere’s is loaded with it.
Hank,I love this. I’ve been wanting to make boudin for a while but there are so many recipes out there it’s tough to find one from a trusted source. I’m so excited to see it on your site.
The only caution I’d give is that most store-bought Cajun seasonings are super heavy on salt, so subbing in your mix, which I’m sure is delectable, will likely yield different results.
Ms. Robicheaux: That’s the awesome thing about Louisiana: Every time I write about the food of that state, what’s common in one area is utterly unheard of in another. Like crackers, for example. I saw LOTS of people eating boudin on crackers out by Lake Charles.
Not sure who lead the tour when you visited Louisiana, but you just eat the whole thing. There are no crackers involved in Boudin, if you don’t want to eat the casing be it natural or synthetic, you just suck/pull the stuff out…
But this whole cracker bidness is… weird and definitely not something we do…
Source: born and raised Southern Louisiana, helped great-grandmother and grandmother make and eat Boudin, both with natural and Synthetic Casings.
I can’t tell you how happy it made me to see your reference to Donald Link and my favorite cook book! I use his recipe for boudin, but have yet to get too adventurous with it. I’ve only used pork liver and made the crawfish recipe once. I don’t stuff it into casings, though, but prefer to serve it as a dressing, stuff it into other food.
I wrote a post a few months ago on Venison Boudin Balls (http://www.mywildkitchen.com/venison-boudin-balls/). The fried balls prevented me from having to stuff any casings, which was convenient for a one-time meal, and I used previously ground venison and finely chopped the livers to mix in. You can’t go wrong with Boudin, and I especially like grilled or smoked venison. No matter what it’s always fun to experiment with new things.
Hank,
Here are some amazingly meat Market / Boudin Shops you should try next time you are here.
Ronnie’s – Hammond, La
Billy’s – Scott, La (best ever)
The Best Stop – Scott, La
Like Hank said, I always thought the reserved cooking liquid was to cook the rice with. Later this summer I think I’ll do some for a party with wild boar, rabbit and maybe squirrel. Thanks for posting!
For me, the key to the best boudin is to cook the rice in the braising liquid. I also usually discard the onion/celery/peppers from the braising liquid and either go without in the boudin, or sautee some new onion/celery/peppers to add.