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Loading...Boudin Créole is the signature blood sausage of Martinique, beloved across the French Caribbean for its rich, herb-laced flavor and tender rice-studded interior. Made with fresh pork blood, slow-simmered meat, and aromatic island spices, the sausages are poached then crisped in a skillet for a dark, snappy casing. Serve with raw onion, lime, mashed yuca, or fried plantains for an authentic island street-food experience.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Total Time85 mins
Servings6
Yield6 sausages
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 380 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 8 gSaturated Fat
- 18 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 1 gSugar
- 25 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 380 mgPotassium
- 40 mgCalcium
- 8 mgIron
- 5 mgVitamin C
- 30 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the filling base
- 2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup fresh pork blood (or chicken blood)
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice, cooled
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
For the seasoning and casings
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Pork sausage casings (about 6 ft), rinsed and soaked in salted water
For finishing and serving
- 2 tbsp olive oil or lard
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced into rings
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
- Rinse the pork casings thoroughly under cold running water, then soak them in a bowl of warm salted water for 20 minutes to soften and remove any residual salt.
- In a heavy Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the diced onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, parsley, scotch bonnet if using, allspice, cloves, black pepper, and salt, and cook 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cubed pork shoulder to the pot and brown gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in 4 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 35 to 40 minutes until the pork is fork-tender.
- Stir the cooked rice and fresh pork blood into the pot. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a spoonable paste that holds together when pressed. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Slide a soaked casing onto a sausage-stuffing funnel, tying a tight knot at the end. Pack the warm filling into the funnel and feed it gently into the casing, pinching occasionally to remove air pockets, until you have six 6-inch sausages. Tie each end securely with kitchen twine.
- Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer (about 180°F). Lower the sausages in carefully and poach for 25 minutes, turning once. Do not boil or the casings may burst. Remove and cool to room temperature on a tray.
- Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry the cooled sausages for 3 to 4 minutes per side until the casings are dark, taut, and lightly crisped.
- Slice each sausage into thick rounds and arrange on a platter with raw onion rings, parsley, and lime wedges. Serve warm with mashed yuca, fried plantains, or crusty bread.
Cook’s Notes
- Source fresh pork blood from a Caribbean butcher or specialty market; it gives the sausage its signature deep color and earthy flavor—chicken blood is the closest substitute.
- Prick any visible air bubbles in the stuffed sausages with a sterilized needle before poaching to prevent the casings from bursting.
- Add 1/2 cup finely sliced chives (ciboulette) along with the parsley for a more traditional Martinican flavor.
- Cooked sausages keep refrigerated for up to 4 days and can be sliced cold for sandwiches or reheated gently in a skillet.
- Always simmer the sausages gently—never boil—or the rice filling will expand too quickly and split the delicate casing.
