What exactly is Black Pudding?

Black pudding is a blood sausage which originates in Ireland and Great Britain. Usually it is made from pork blood, beef suet or pork fat, cereal usually oat groats, oatmeal and barley groats. Cereal in high proportion with use of certain herbs such as pennyroyal distinguishes black pudding from blood sausages consumed in other parts of world. Blood sausage is known as Black Pudding in Great Britain. German blutwurst is made from beef blood, fatty pork meat and filler such as barley.

It is prepared by mixing blood with oatmeal and fat before being packed in casing. Then sausage is served boiled, grilled or fried and cut into rounds or is crumbled into small pieces. The traditional British black pudding is similar to blood sausages which are served across the world. The addition of spices and seasonings may vary. The traditional recipe of Black pudding consists of pork fat, onions, spice flavorings, oatmeal and pig’s blood. Sometimes the pork fat is substituted by beef suet or oatmeal is replaced with barley and pig’s blood with beef blood.

Virtually every culture that reveres the pig has found a way to turn the perishable blood of porcine sacrifices into an edible delicacy—be they French (boudin), British (black pudding), Polish (kiszka), German (blutwurst), Italian (biroldo), Portuguese (morcela), or any other. Most of the time, that means finding a way to lace the blood with fragrant fillings of onions, seasonings, and a binding agent of some kind (potatoes, rice, flours, and cereals are the most common) before cooking or drying the mixture and hanging the sausage up for safekeeping in the winter larder. Spanish morcillas are almost always made in one of two ways: either with rice and/or other starchy binding agents or with a ton of onions as a sort of loose binder.

Most Spaniards, however, love it, which is why Morcilla de Cebolla is the go-to blood sausage in Spain. It’s deployed in various guises all over the country for everything from cocidos and other stews; paired alongside all sorts of legumes; or used as part of the sofrito for sautéed/stewed/simmered/sexified vegetables. Just know that, yes, this seems like an absolutely ridiculous amount of onions. But remember that onions and blood are the only binding agents for this sausage, and once the onions are cooked, more than half their weight and volume will evaporate.

History

It is considered to be the oldest form of sausage. Generally animals are slaughtered and blood is prepared as pudding which ensures that it does not get waste. Mostly the recipe of black pudding includes pork blood or cow blood or sheep blood. In 15^th century English recipe, the pudding used porpoise which was consumed exclusively by nobility. In Scotland for at least 19^th century, the blood of cow or sheep was used for black puddings. Jamieson’s Scottish dictionary referred black pudding as a pudding which is made from blood of cow or sheep. The consumption of black puddings is associated with Martinmas when annual slaughter of livestock shows up. In 19^th century, the manufacture of black pudding was associated with towns which are known for large markets for pork such as Stretford then in Cork, Lancashire or Ireland.

Most of the traditional recipes from United Kingdom include stirring fresh blood, addition of fat, rusk and seasoning before the mixture is filled into casing and boiling it. The natural casings of beef intestine were being used formerly but commercially made puddings used synthetic cellulose skins which are produced from imported dried blood. Typically, the use of limited ingredients and barley or oats is used to thicken and absorb blood in black pudding if compared to Continental blood sausages. But also the recipes of black pudding show variations across country. Flour or breadcrumbs are used to supplement barley or oats and the texture and proportion of fat or suet could be used widely. The traditional flavorings include marjoram, pennyroyal, mint and thyme. In North Riding of Yorkshire, pennyroyal is known as pudding yerb due to its use in black puddings. Sometimes other herbs and spices are used such as rue, cumin and parsley in traditional black puddings.

The dish is known as black pudding for centuries and various names have been used for the dish such as black pot or bloody pot in reference to being cooked in earthenware pot rather than sausage casing.

Health Benefits of Black Pudding

• It is a great source of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and protein.
• The high protein content in Black puddings keeps one feel full for longer time period.
• Being rich in iron and zinc, it helps to prevent anemia and make healthy blood cells.
• As a great protein source, it is required to build strong muscles, repair tissue and maintain effective hormonal and immune system.
• Iron helps to transport oxygen to overall body.
• Black pudding offers a healthy balanced diet.

