Searching for the Best Boudin in the Heart of Cajun Country
Ever since devouring the Southern Foodways Alliance's excellent oral history of Louisiana's Boudin Trail, I've been champing at the bit to get me some. So when my pal Pableaux Johnson invited me on a culinary tour that included a swing through boudin country, I was on board quicker than you boil a batch of crawfish.
This spicy sausage is like so many regional specialties, rarely making appearances outside the area in which it's such a big deal. I don't get that because boudin is one of the most ridiculously delicious sausages around, a mix of pork parts, rice, and assertive seasonings. It's most often found at country stores, though our first taste of incredible boudin was in New Orleans at Stephen Stryjewski and Donald Link's flat-out fantastic Cochon.
Our seemingly insatiable group went the one-of-everything route and ate every dang bite of the spectacular spread, especially the boudin balls. These golden orbs are like a meaty croquette, crisp on the outside, tender within.
From left: Cochon's boudin balls, an impromptu picnic in the parking lot of the Best Stop Supermarket.
The boudin balls made such a big impression that we ordered another round the next night while at Prejeans in Lafayette, a vast dining room decorated in all manner of swamp paraphenalia. Yes, that's a 200-pound stuffed alligator gar fish mounted on the wall. Cochon: 930 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans LA 70130 (map); 504-588-2123 cochonrestaurant.com
But the best was yet to come—and by best I mean Best Stop in Scott, Louisiana. It's a small store that specializes in big flavors. (Don't forget to pick up some Swamp Dust seasonings while you're there.) The boudin at Best Stop was the perfect communion of meat, starch, and spice, relished on top of saltines during a parking lot picnic, a grease-stained bag of wicked good cracklin's on the side. Best Stop Supermarket: 615 Highway 93 N, Scott LA 70583 (map); 337-233-5805; thebeststopsupermarket.com
If we weren't in such a hurry to get back for more fine food in New Orleans (drinks and appetizers at Ralph's on the Park and dinner at Brigtsen's), it would have been instructive to pull into nearby Don's Meats and compare the two. Both Don's and Best Stop boast theirs is the best boudin around. Guess that sausage smackdown will just have to wait until the next trip. I will definitely hit the Boudin Trail again.
About the author: Leslie Kelly was the restaurant critic at The Seattle Post-Intelligencer until the newspaper folded earlier this year. Since then, she's been working as a cook in restaurants around the city and writing regular reports on her journey from pen to pan in Critic-Turned-Cook posts for Serious Eats. She also blogs at LeslieKellyWhiningandDining.blogspot.com.
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4 Comments:
I LOVE cajun boudin, and my favorite is from Don's Specialty Meats, so be sure and try it next time you pass there. I live hours away from the boudin country in SW La, but when I travel through I buy frozen boudin and keep it on hand most all the time.
Most folks steam it or heat it in a pan of water, but I like to gently grill it on top of a piece of heavy duty foil. That crisps up the casing and gives it a better flavor for me. I broke out a couple of links to go with the chicken wings and smoked sausage that we grilled this weekend. I also like kim chee with mine. It's a weird combo, but tasty.
The boudin link is a good site for ratings and locations of practically every boudin shop in Louisiana. http://www.boudinlink.com/
Remander at 5:36PM on 07/06/09
i agree with remander that don's is good but best stop is my favorite, they have been open for a little over 20 years and my sons and i spent sunday afternoons watching the saints lose and eating their boudin. i also grill it but don't use foil. my sons are grown and married but we still get together with sunday football and best stop boudin. prejeans is ok but too touristy and cochon will set you back an entire paycheck.
olddad at 1:12PM on 07/07/09
I like both places and also try Heberts Specialty Meats in Maurice...best stuffed deboned chickens out there!
bunnie_morales at 1:49PM on 07/09/09
My 17-year tour of the South is over and I'm back home in the PNW. But that doesn't keep me from the boudin, thanks to online shopping.
Right now my fave is from Bourque's in Port Barre.
Bourque's is rated A+ on the Boudin Trail website. I always enjoy when Chad or Shannon Bourque address me as "Mr. Timothy" when taking my order. ;^)
I haven't been able to find a retailer of boudin locally, so I continue to order online. FedEx is really a killer add-on to the cost, but I have to order some up every few months anyway!
Cheers!
Timo
Kennewick WA
timosmith at 5:25AM on 11/08/09