Boudin - Types

Types

• Boudin ball: A Cajun variation on boudin blanc. Instead of the filling's being stuffed into pork casings, it is rolled into a ball, battered, and deep fried.

• Boudin blanc: A white sausage made of pork without the blood. Pork liver and heart meat are typically included. In Cajun versions, the sausage is made from a pork rice dressing (much like dirty rice), which is stuffed into pork casings. Rice is always used in Cajun cuisine, whereas the French/Belgian version typically uses milk, and is therefore generally more delicate than the Cajun variety. In French/Belgian cuisine, the sausage is sauteed or grilled. The Louisiana version is normally simmered or braised, although coating with oil and slow grilling for tailgating is becoming a popular option in Lafayette, New Orleans, Houston and Baton Rouge.

• Boudin blanc de Rethel (: a traditional French boudin, which may only contain pork meat, fresh whole eggs and milk, and cannot contain any bread crumbs or flours/starches. It is protected under EU law with a PGI status.

• Boudin noir: A dark-hued blood sausage, containing pork, pig blood, and other ingredients. Variants of the boudin noir occur in French, Belgian, Cajun and Catalan cuisine. The Catalan version of the boudin noir is called botifarra negra. In the French Caribbean, it is known as boudin Créole.

• Boudin rouge: In Louisiana cuisine, a sausage similar to boudin blanc, but with pork blood added to it. This originated from the French boudin noir.

• Brown Rice Boudin: Brown-rice boudin is a flavor you won't find in many places. The taste is very similar to traditional pork boudin, except this boudin is made with a brown-rice substitute for those looking to cut down on white rice intake.

• Crawfish boudin: Popular in Cajun cuisine, crawfish boudin is made with the meat of crawfish tails added to rice. It is often served with cracklins (fried pig skins) and saltine crackers, hot sauce, and ice cold beer.

• Gator boudin: Made from alligator, gator boudin can be found sporadically in Louisiana and the Mississippi gulf coast.

• Shrimp Boudin: Similar to crawfish boudin, shrimp boudin is made by adding the shrimp to rice. It is great for appetizers or party food served in thin slices.