After sampling many boudins over the years and probing as delicately as possible the best boudin cooks along the way, this is my best approximation of the real thing, to date. If you cannot get pork liver (try Fiesta Markets, or oriental markets), you can use beef liver or chicken liver, but you will need to experiment with the amounts- chicken tends to be slightly bitter, beef stronger in flavor. My boudin is not too hot with peppers- I see no reason to obliterate my palate in order to prove my manhood, and the myth that Cajun cooking has to be eye-wateringly searing is not only untrue, but silly. Adjust the heat levels with jalapenos; they at least deliver some flavor as opposed to merely heat. To wit:
The Ultimate Boudin
1 pork shoulder roast or “Boston Butt”
1.5 lbs pork fatback or other fresh pork fat, or blanched salt pork (not smoked bacon!)
1.5 lb pork liver, sliced thin
3 yellow onions
1 carrot
1 stick celery
1 t. dried Thyme
1 bay leaf
handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 t. cayenne pepper plus jalapeño to taste
3 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
6 c. Louisiana “Popcorn” Rice
12 c. broth
1 t. salt
3 T. minced fresh parsley
2 bunches green onions (scallions), white parts chopped, green tops finely minced
Place pork shoulder and fatback in a large heavy pan with the onions, carrot, celery, thyme, bay and parsley. Add water to cover and simmer on very low heat for 2 hours. Remove and cool, reserving broth. Sauté green onion bottoms in a tablespoon of lard until translucent, then add liver. Sauté liver about ten minutes or just until done. Put 12 cups of the strained pork broth (use more water or good broth if needed) into a large pan and bring to a boil. Add rice, stir, cover, reduce to very low heat, and cook for 20 minutes. Allow to stand for five minutes covered.
Meanwhile, when the pork shoulder is cool enough to handle, debone it and run it through the large blade of a meat grinder or chop it coarse in a food processor or mince it very fine with a knife. Do the same with the liver and fat. Mix very well with rice, seasonings, green onion tops, and parsley.
Stuff into sausage casings and roast or steam for fifteen minutes, or fry patties like breakfast sausage, or make “Orielles de Cochon” , beignets stuffed with boudin.
The Ultimate Boudin
1 pork shoulder roast or “Boston Butt”
1.5 lbs pork fatback or other fresh pork fat, or blanched salt pork (not smoked bacon!)
1.5 lb pork liver, sliced thin
3 yellow onions
1 carrot
1 stick celery
1 t. dried Thyme
1 bay leaf
handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 t. cayenne pepper plus jalapeño to taste
3 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
6 c. Louisiana “Popcorn” Rice
12 c. broth
1 t. salt
3 T. minced fresh parsley
2 bunches green onions (scallions), white parts chopped, green tops finely minced
Place pork shoulder and fatback in a large heavy pan with the onions, carrot, celery, thyme, bay and parsley. Add water to cover and simmer on very low heat for 2 hours. Remove and cool, reserving broth. Sauté green onion bottoms in a tablespoon of lard until translucent, then add liver. Sauté liver about ten minutes or just until done. Put 12 cups of the strained pork broth (use more water or good broth if needed) into a large pan and bring to a boil. Add rice, stir, cover, reduce to very low heat, and cook for 20 minutes. Allow to stand for five minutes covered.
Meanwhile, when the pork shoulder is cool enough to handle, debone it and run it through the large blade of a meat grinder or chop it coarse in a food processor or mince it very fine with a knife. Do the same with the liver and fat. Mix very well with rice, seasonings, green onion tops, and parsley.
Stuff into sausage casings and roast or steam for fifteen minutes, or fry patties like breakfast sausage, or make “Orielles de Cochon” , beignets stuffed with boudin.
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