BOUDIN IN LAFAYETTE RECIPES

Steps:

• Stir pork shoulder, livers, onion, celery, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic, kosher salt, 1 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper, chili powder, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper together in a large pot. Cover the pot with a lid and refrigerate until flavors combine, 2 hours to overnight.
• Pour enough water into the pork mixture to cover by 2-inches; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat. Pour mixture through a strainer, reserving strained liquid and meat separately.
• Transfer drained meat mixture to a cutting board and finely chop.
• Stir chopped meat, rice, parsley, and green onion together in a bowl. Gradually add reserved cooking liquid, 1 ladleful at a time, to meat mixture, stirring until completely incorporated between each addition, until mixture has a paste-like consistency. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours to overnight.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll chilled meat mixture into 1-inch balls.
• Whisk flour, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper together in a shallow bowl. Pour breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl. Beat eggs in another shallow bowl.
• Gently press 1 ball into flour mixture to coat; shake off the excess flour. Dip ball into the beaten egg; press ball into bread crumbs. Place breaded ball onto a plate and repeat breading process with remaining meat balls.
• Working in batches, cook boudin balls in preheated oil, turning once, until crispy on the outside and hot on the inside, 3 to 4 minutes.

Steps:

• Place the pork shoulder, celery, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and salt into a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. After an hour, add the chicken liver to the pot and continue to cook for 45 more minutes or until the pork is tender.
• Strain the meat and vegetables, reserving the liquid. Finely dice the meat and vegetables with a knife, in a food processor or in a meat grinder set for a coarse grind. Once diced, place meat and vegetables in a bowl.
• Add to the bowl the cooked rice, jalapeños, thyme, oregano, paprika, green onions parsley, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and combine until the filling is moist and slightly sticky. If it appears too dry, add more of the reserved liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
• To stuff into casings for sausage, first rinse the outside of the casing and then place it in a bowl of water for 30 minutes to soften. Drain the soaking water and then rinse the inside of the casing by placing one end on the kitchen faucet, turn the water on low and allow it to flow through the casing. The casing will blow up like a balloon—this is fine.
• Lightly oil the stuffing horn on your sausage stuffer with vegetable oil. Tie a knot at one end of the casing. Take the other end and gently slide the entire casing onto the horn, leaving the knot plus an additional 4 inches hanging off the end of the horn.
• Place the filling into the feeder and push it through until it starts to fill the casing. Go slowly at first and note that you’ll need to massage the casing as the meat goes through it so it fills the casing evenly.
• Once you’ve filled the casing, to form links, pinch it every 5 inches and then twist it until it’s secure. You can then cut the casing to form individual sausages.
• To cook, poke holes into the casing then then poach in boiling water for 10 minutes. You can also grill or smoke the boudin.
• Alternatively, you can either serve the filling as a dressing, or you can roll it into walnut-sized balls, dip into finely crushed crackers and fry in 350 degree oil for 2 minutes or until brown to make boudin balls.