Chef Donald Link's Boudin, the Acadian Staple

Buster's friend's Note:

Found this in the Times-Picayune archives. They wrote, " Chef Donald Link says boudin, the rice-and-pork Acadian staple that is at once side dish, snack, breakfast, lunch, dinner and beer accompaniment, is his favorite thing in the world to eat. He's been perfecting this recipe for "the king of Cajun food" for years, and it's in "Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana."" Note: To eat fresh, hot, poached boudin, bite into the link and use your teeth and fingers to pull the meat gently out of its soft casing. (The casings are eaten only when the boudin is grilled or smoked, and they become crisp.)

• Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 pounds

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, boneless, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 lb pork liver, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 poblano chile, chopped
• 3 jalapenos, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon curing salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 7 cups white rice, cooked
• 1 cup parsley, fresh chopped
• 1 cup scallion, chopped
• 4 -6 feet sausage casings, rinsed (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine pork, liver, vegetables and seasonings in a bowl. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for 1 hour or overnight. Place mixture in a large pot and cover the meat with water (by 1 to 2 inches). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
2. Remove pot from the heat and strain, reserving the liquid. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then put the solids through a meat grinder set on coarse grind. (Or chop with a knife.).
3. Place the meat in a large bowl. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix in rice, parsley, scallions and the reserved cooking liquid. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes. (Mixture will look very wet, and it's spicy. After poaching, the rice absorbs the moisture and much of the spice.).
4. At this point, you can feed the sausage into the casings. Poach the links gently in hot (not bubbling) water for about 10 minutes, then serve. Alternatively, use the mixture as stuffing for chicken, or roll it into boudin balls, dredge in bread crumbs, and fry in hot oil until golden brown.
5. *Curing salt contains sugar, nitrates and agents that help preserve the meat. Regular salt cannot be substituted.

Reviews

[Boudean]

I made three different batches, all with different recipes. I will only use this recipe from now on.