Chef Isaac Toups demonstrates how to make traditional Cajun boudin sausage. He starts by seasoning a pork butt with black pepper, then roasting it in the oven for 45 minutes. The pork is then shredded and cooked with the Cajun Trinity (onions, bell peppers, and celery), garlic, and beer. After two and a half hours, the mixture is strained and the juice is saved. Rice is cooked in the saved juice, and chicken liver is added to the mixture. The ingredients are then ground together and mixed with seasonings. The boudin can be served in various ways, including linking it, rolling it into balls, or serving it on bread. To finish, Chef Toups rolls the boudin into balls, coats them in breadcrumbs, and fries them until golden brown, serving them with a side of Creole mustard aioli and pickles.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Boudin is a Cajun sausage that is already cooked when it's put into the casing.
2. Boudin is made with pork, liver, rice, seasoning, and the Cajun Trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery).
3. The Cajun Trinity is similar to the French mirepoix, but with bell pepper instead of carrots.
4. Bell peppers are used in the Cajun Trinity because they grow in Louisiana.
5. Boudin is a regional dish from Southwest Louisiana.
6. Rice is added to boudin to stretch out the meat and make it more filling.
7. Traditionally, pork liver is used in boudin, but chicken liver can be used as a substitute.
8. Chicken liver is preferred by Isaac Toups because it is milder and can be used in larger quantities.
9. The pork butt is roasted for 45 minutes to get a good color and caramelization.
10. The pork butt is then braised for 2.5 hours at 325 degrees.
11. The vegetables are chopped into 1-2 inch pieces and cooked in the oven with the pork butt.
12. The rice is cooked in the juice from the pork butt and vegetables.
13. The cooked pork butt is ground up with the vegetables and seasonings.
14. The mixture is not ground too finely, but rather left a bit coarse.
15. The boudin mixture is then seasoned with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
16. The boudin can be served in various ways, including inside a roasted chicken, on white bread, or as boudin balls.