Cajun Boudin Balls with Creole Remoulade

Name: Cajun Boudin Balls with Creole Remoulade
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 453 g cooked boudin sausage (meat removed from casings); 1 piece large egg; 55 g panko breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp green onion; 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley; 65 g all-purpose flour; 2 pieces large eggs; 120 g panko breadcrumbs; 1500 ml neutral oil; 1 tsp Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 120 g mayonnaise; 2 tbsp Creole or spicy brown mustard; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp hot sauce; 1 tbsp parsley; 1 tsp paprika; 1 clove garlic; 1 tbsp capers; 1 piece lemon wedge; 225 g ground pork; 115 g cooked white rice; 0.25 cup yellow onion; 2 tbsp celery; 1 clove garlic; 0.5 tsp thyme; 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper; 0.5 tsp salt

Crispy deep-fried boudin balls—smoky pork, rice and spice rolled into snack-sized fritters—served with a bright Creole remoulade for dipping. Great for parties, snack windows or make-ahead finger food.

50 min

start to finish

25 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

Boudin mixture

453 g cooked boudin sausage (meat removed from casings)about 1 lb; if you can't find boudin, use the optional 'Quick homemade boudin' ingredients below
1 piece large eggfor binding
55 g panko breadcrumbsabout 1/3 cup; helps firm the mixture
2 tbsp green onionthinly sliced (white and green parts)
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped

Breading

65 g all-purpose flourabout 1/2 cup
2 pieces large eggsbeaten for dredging
120 g panko breadcrumbsabout 1 cup, for coating; substitute gluten-free crumbs if needed

Frying

1500 ml neutral oilvegetable, canola or peanut oil for deep-frying

Seasoning

1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Creole remoulade

120 g mayonnaiseabout 1/2 cup
2 tbsp Creole or spicy brown mustardor Dijon + 1 tsp ketchup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot saucelike Crystal or Tabasco
1 tbsp parsleyfinely chopped
1 tsp paprikasmoked or sweet
1 clove garlicminced

Optional (garnish)

1 tbsp capersfinely chopped(optional)
1 piece lemon wedgefor serving(optional)

Quick homemade boudin (optional)

225 g ground porkabout 1/2 lb; use only if not using store-bought boudin(optional)
115 g cooked white riceabout 1/2 cup, hot short-grain or jasmine(optional)
¼ cup yellow onionfinely diced(optional)
2 tbsp celeryfinely diced(optional)
1 clove garlicminced(optional)
½ tsp thymedried or 1 tsp fresh(optional)
½ tsp cayenne pepperadjust to taste(optional)
½ tsp salt(optional)
¼ tsp black pepper(optional)

Contains gluten, egg, fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Method

If using store-bought boudin: remove the boudin meat from casings into a mixing bowl and break up any large clumps with a fork.
If making the quick homemade boudin: heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium, add diced onion and celery and cook until soft, 4 minutes; add garlic and cook 30 seconds more, then add ground pork and brown, breaking it up, 6–8 minutes.
Still making homemade boudin: stir in cooked rice, thyme, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; cook 2 minutes to warm through, then transfer mixture to a bowl and cool briefly until warm (not hot).
Combine the boudin meat (store-bought or cooled homemade) with 1 large egg, 1/3 cup panko, sliced green onions, parsley, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a bowl; mix until uniformly combined but do not overwork.
Shape the mixture into 12 even golf-ball-sized balls, then place on a baking sheet and chill uncovered in the refrigerator to firm up.
Set up a breading station: place 1/2 cup flour in one shallow bowl, the 2 beaten eggs in a second bowl, and 1 cup panko in a third bowl.
Remove chilled balls; dredge each first in flour (shake off excess), then in beaten egg, then roll in panko until well coated; place back on the baking sheet and keep chilled while you heat the oil.
Heat oil in a deep heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer—maintain temperature between 350–360°F while frying.
Fry the boudin balls in batches (do not crowd) until golden brown and crisp, about 3–4 minutes per batch; transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray to drain. Repeat until all balls are fried.
While the last batch fries, make the remoulade: whisk together mayonnaise, Creole mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, minced garlic, parsley and paprika; taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve the boudin balls hot with the Creole remoulade on the side; garnish with chopped capers or lemon wedge if using.

Worth knowing

If you can't find panko, use fine breadcrumbs or crushed crackers for the coating. For gluten-free, use rice flour for dredging and certified gluten-free crumbs.
Do not skip chilling—the brief rest firms the balls so they hold together when frying.
Keep the oil temperature steady: if it drops too low the coating will absorb oil; if it's too hot the exterior will brown before the center warms through.
Make ahead: form and bread the balls, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; fry just before serving.
Leftovers reheat on a wire rack in a 375°F oven until crisp, 8–10 minutes.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Meal prepKid friendly

More Cajun cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Cajun cooking, not any restaurant's recipe.