How to Cook Boudin Blanc (Solved!)

Boudin blanc is a cooked sausage made from pork meat, rice, various vegetables, herbs, and spices. There are two types of boudin blanc: “boudin” and “boudin rouge.”

Both are made similarly. However, boudin rouge includes fresh pig’s blood, giving it a reddish hue.

To further add to the confusion, “boudin blanc” can be the European-style white sausage made from meat, eggs, milk, or cream. The Louisiana/Creole-style sausage can also be based on meat, rice, and Creole herbs and spices.

There is uncertainty about how to cook boudin blanc and whether it should be cooked.

Ready-made boudin is already cooked and just needs to be reheated. The most common methods used to reheat the Louisianan boudin blanc are boiling, grilling, steaming, or baking. Making boudin blanc from scratch requires cooking the filling and the casing.

This article will detail how to reheat and cook Louisianan boudin blanc and which methods to use for a deliciously crispy casing.

Is Boudin Blanc Already Cooked?

Boudin blanc filling is cooked before being stuffed into the casing to link sausages. Therefore, all it requires is reheating.

The most common way to reheat boudin blanc is by boiling, baking, steaming, or grilling it.

5 Ways to Cook Boudin Blanc

As boudin blanc is typically pre-cooked, it simply requires reheating once you get it home.

When cooking boudin blanc from scratch, the raw ingredients are braised for a few hours, then placed in the oven for up to 30 minutes to cook the natural casing.

Next up are some guidelines to follow when reheating boudin blanc.

Oven-Baked

Oven-baking is the best technique for reheating and cooking boudin from scratch.

This method offers a crispy casing and enhances the flavors.

1. Preheat your oven to 300° Fahrenheit.
2. Lightly oil a cookie sheet or a baking dish and place the links on it.
3. Allow the boudin blanc to heat for 20 minutes. During that time, keep turning them every 5 minutes or so.
4. Ensure the internal temperature is hot and steamy, at least 160° Fahrenheit.
5. Allow the boudin to cool for a few minutes before eating.

Grilled

This reheating technique also provides a crispy skin and brings out the flavors.

You can also add your favorite BBQ sauce if you wish.

1. Preheat the grill to medium heat of approximately 400-425° Fahrenheit.
2. Lightly grease the grill grates with butter or an oil of your choice.
3. Place the boudin blanc on the grill evenly spaced out, then cook for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Turn the boudin over so it can cook on the other side.
5. After another 5 minutes, check if the boudin is cooked and see if its internal temperature has reached 160° Fahrenheit.
6. Once the links are cooked, allow them to cool off before eating.

When just the boudin blanc filling will be consumed, it’s probably better to reheat using any of the three following methods.

Although the casing can still be eaten, it will be slightly rubbery and chewier. So, to enjoy the skin without struggling to chew it, oven-bake or grill the boudin blanc.

Microwave Oven

Follow these steps to reheat your boudin links using a microwave oven:

1. First, put the links spaced out onto a microwavable plate and place them in your microwave oven. Then, cover them with a paper towel to prevent splatter.
2. Depending on the wattage of your microwave, heat the sausages for 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn it over and heat for another minute or two. Then, when the center is hot and steamy (at least 160° Fahrenheit), it’s ready.
4. Allow it to cool off for a few minutes before digging in.

Poaching

Here’s how to reheat your boudin blanc via poaching:

1. Season enough water in a pot to submerge the boudin using light Cajun seasonings or salt and pepper.
2. Bring the water to a boil and place the boudin links into the water.
3. Lower the heat, cover it with a lid, bring to a simmer.
4. Next, uncover the pot and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove the boudin from the water and allow them to sit for a few minutes before cutting into them. Before serving, ensure the boudin is steaming hot in the center, at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Steam Cooking

Reheat your boudin links by steam cooking them, using these steps:

1. Place your links in sufficient water to cover the bottom of your electric steamer.
2. Allow the boudin to heat for 3-5 minutes on a “Cook” cycle.
3. Then change the setting to “Warm.” The boudin will be ready to eat in 10-15 minutes. You can keep it at that setting for hours. Before serving, ensure the boudin has a steaming hot center of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Instead of a steaming pot, a double-boiler or colander over a steaming pot of boiling water can be used.

Boudin Blanc Recipe

Now you know how to reheat pre-made boudin blanc. Here’s a guideline of how to cook boudin blanc from scratch:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of pork loin
• 1/2 a pound of fresh pork liver
• 1 thickly chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 2 cups of uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 bunch of thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped Italian parsley
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• Cayenne pepper and other seasonings of your choice to taste
• Natural hog casings

Instructions

1. Cut the liver and pork loin into 2-inch pieces and add garlic, onion, thyme, and bay leaves to a large saucepan. Then cover with 1 1/2 inches of cold water.
2. Season the mixture well with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Bring the contents to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Remove any scum that rises to the surface. Cook over low heat for about 1 hour or until the meat is very tender.
4. Remove the thyme and bay leaves, then strain the meat from the broth and reserve the broth.
5. While the meat, onion, and garlic are still hot, grind, or chop to pulverize all the cooked ingredients together, ready for the filling.

Now to cook the rice:

1. In a saucepan with a lid, add the rice with 3 cups of the reserved broth. Check whether the broth needs more seasoning and add if necessary.
2. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low heat and cover.
3. Cook the rice for about 20 minutes.
4. Once cooked, combine it with the grounded meat mixture, parsley, and green onions. Mix well and add more seasoning to taste.

Stuff the mixture into hog casings. Then, lightly brush the casing with oil for crispy skins and bake in a 400° Fahrenheit oven until golden brown.

What to Serve with Boudin Blanc

To get the most flavor and a nice finishing touch to your boudin blanc, accompany it with a customary boudin blanc sauce.

A mustard-based sauce will complement your boudin blanc, as mustard does well to enhance the flavors.

Boudin blanc filling on crackers or in between bread with a side serving of mustard is a popular appetizer.

Louisianans create their boudin blanc sauce using Creole spicy mustard, and mayonnaise as the main ingredients.

Boudin blanc also works well with fruit and is sometimes added to a cold fruit salad, so a sweet sauce made from fruit like apples, for example, would also work well.

In Summary

In addition to the confusion caused by the Louisianan and European boudin, both referred to as boudin blanc, there is some debate about how to cook boudin blanc and whether it needs to be cooked or reheated.

Boudin is a pre-cooked, quick snack that requires reheating before consumption. The easiest ways to reheat it are grilling, oven-baking, boiling or steaming.

First, reheat your boudin using the grill or oven for a crispy coating and enhanced flavor.

When only the filling will be eaten, boil or steam it as the casing will become rubbery and harder to chew.

If you’re making boudin blanc from scratch, there are two stages of cooking.

First, the ingredients will need to be braised until cooked. Then after stuffing the casings, the casing will need to be cooked. Oven-baking boudin is the most preferred method.