Crawfish Boudoin (Boudin)

10 servings Prep: 30 m Cook: 35 m Total: 1 h 5 m Intermediate
5.0/5 (2)
Boudin, one of the more popular Cajun delicacies, can be purchased from just about every supermarket, convenience store and restaurant, is basically a rice dressing stuffed in casing. Take your favorite meat (most popular are pork, crawfish and shrimp), add seasonings and rice, stuff it all in a sausage, add a soda or beer on the side and you have a great Cajun lunch or supper.

Ingredients

10 servings
  • 2 lbs crawfish tails (can substitute shrimp)
  • Cooking oil for sautéing
  • 4 large onions, chopped
  • 1/8 cup flour
  • 1/2 small can tomato sauce
  • Salt, black pepper, red pepper to taste
  • Water
  • 8 cups cooked rice
  • 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped fine
  • 1/2 bunch green onions tops, chopped fine
  • 2-3 shallots, chopped fine
  • Garlic powder (optional)
  • Hog casings (optional, for stuffing)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Sauté crawfish tails in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add onions and garlic powder (if using) and shallots; let fry 5 minutes. The onions and shallots add extra zest and great taste to the boudin. Add flour and mix well to incorporate.
  2. Pour in tomato sauce, salt, both red and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add enough water to create a moist mixture that will remain moist after adding rice (about 1-2 cups). Cook about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  4. Add onion tops and parsley to the mixture and stir to combine.
  5. Add cooked rice to the crawfish mixture and mix thoroughly until well combined. The mixture should be moist but not soupy.
  6. For stuffed boudin: Soak hog casings in water for 30 minutes to regain elasticity and remove excess preservative salt. Stuff the mixture into casings using a sausage stuffer. Drop stuffed boudin in boiling water, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. For boudin balls: Form mixture into 2-inch balls and either serve as is or deep fry until golden brown. Ready to eat!
  7. May be frozen before cooking. To cook after freezing, thaw out completely. Pour water in a pan, bring to boiling, add boudin and cook 10 minutes.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my boudin mixture too dry after adding rice?

A: You need to add enough water in step 3 before adding the rice. The mixture should be quite moist and soupy before the rice goes in, as the rice will absorb a lot of liquid. If it's too dry after adding rice, stir in a little more water or crawfish stock.

Q: Can I make this without casings?

A: Absolutely! Many Cajun cooks serve this as boudin balls instead of stuffing it. Just form the mixture into 2-inch balls and serve as is, or bread and deep fry them for a crispy exterior. You can also serve it as a rice dressing without forming it into balls.

Q: Why did my casings break when stuffing?

A: Make sure to soak the casings in water for at least 30 minutes before stuffing to make them pliable. Don't overstuff them—leave a little room for expansion. Also, avoid air pockets by feeding the mixture slowly and steadily through the stuffer.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t skip the step of adding onion tops and parsley—they should go in before the rice for best flavor distribution throughout the boudin. If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, many Cajun families just serve this as a loose rice dressing or form it into boudin balls.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish tails: shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped
  • hog casings: none needed
  • tomato sauce: 2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped and crushed

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Sausage stuffer (only if making stuffed boudin)
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Sharp knife for chopping vegetables

Historical Context

Boudin is a cornerstone of Cajun cuisine, with roots in French blood sausage but adapted to Louisiana ingredients. Crawfish boudin is a South Louisiana twist on the traditional pork version, popular especially during crawfish season from late winter through early summer.