How to make Black Pudding?

YIELD:

2–4 loops of sausage per

4¼ cups (1 L) of masa

INGREDIENTS
per 4¼ cups (1 L) of sangre (pork blood)
4.4	pounds (2 kg) manteca (pork lard)
33	pounds (15 kg) minced white onions (your grinder’s small die would be a great idea for this job!)
4⅓	ounces (125 g) kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1¾	ounces (50 g) garlic, peeled and destemmed
2	fresh bay leaves
6.6	pounds (3 kg) tocino (pork fat), chilled and cut into large dice
2	teaspoons (4 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
¾	teaspoon (1 g) whole cloves, toasted and ground
1	teaspoon (2 g) anise seed, toasted and ground
1	teaspoon (2 g) freshly grated nutmeg
1	teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon
1½	tablespoons (10 g) pimentón dulce
1½	tablespoons (10 g) pimentón picante
	Water, to cover
1	tablespoon (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil, for frying
2	feet (60 cm) 1¼–1½-inch (32–36-mm) hog casings, soaked, or more as needed

 

Directions:

1. Make a sofrito: In a large stockpot, warm the manteca over medium heat until rippling but not smoking. Add the minced onions, 1⅔ ounces (50 g) of the salt, the garlic, and the bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low and allow the onions to sweat for 2 to 3 hours, until the onions are completely cooked through but not browned (if bite into a piece, there should be no crunch). Discard the bay leaves and remove from the heat.
2. Place the sangre, the sofrito, the remaining 2⅔ ounces (75 g) of salt, the tocino, the black pepper, the cloves, the anise, the nutmeg, the cinnamon, and the pimentones in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or just mix in a mixing bowl with a sturdy spoon). Begin mixing on low speed. Mix for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is fully combined.
3. To make a prueba, in a small skillet over medium–high heat, warm the oil. Place a small piece of the sangre mixture in the skillet and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings with one’s liking.
4. Fit a casing over the opening of a funnel. Ladle in enough of the sangre mixture to loosely fill the casing. Tie into a 12-inch (30-cm) loop. Repeat with the remaining casings. Using a sterile pin or sausage pricker, prick each sausage several times.
5. Place the sausages in a large stockpot. Cover the sausages with the water and place the stockpot over medium–low heat. Once the water temperature reaches 154°F to 158°F (68°C to 70°C), reduce the heat to low and poach for 45 to 60 minutes, until the internal temperature of the sausages reaches 158°F (70°C) and they are firm to the touch. Remove from the heat.
6. Fill a bowl with ice water. Remove the sausages from the stockpot and immediately plunge them in the water to stop the cooking process. Remove from the water and transfer the sausages to a bowl. Chill overnight in the refrigerator (allowing the sausages to set up) before serving.

How to Eat         

• It could be grilled, baked, fried and boiled.
• Black pudding could be served as a meal with potatoes or bread.
• It could be consumed a breakfast.
• In North of England and Scotland, they are battered and deep fried.
• It is also used to make black pudding ice cream.
• Black pudding is used as an accompaniment to scallops.
• It could be served in mash potatoes.
• Use black pudding as a seasoning.
• Grilled black pudding is added to warm tomato salad and barley risotto accompany with seasonal greens.
• In Spain and Portugal, it is served in a sandwich.
• It is cooked with onions in Poland and served with rye bread, pickles and horseradish.
• Black sausage is served chopped in roll with kachumbari, onion salsa and diced tomato in Kenya.

Precautions

• It should be consumed in moderate amounts.
• People having health problems should consult doctor in order to avoid from worsening the existing condition.
• Make embutido by lacing morcilla with chorizo masa, cooked potatoes, rice and onions. 

Other Facts        

• Black pudding is an excellent source of protein, zinc and iron with low content of carbohydrate.
• The World Black Pudding Throwing Championships has been held since 1980s in Ramsbottom that annually takes place in September. It draws thousands of spectators and competitors to the town.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/all-you-need-know-about-black-pudding

https://www.barbecue-smoker-recipes.com/fresh-blood-black-pudding.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_sausage

https://www.travelgluttons.com/blood-sausage/

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