MY BOUDIN

My Boudin image

Provided by Donald Link

Yield Makes 4 pounds

Number Of Ingredients 17

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2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound pork liver, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3 medium jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon curing salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
7 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped scallions (green and white parts)
4 to 6 feet of sausage casings (optional), rinsed

Steps:

Combine the pork, liver, vegetables, and seasonings in a bowl and marinate for 1 hour or overnight, covered, in the refrigerator. Place the marinated mixture in a large pot and cover the meat with water (by 1 to 2 inches). Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Remove the 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. (You can also chop with a knife if you don't have a meat grinder, which is what I usually do anyway.)
Place the ground meat in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix in the cooked rice, parsley, scallions, and the reserved cooking liquid. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes. When the boudin-rice mixture is first combined, it looks very wet and it's pretty spicy. Don't worry; after poaching, the rice absorbs the excess moisture and much of the spice. The wet texture and extra spice ensure that your final boudin will be moist and full of flavor.
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, you can use the mixture as a stuffing for chicken, or roll it into "boudin balls," dredge in bread crumbs, and fry in hot oil until golden brown.