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Prep time
40 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 45 minutes
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makes
25 to 30 balls
Author Notes
Boudin is a sausage that tastes a bit like dirty rice but with more meat. The filling is soft and can be a bit spicy if you like. Although I've never been to a Louisiana fair or festival, I envision these little spicy fried morsels everywhere. —inpatskitchen
Test Kitchen Notes
These creamy-textured pork balls are super simple to make and they're exceptionally flavorful. You and your guests will keep reaching for one as the party goes on. The blending of the meat and rice gives them a light-as-air texture which is quite irresistible. They can also be made with crawfish or even pig livers—if you want to give that a shot, go for it! You'll find many versions of these balls in festivals around Louisiana. This homemade recipe is about as close as you can get to what you'd find at those festivals.
Some time needs to be put aside for the boudin balls to get the best results, but a majority of it is totally hands off. The pork and other aromatics have to simmer for about 1½ hours. After pulsing in the food processor, the mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight if that's more convenient and you can plan ahead). Afterward, the rest of the method comes together very quickly, with setting up a breading station and pan frying for just a few minutes on each side. If you'd like, you can serve them with a dipping sauce alongside. The developer suggests mixing together ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon creole seasoning, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Cholula). Feel free to serve with whatever sauce you'd like or adjust any of these ratios to your taste. When I was making these, I coated some with panko and enjoyed the crunch they added. —Victoria Ross
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Ingredients
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1 1/2 pounds
boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes (don't lose the fat)
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1 cup
chopped white onion
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1/2 cup
chopped green bell pepper
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2
garlic cloves, sliced
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1 tablespoon
kosher salt, plus more
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1 1/2 teaspoons
cayenne pepper
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1 teaspoon
black pepper, plus more
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1/2 cup
chopped parsley
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1/2 cup
sliced scallions
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1 1/2 cups
cooked white rice, divided
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1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
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2
large eggs
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1 1/2 cups
seasoned breadcrumbs
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Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
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In a 4-quart pot, combine the pork, onion, green pepper, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Pour in enough water until the mixture is covered by about 2 inches.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1½ hours, until the meat is very tender.
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Transfer the pork mixture to a food processor, reserving the broth. Add some of the broth, the parsley, scallions, and ¾ cup of the rice and process until mostly smooth (a pâté consistency). Add more broth if needed; I used about ¾ cup total.
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Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then stir in the remaining ¾ cup of the rice. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
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Form the mixture into smooth balls a little larger than a walnut but smaller than a golf ball. At this point, you can freeze any that you don't want to cook—just partially thaw before breading.
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In a shallow dish, season the flour with salt and pepper and toss to combine. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs with a little bit of water until blended. Into yet another shallow dish, pour the breadcrumbs. Dust the balls in the flour, then the eggs, and finally the breadcrumbs.
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Coat the bottom of a large skillet with the oil and heat over medium-high. Working in batches and adding more oil if needed, pan-fry the balls for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Let drain on paper towels before serving.
I think I get my love for food and cooking from my mom, who was an amazing cook. She would start baking and freezing a month before Christmas in order to host our huge open house on Christmas afternoon. I watched and I learned...to this day I try not to procrastinate when it comes to entertaining.
My cooking style is pretty much all over the place, although I'm definitely partial to Greek and Italian cuisine. Oh yes, throw a little Cajun in there too!
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