Black Pudding

[Carl]

Hi,

I�ve just made a batch of black pudding using a mix from www.sausagemaking.org it is absolutely brilliant. I was not sure about the best way to cook them as I cooked a batch in a pan of water but I was not impressed, but a friendly Butcher suggested I cook them in the oven in water this I did for 45 min and they are both cooked to perfection and look great. The Hog casings worked well and a generous helping of Pork Fat really complemented the mix (Black Pudding without fat is like a low fat sausage�WHY). Any comments or better ideas on the way I cooked them would be appreciated.

Carl

[sausagemaker]

Hi Carl

Glad to here you enjoyed the black pudding.
When I make them I also cook in the oven within a water bath, but recently used a steamer you know the sort you get for �12 at Tesco & the results were great

Hope this helps

Regards
Sausagemaker

[Oddley]

Hi Carl Congrats on the black pudding.

I wish I liked black pudding. I have tried it many times and just can't get on with it. Oh well!

[Platypus]

Hi Carl,

I love black pudding, but have never had enough blood knocking about to try it.

So it's good to hear that Franco's mix works well, I'll have to get some and try it out.

Did you make a large batch?
I noticed that the mix makes 9Kg...
Thats a lot of pudding

[Carl]

Hi Platypus,

The instructions calls for 1kg of Black Pudding mix 1.72kg Water and 600g of Diced Back Fat, as you say a lot of Black Pudding but I halved the quantity and ended up with around 1,400g (3lb). I am sure if you do try the mix you will be impressed.

Carl

[robin]

I've used Franco's black pudding mix a few times now with good results. However I lined a loaf tin with baking parchment and filled the loaf tin with the mixture. I then cooked in a bain marie in a low oven.

It has worked well without the mess of filling hog skins and the risk of them bursting.

I remember my Mother buying black pudding sliced in this way years ago and always liked it like this.

Normally I wrap the slices individually in cling film and freeze them. Again this works well.

[somerset lad]

This is my Black pudding recipie:
2 chopped onions fried pale
2 pints of pigs blood
6 oz. back fat diced and fried
10 oz, cooked weight pearl barley
3 oz. fine oatmeal
3 teaspoons salt
1 " white pepper
1 " black "
1/4. " cayenne
1 " ground coriander
1/2 " " mace
1 " Mixed spice
1 " allspice
1 " brown sugar

Method...put all dry ingredients with onions and backfat into a bowl, mix well, add blood (strained) and stir again. Fill casings , i use a large funnel, tying the puds each end. Lower into a pan of water at 80 d. for about 45 mins. if puddings rise prick them a couple of times to release pressure. When cooked place in a bath of cold water. lift out and dry, smear with lard and refridgerate.

[Spuddy]

Sounds good Somerset Lad. Where can you get fresh Pig's blood from?
I read somewhere that you can't sell a product made from fresh blood only dried, or is that in the USA (I can't remember)?

[aris]

I suppose one could take that recipe and use reconstituted pigs blood.

[Spuddy]

Yes but it would be nice to try it with the "real thing".

[somerset lad]

You need to know a man, or raise and have them slaughtered for your own use.

[grant]

Hi all,
Can anyone tell me whether Franco's black pudding mix contains the actual blood (Dried of course) or do you have to mix his product with your own sourced blood from the abatoir?
Many thanks,

Grant.

[Paul Kribs]

Grant, yes it does.. all you have to add is water and fat, and then into casings. I have studied some recipes on the WWW and some also add other ingredients like boiled rice, raisins, seeds etc.
I recieevd my long awaited black pudding mix from Franco this evening, and have been saving some hard fat, so will have a go in the near future. I intend to cook mine in water in a pan on the stove. I may add some ground pepper as well because my local shop do a very tastey version that is peppery.. I don't eat it anymore cos I keep finding hard lumps of what I assume is cartilage or tendon..

Regards, Paul Kribs

[grant]

Hi Paul,
Many thanks for that.
What is 'Hard fat' and what would I ask for at my abatoir?
I think I would like my black pudding to be of the traditional sort and don't think I would like raisins and rice to be included. (might be OK in Marakesh but not here in Stoke)
I agree with you Paul, a bit of added black pepper would spice it up a bit.
I can't wait to try it!
Is it better (cheaper) to order several products from Franco with regards to postal charges?
My wife is originally from Oldham and she tells me that when she was a girl (in the 50's) when they went to the Saturday Market, the most popular snack was a small tray of boiled black pudding with lashings of mustard. How times have changed! (for the worse)

Once again Paul, many thanks.
Regards,

Grant.

[Paul Kribs]

Grant

'Hard fat' is the layer of fat usually found on proper pork chops. It is generally known as 'back fat'. You should be able to get it if you have an abbatoir nearby, or a good butcher. I cannot get hold of it locally and have to trim the harder fat from a belly of pork. Bit of a nuisance really, but that is what I will be using today in the black pudding mix. Will also make a few varieties of sausages.

Regards, Paul Kribs