Cooking French white sausages (Boudin blanc)
Ingredients
 | 3-4 boudin blanc sausages |
 | 2 tablespoons of butter |
 | 1/2 cup of water |
 | Salt and pepper |
How to cook boudin blanc (white sausages)
Pan-sear on the stovetop:
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Add the boudin blanc sausages and cook gently for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally so they brown evenly.
- If the pan looks dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water to prevent burning.
- Remove from the heat and serve warm.
Boil in a pot:
- Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil).
- Add the boudin blanc and let them heat through for about 5 minutes.
- Drain carefully and transfer to a plate.
- For a lightly crisp exterior, slice them and sauté in a pan for 2 minutes until golden.
- Serve warm.
Bake in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
- Place the sausages in a baking dish and prick the casing a few times with a fork to prevent splitting.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Serve warm.
Boudin Blanc sausages are a French delicacy that have been enjoyed for centuries. It was traditionally eaten at Christmas, before the big meal, mix of made of cream, breadcrumbs, fat, starch, and boiled pork or chicken.
During the Middle ages, the meat was just served a bowl before some creative chef decided to put it into a sausage casing. And from there a legend was born.
Known as the “white sausage”, it became especially popular in the city of Lyon, which has a rich culinary tradition. Soon it became popular all over France, and now around world.
Like its cousin, the boudin noir (which includes dried pork blood), it became a staple during tough times like war and famines in France, when meat was at a shortage and people had to make do.
Today, boudin blanc sausages are enjoyed all over the world and are a staple of traditional French cuisine. Now some people do try to make their own boudin blancs, but most French people just buy them already prepared at their local boucherie (butchers) or grocery store.
It can be a delicate dish to cook, since overcooking it makes the casing come off, but rest assured it is still delicious. I’ve included three different ways to cook them, on the pan-frying on the stovetop, boiling, or in the oven.
For golden brown boudin blancs I recommend pan-frying or in the oven, but boiling works really well too.
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French White sausages (Boudin blanc)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 boudin blanc sausages
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1/2 cup of water
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Pan-seared on stovetop
- In a large sauce pan, melt the butter at low temperature on stove top.
- Add the boudin blanc white sausages to the pan and cook at low temperature for 6-8 minutes, adding a couple of tablespoons water if it looks like it is starting to burn.
- Take off the stove and serve while warm.
Boiling in a pot
- In a large pot, heat the water to a simmer.
- Add the boudin blanc white sausages for about 5 minutes in simmering water.
- Drain the water and place the sausages on a plate.
- (Optional) Cut the boudin blanc sausages into pieces and cook them on the stove for 2 minutes until golden.
- Serve while warm.
In the oven
- Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C)
- Place the boudin blanc white sausages in a large baking tray and with a fork, pierce the casing of each sausage in a couple of places.
- Cook for about 15-17 minutes, or until the sausages are golden brown.
- Serve while warm.
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Boudin blanc sausages go very well with any type of potato dish, but my favorite is these lyonnaise potatoes.
For starters, consider this tomato bruschetta or these scallops in pesto.
What drinks to serve with it?
For drinks, this boudin blanc sausages goes quite well with a white wine like a Sancerre from the Loire Valley.
Another option is a young red wine like Beaujolais. You can read more about French wines here.
Can you prepare it in advance?
Boudin Blanc keeps quite well in the fridge, if you want to prepare it in advance. Let it cool, and then place in an airtight glass container in the fridge, so that the sausages don’t dry out.
