Charred-Chile Boudin Balls

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

All the deep, liver-rich, rice-heavy flavor of Louisiana smoked boudin without wrestling with sausage casings. Pork shoulder and liver simmer with the trinity until falling apart, the rice cooks in that same porky broth, and blistered jalapeños and poblano bring smoke and heat. Roll the mixture into balls, bread them, and fry until the crust shatters into a creamy, peppery center.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 8 oz pork liver (or chicken livers), trimmed
• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
• 1 medium green bell pepper, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 6 cups water

• 1 large poblano pepper
• 3 jalapeños
• 2 serrano peppers (optional, for heat)
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 3 cups reserved pork cooking broth
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Creole or whole-grain mustard
• 1 tbsp pickle brine
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Combine the pork shoulder chunks, quartered onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 6 cups water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a bare simmer, cover partially, and cook 60 to 75 minutes, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
2. Add the liver to the pot and simmer 12 to 15 minutes more, just until firm and cooked through (no pink center). Turn off the heat and let everything sit in the broth 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork, liver, and vegetables to a bowl; strain and reserve the broth. Discard the bay leaves.
3. While the pork simmers, char the chiles: set the poblano, jalapeños, and serranos directly over a gas burner flame or under a broiler on high, turning with tongs every 2 to 3 minutes, until blistered and blackened in patches all over, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate, and steam 10 minutes.
4. Rub the loose blackened skin off the poblano and pull out its stem and seeds; leave most of the char on the jalapeños and serranos and remove only the stems (keep the seeds for heat, discard them for a milder batch). Finely chop all the chiles and set aside — this char is standing in for the smokehouse.
5. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of the reserved pork broth to a boil with the butter, stir in the rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fluff. The rice should be fully cooked and a little soft — that's what binds the balls.
6. Coarsely grind the pork, liver, and simmered vegetables in a food processor in 3 or 4 batches, pulsing 8 to 10 times per batch to a chunky, hand-ground texture — do not puree. Alternatively, chop the pork by hand and mash the liver with a fork.
7. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork mixture, cooked rice, chopped charred chiles, smoked paprika, liquid smoke (if using), black pepper, cayenne, thyme, scallions, and parsley. Mix hard with your hands or a sturdy spoon for a full minute, adding reserved broth 2 tablespoons at a time (about 1/2 cup total) until the mixture is moist and holds together when squeezed. Season aggressively — taste a small pan-fried spoonful and add more salt, cayenne, and black pepper until it tastes almost too bold; the breading will mute it.
8. Spread the mixture in a shallow pan and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) until cold and firm. Cold mixture is the difference between tidy balls and blowouts in the fryer.
9. Roll the chilled mixture into 24 golf-ball-size portions (about 1 1/2 inches, roughly 2 tablespoons each), packing each one firmly. Set them on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
10. Set up three shallow dishes: flour in the first; eggs beaten with the milk in the second; panko tossed with the Cajun seasoning in the third. Roll each ball in flour, then egg (letting excess drip off), then panko, pressing the crumbs on so the coating is complete. Return to the sheet pan and chill 20 minutes while the oil heats.
11. Whisk together the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, pickle brine, hot sauce, and smoked paprika for the dip; refrigerate.
12. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry the balls in batches of 6, never crowding, for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and hot through (internal temperature 165°F). Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle immediately with a pinch of salt. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches. Serve hot with the Creole mustard dip.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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