- View
Black pudding is one of Britain’s oldest and most distinctive traditional foods. Often found as part of a full English breakfast, this blood sausage offers a flavour that is hearty, savoury, and deeply satisfying, with a texture that ranges from crumbly to firm depending on where it is made.
Across the United Kingdom, black pudding has moved from farmhouse kitchens to fine dining menus. It is enjoyed both in its traditional fried form and in modern reinventions. While not to everyone’s taste, for those who appreciate it, the dish is full of character and substance.
Part of its charm lies in its honesty. Made from simple, practical ingredients, black pudding makes use of what is available and transforms it into something enduring. It is a food that speaks of thrift, tradition, and regional pride.
What Is Black Pudding?
Black pudding is a type of blood sausage, usually made from pig’s blood mixed with fat, oats, or barley, then seasoned and set into a firm, sliceable form. It is cooked before being sold, and often fried or grilled before serving.
In the north of England and in Scotland, it has long been a familiar sight at butchers and breakfast tables. Each region adds its own adjustments, such as the amount of oats or spice, but the essence remains constant.
Although linked strongly to breakfast, it is not confined to mornings. Black pudding is eaten in sandwiches, stirred into stews, or paired with scallops and other fine ingredients in restaurants. Its adaptability is part of its enduring appeal.
Ingredients and Taste
The main ingredient is blood, typically from pigs, though cattle or sheep blood can also be used. To this are added oats, barley, or breadcrumbs, along with onions, fat, and a mixture of spices. This blend is cooked and then allowed to set.
When sliced and fried, black pudding forms a crisp outside while staying soft inside. The flavour is earthy, iron rich, and seasoned, with a gentle spice that varies between recipes. It is savoury and hearty without being overpowering.
Texture is key to its enjoyment. Some puddings are smooth and firm, while others are looser with a crumbly bite. When paired with fried eggs or grilled tomatoes, the pudding’s richness is balanced by freshness and acidity.
A Taste of History
Black pudding has ancient roots, with versions of blood sausage found across Europe and beyond. In Britain, it became especially associated with farming communities, where no part of the animal was wasted after slaughter.
In the north of England, particularly Bury in Lancashire, black pudding became a local speciality. Markets there still sell it in abundance, maintaining traditions that have lasted for centuries. Scotland too has a long-standing connection with its own versions.
The dish reflects practicality as much as flavour. Blood spoils quickly, so making it into a sausage was a way to preserve nutrition. Mixed with grains and fat, it became filling, inexpensive, and useful during harsh seasons.
Today, black pudding continues to hold its place in both humble and refined settings. It carries with it centuries of rural life, ingenuity, and regional pride. Whether eaten as part of a hearty breakfast or presented with fine dining finesse, it remains an enduring piece of British food culture.
How to Make Black Pudding (Blood Sausage)
Black pudding is a time-honoured British delicacy made with pork blood, oats, and spices, forming a rich sausage with a firm yet tender texture. Expect earthy flavours balanced with oats and herbs, perfect for breakfast or as part of a hearty meal. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the pudding mixture
- 1 litre fresh pork blood
- 400g pork fat, finely diced
- 250g pearl barley or steel cut oats, cooked until tender
- 200g fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 large onions, finely chopped and lightly fried
- 2 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp ground allspice
For casing
- Natural hog casings, soaked in warm water and rinsed
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the oats
To begin, cook the pearl barley or steel cut oats in boiling water until tender but not mushy. Drain well and allow to cool slightly. Transition to preparing the onions.
Step 2: Cook the onions
In a frying pan, sauté the chopped onions in a little pork fat until soft and translucent. Set aside to cool. Proceed to mixing the main ingredients.
Step 3: Mix the base
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked oats, fried onions, diced pork fat, and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed. Continue by seasoning.
Step 4: Add spices and herbs
Season the mixture with white pepper, salt, thyme, marjoram, and allspice. Stir carefully to ensure the flavouring is consistent throughout. Transition to adding the blood.
Step 5: Incorporate the blood
Slowly pour in the fresh pork blood while stirring constantly. Aim for a thick but pourable consistency, similar to cake batter. Adjust with extra breadcrumbs if too thin. Move to casing preparation.
Step 6: Prepare the casings
Rinse the soaked hog casings under cold running water to remove excess salt. Fit one end onto a sausage funnel or piping attachment. Continue to filling.
Step 7: Fill the casings
Carefully spoon or pipe the mixture into the casings, leaving a little space to allow for expansion. Twist into manageable links, tying each end securely with kitchen twine. Transition to poaching.
Step 8: Poach the puddings
Bring a large pot of water to around 80°C (do not boil). Gently lower in the sausages and poach for 30–40 minutes until firm. Keep water below boiling to prevent bursting. Move to cooling.
Step 9: Cool and dry
Lift the black puddings from the water and place them on a rack to cool fully. Once cooled, they can be sliced and fried as needed. Transition to serving.
Final Step: Serve and enjoy
Slice the black pudding into rounds and fry lightly in a pan until crisp on the outside. Serve with a traditional full English breakfast, alongside eggs, bacon, and toast, or enjoy with mustard for a rustic snack.
Variations and Substitutions
- Oats: Steel cut oats can be replaced with pearl barley or pinhead oatmeal.
- Pork fat: Beef suet may be used if pork fat is difficult to source.
- Casings: If natural hog casings are unavailable, use artificial casings or bake the mixture in terrine moulds.
- Blood: Fresh pork blood is traditional, but some use powdered dried blood mixed with water.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Black Pudding
- Keep the water temperature steady during poaching to prevent the casings from splitting.
- Dice pork fat finely to avoid uneven texture.
- Allow puddings to rest overnight for flavours to mature before frying.
- Slice thick for frying to keep the pudding moist inside.
Black Pudding (Blood Sausage)
Ingredients
For the pudding mixture
- 1 litre fresh pork blood
- 400 g pork fat finely diced
- 250 g pearl barley or steel cut oats cooked until tender
- 200 g fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 large onions finely chopped and lightly fried
- 2 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp ground allspice
For casing
- Natural hog casings soaked in warm water and rinsed
Instructions
- To begin, cook the pearl barley or steel cut oats in boiling water until tender but not mushy. Drain well and allow to cool slightly. Transition to preparing the onions.
- In a frying pan, sauté the chopped onions in a little pork fat until soft and translucent. Set aside to cool. Proceed to mixing the main ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked oats, fried onions, diced pork fat, and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed. Continue by seasoning.
- Season the mixture with white pepper, salt, thyme, marjoram, and allspice. Stir carefully to ensure the flavouring is consistent throughout. Transition to adding the blood.
- Slowly pour in the fresh pork blood while stirring constantly. Aim for a thick but pourable consistency, similar to cake batter. Adjust with extra breadcrumbs if too thin. Move to casing preparation.
- Rinse the soaked hog casings under cold running water to remove excess salt. Fit one end onto a sausage funnel or piping attachment. Continue to filling.
- Carefully spoon or pipe the mixture into the casings, leaving a little space to allow for expansion. Twist into manageable links, tying each end securely with kitchen twine. Transition to poaching.
- Bring a large pot of water to around 80°C (do not boil). Gently lower in the sausages and poach for 30–40 minutes until firm. Keep water below boiling to prevent bursting. Move to cooling.
- Lift the black puddings from the water and place them on a rack to cool fully. Once cooled, they can be sliced and fried as needed. Transition to serving.
- Slice the black pudding into rounds and fry lightly in a pan until crisp on the outside. Serve with a traditional full English breakfast, alongside eggs, bacon, and toast, or enjoy with mustard for a rustic snack.
Leave a Review