Black Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup pork blood (fresh or frozen)
• ¾ lb pork shoulder, finely ground
• ¼ lb pork back fat, finely diced
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 whole yellow onion, medium
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh sage leaves
• 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 yards natural hog casings, 32-35mm
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   If using frozen pork blood, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator until completely liquid. Bring 0.5 cup whole milk to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat and stir in 0.5 cup old-fashioned rolled oats. Let this mixture cool to room temperature — this will take about 15 minutes. The oats will absorb the milk and become tender and creamy.

2. 2

   Prepare your hog casings: soak 3 yards of natural hog casings in cool water for 30 minutes to make them pliable. After soaking, rinse the inside of each casing by running cool water through it gently — this removes any salt and makes them easier to handle.

3. 3

   Finely dice 1 medium yellow onion into 1/8-inch pieces — you want them very small so they distribute evenly and cook through. Set aside.

4. 4

   Strip 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves from the stems and roughly chop 1 tablespoon of fresh sage leaves. Combine them in a small bowl.

5. 5

   In a large bowl, combine 1 cup thawed pork blood, 0.75 lb finely ground pork shoulder, 0.25 lb finely diced pork back fat, and the cooled oat and milk mixture. Add the diced onion and the chopped thyme and sage. Sprinkle in 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt, 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice, and 0.125 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Using your hands, gently fold and mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed — do not overmix, as this toughens the texture. The mixture should look dark, rich, and slightly sticky.

6. 6

   Set up a sausage stuffer (if you own one) or prepare a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip as an alternative. Load your hog casings one section at a time, carefully sliding about 18 inches of casing onto the stuffer nozzle. Carefully feed the blood mixture through, applying gentle, consistent pressure — you want the casing to fill evenly without air pockets, but not so tightly that it might burst. Twist or tie off the filled casing at 4-inch intervals to create individual puddings. Prick any visible air bubbles with a clean needle.

7. 7

   Place the filled black puddings in a large pot and cover completely with cold water. Bring the water to a bare simmer over medium heat — you should see just a few tiny bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. The puddings will sink at first; after about 15 minutes they will float to the surface as the mixture cooks through. Once they float, maintain the gentle simmer for another 10 minutes. The puddings should feel springy and firm to the touch when fully cooked.

8. 8

   Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked black puddings to a bowl of ice water to cool completely — this stops the cooking and sets the texture. Once cool (about 10 minutes), pat them dry with paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve.

9. 9

   When ready to serve, slice the black puddings into 0.5-inch-thick rounds using a sharp chef's knife — a gentle sawing motion works better than pressing down, which can crumble the filling. Set a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Once the oil shimmers and smells fragrant (about 1 minute), carefully arrange the pudding slices in a single layer without crowding — work in batches if needed.

10. 10

    Pan-fry without moving the slices for 2–3 minutes until the bottom is deeply caramelized and crispy — you'll smell a rich, savory aroma and see golden-brown edges. Flip each slice and cook the other side for another 2–3 minutes until equally crispy and warmed through. Transfer to a warm plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately while still warm.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch cast iron skillet
• small saucepan
• large mixing bowl
• large pot
• sausage stuffer or pastry bag with large plain tip
• sharp chef's knife
• slotted spoon
• instant-read thermometer
• needle
• paper towels

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