Cajun Boudin Balls

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1.5 cups cooked white rice
• ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup celery, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced until pencil-tip size
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the ground pork in a large mixing bowl and break it apart with your hands into tiny crumbles smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of sesame seeds, so it will blend smoothly into the boudin.

2. 2

   Place the diced onion, celery, and minced garlic on a cutting board, then gather them into the bowl with the pork so the aromatic vegetables are ready to add.

3. 3

   Measure 1.5 cups of cooked white rice and pour it into the bowl with the pork, adding the cooked rice at room temperature so it does not clump together.

4. 4

   Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning blend into the bowl, then stir the entire mixture with a wooden spoon in one direction for 2 minutes until the color is uniformly reddish-brown throughout.

5. 5

   Pour 0.25 cup of whole milk into the bowl while continuing to stir until the mixture looks like thick, cohesive stuffing with no dry spots, about 1 minute.

6. 6

   Refrigerate the mixture in the bowl for 15 minutes so it becomes firm enough to shape into balls without falling apart when you touch it.

7. 7

   Pour 0.5 cup of all-purpose flour into a shallow bowl and place it on your work surface next to the chilled pork mixture.

8. 8

   Scoop a portion of the pork mixture about the size of a golf ball, pinch it off, and roll it between your palms in tight circles for 10 seconds until it forms a smooth, compact ball.

9. 9

   Drop the ball into the flour bowl and roll it on all sides, lifting and turning until the entire surface is coated with a thin, even white layer, about 15 seconds.

10. 10

    Place the coated ball on a plate and repeat steps 8 and 9 with the remaining mixture until you have 12 to 16 boudin balls on the plate.

11. 11

    Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and set it over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot, about 3 to 4 minutes.

12. 12

    Carefully place 4 to 5 boudin balls into the hot oil using a slotted spoon, making sure they are not crowded so they fry evenly without sticking together.

13. 13

    Let the balls fry without touching them for 2 minutes until the bottom surface turns deep golden brown the color of caramel, then use a slotted spoon to flip each one over.

14. 14

    Fry the balls for another 2 minutes on the second side until they are golden brown all over, then use the slotted spoon to lift them out and place them on a paper towel to drain.

15. 15

    Repeat steps 12 through 14 with the remaining boudin balls in batches of 4 to 5, allowing 1 minute between batches for the oil to return to shimmer.

16. 16

    Combine 0.5 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of Creole mustard, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 0.5 teaspoon of hot sauce in a small bowl and stir until the color is uniform deep tan, about 30 seconds.

17. 17

    Arrange the warm boudin balls on a serving plate and place the remoulade dip in a small bowl in the center, so each guest can dip the balls as they eat.

Tools you’ll need

• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Shallow bowl
• Plate
• Slotted spoon
• Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 4-quart capacity)
• Paper towels
• Small bowl for dipping sauce
• Cutting board

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