French Boudin Noir with Apple and Onion

Name: Boudin Noir französisch mit Apfel und Zwiebel
Total time: 1 d
Ingredients: 450 ml Frisches Schweineblut; 150 ml Sahne 35% Fett; 250 g Zwiebeln fein karamellisiert; 150 g Apfel Boskop oder Braeburn; 150 g Schweinefett ungepokelt fein gewuerfelt; 18 g Nitritpoekelsalz; 3 g Quatre Epices Gewuerzmischung; 2 g Schwarzer Pfeffer fein gemahlen; 30 g Butter; 1 Stueck Schweinedaerme Kaliber 32-36 mm

Cooked SausagePorkHot SmokingHard1 day75°C

The French Boudin Noir is a refined blood sausage with caramelized onions and sweet-tart apples, giving it a characteristically velvety texture and elegant aroma. This variant originates from France, where Boudin Noir has been considered a delicacy since the Middle Ages.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Fresh pork blood450 ml

Heavy cream 35% fat150 ml

Finely caramelized onions250 g

Boskop or Braeburn apple150 g

Uncured pork fat finely diced150 g

Curing salt18 g

Quatre épices spice blend3 g

Finely ground black pepper2 g

Butter30 g

Pork casings 32-36 mm1 Stueck

Instructions

Caramelizing the onions

60 Minuten

Peel onions and cut into fine half-moons. In a heavy pan with butter over very low heat (level 2 of 9), slowly caramelize for at least 40-50 minutes. Onions should become golden brown, sweet, and completely soft — never allow to burn. Allow to cool completely.

Preparing the apples

15 Minuten

Peel, core, and cut apples into 1 cm cubes. In a pan with a little butter over medium heat, sauté with occasional stirring for approximately 8-10 minutes until soft but still slightly firm. Do not cook to mush. Season with a pinch of salt and optional splash of calvados and allow to cool completely.

Blanching the fat

10 Minuten

Briefly blanch the pork fat in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes to remove blood residues and impurities. Drain, rinse with cold water, and allow to cool completely. This ensures a cleaner, lighter color and purer flavor in the finished sausage.

Preparing the blood sausage mass

20 Minuten

Gently warm cream to 35-40°C. Whisk pork blood well with curing salt, quatre épices, and black pepper. Slowly incorporate the lukewarm cream with constant stirring. Fold in caramelized onions, apple cubes, and blanched pork fat. Pass the entire mixture through a coarse sieve for an even consistency.

Filling

20 Minuten

Thoroughly soak and rinse pork casings. Fill the mass loosely and without air bubbles into casings — maximum 75% fill due to expansion during heating. Twist into sections of 18-22 cm and carefully tie off. Immediately refrigerate filled sausages until poaching.

Poaching

45 Minuten

Poach sausages in hot water or stock at exactly 78-80°C (not boiling) for approximately 35-45 minutes until core temperature of 75°C is reached. French tradition: Use lightly salted water with a bay leaf and thyme sprig for poaching. Doneness test: Pierce with toothpick — clear juice indicates doneness.

Cooling and finishing

20 Minuten

Immediately shock finished sausages in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Allow to dry completely on a rack. Store chilled at 2-4°C, shelf life 5-6 days. For classic serving: fry sausages in butter with fresh apple slices and shallots in a pan, finish with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper.

Pro Tip

For an especially velvety texture, strain the entire mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth before filling. Gently warm cream before adding to blood — cold cream can cause premature coagulation. Use Boskop or Braeburn apples — their tart aroma perfectly balances the richness of the blood.

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