Boudin

Boudin (from boud—) describes a number of different types of sausage used in, , , ,  and.

Types

 * Boudin blanc: A white sausage made of pork without the blood. Pork liver and heart meat are typically included.  In Cajun versions, the sausage is made from a  pork rice dressing, (much like ; such brands consist of Foreman's Boudin, Richard's Cajun Kitchen, and Nu Nu's) which is stuffed into pork casings. Rice is always used in, whereas the / version typically uses milk, and is therefore generally more delicate than the Cajun variety. In / cuisine, the sausage is sauteed or grilled. The Louisiana version is normally simmered or braised, although coating with oil and slow grilling for  is becoming a popular option in  and.
 * Boudin noir: A dark-hued blood sausage, containing pork, pig blood, and other ingredients. Variants of the boudin noir occur in French, Belgian, Cajun and . The Catalan version of the boudin noir is called botifarra negra. In the French Caribbean, it is known as boudin Créole.
 * Boudin blanc de Rethel (a traditional French boudin, which may only contain pork meat, fresh whole eggs and milk, and cannot contain any bread crumbs or flours/starches. It is protected under with a  status.
 * Crawfish boudin, popular in Cajun cuisine, is made with the meat of  tails added to rice.  It is often served with  (fried pig skins) and saltine crackers, hot sauce, and ice cold.
 * Shrimp Boudin: Similar to crawfish boudin, it is made by adding the shrimp to rice. It is great for appetizers or party food served in thin slices.
 * Boudin ball, a Cajun variation on Boudin blanc but instead of the filling being stuffed into pork casings, it is rolled into a ball, battered, and deep fried.
 * Boudin rouge: In cuisine, a sausage similar to boudin blanc, but with pork blood added to it. This originated from the French boudin noir.
 * Gator boudin, made from alligator, can be found sporadically in Louisiana and the Mississippi gulf coast.
 * Brown Rice Boudin: Brown-rice boudin is a flavor you won't find in many places. You will be surprised to find out the taste is very similar to traditional pork boudin, except this boudin is made with a brown-rice substitute for those looking to cut down on white rice intake.

In the United States
The term boudin in the cultural region of Louisiana is commonly understood to refer only to boudin blanc and not to other variants. Boudin blanc is the staple boudin of this region and is the one most widely consumed. Also popular is seafood boudin consisting of crab, shrimp, and rice. Most of Louisiana's Cajuns do not consider boudin a sausage.

Cajun boudin is available most readily in southern Louisiana, particularly in the and  area, though it may be found nearly anywhere in "Cajun Country", including eastern Texas. There are restaurants devoted to the speciality, though boudin is also sold from rice cookers in convenience stores along. Since boudin freezes well, it is shipped to specialty stores outside the region. Boudin is fast approaching the status of the stars of Cajun cuisine (e.g.,, , , and ) and has fanatic devotees that travel across Louisiana comparing the numerous homemade varieties. From the Lake Charles area to Lafayette boudin taste and flavors vary. Some Such as Foreman's Boudin Kitchen use no liver, and other such as Richard's Cajun Kitchen use liver.

Boudin Noir is available in Illinois in the Iroquois County towns of and  and made by a butcher shop called Papineau Locker. The dish is the featured cuisine at the annual Beaverville Homecoming which is held the first weekend of August. People travel from hundreds of miles to partake of the Boudin.

Le Boudin
Boudin gave rise to , the official march of the. "Blood sausage" is a colloquial reference to the gear (rolled up in a red blanket) that used to top the backpacks of Legionnaires. The song makes repeated reference to the fact that the don't get any "blood sausage", since the King of Belgium at one time forbade his subjects from joining the Legion (verse says "ce sont des tireurs au cul").