Make Ahead

Pork Boudin Balls

January 13, 2022
4
3 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 40 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour 45 minutes
  • 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
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes (don't lose the fat)
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallions
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked white rice, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
  1. 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.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1½ hours, until the meat is very tender.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: inpatskitchen

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!

21 Reviews

pierino December 26, 2011
Amen to that Mr. or Ms. Frog. It's gotta be dirty. And so good!
frog December 26, 2011
We don't have boudin making contests but there is a boudin festival in Lafayette in Octobre and they have a boudin cook off and a boudin eating contest. Many people make boudin without liver but that is like making andouille without chitterlings. It can be done but it is just wrong.
inpatskitchen December 26, 2011
May be wrong, but sure is good!!! ( see my earlier post to pierono..)
inpatskitchen December 26, 2011
Sorry...I meant pierino!
boulangere November 30, 2011
I'm sitting this one out because (a) there's WAY too much going on leading up to the December-January holidays, and (b) this miniature s**t drives me crazy. I much rather eat them than make them, and these look fantastic!
boulangere November 30, 2011
I'd
inpatskitchen December 1, 2011
Thanks again! I'm submitting recipes that I've submitted previously for the most part...some I'll make and freeze for the holidays. I think your "Buffalo Girls" and "Summer Presents" would be wonderful additions to this contest!
Sagegreen August 9, 2011
Yum!
inpatskitchen August 9, 2011
Oh thanks Sagegreen...they are yummy!
pierino August 9, 2011
Sounds great. My first introduction to boudin as a callow youth was on the race track fairgrounds for Jazz Fest. Knocked me out. As a suggestion, if possible you might want to work some other pig parts like liver in there. But it really is a pork and rice sausage. So good job. One other traditional accompaniment would be Saltine crackers on the side.
inpatskitchen August 9, 2011
Thanks so much pierino...I considered adding pork liver, but decided it might be a turn off to some..this version still has the consistency as the. boudin I've had with liver. I think it was achieved by processing some of the rice with the pork.
aargersi August 8, 2011
Boudin Balls are for sure at fairs and festivals in NOLA - great call! Your version looks AbFab
inpatskitchen August 8, 2011
Thanks aargersi....we used to bring up pork and crawfish boudin for our business..this does taste like the real thing! I might try crawfish boudin balls next!!
drbabs August 8, 2011
Wow. I went to LSU (in the 70's) and I still remember my first taste of boudin at one of their (many) festivals.
inpatskitchen August 8, 2011
Thanks...hope you liked that first taste!
lorigoldsby August 8, 2011
Laissez les Bon temp roulez! ;)
inpatskitchen August 8, 2011
Yes Yes!! Let em roll!!
boulangere August 7, 2011
Oh my, these look seriously good.
inpatskitchen August 7, 2011
Thanks...even Tom who was seriously balking ate about 5 of them!!
SKK August 7, 2011
Keep these Cajun recipes up and we are going to have to get you a booth at the New Orleans Jazz Fest!
inpatskitchen August 7, 2011
I know...the 4 cuisines I love the most are Cajun, Greek, Italian and Michigan(LOL)!