Why Do Some Residents of Lafayette, Louisiana Prefer Boudin Without Its Casing?

If there is one thing we're passionate about in south Louisiana, it's the food. And few things are as popular among the region as boudin.

It's not too complicated a product. A pork casing stuffed with cooked rice and chopped pork (like a roast) and liver, along with spices and the like, it's a classic Cajun take on sausage. You can find it pretty much everywhere, and it's not difficult at all to make.

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So, naturally, the passion we feel for the food can also lead to passionate takes on it.

Over the summer, we saw a thread on Reddit where people were asked about whether or not they eat the casing - which is typically made from the lining of pork intestines, though sometimes it is made using synthetics - and the responses were pretty divided. We couldn't help but ask Facebook how they felt about the subject.

There has been a lot of feedback, and everyone is pretty divided on the subject. A lot of people don't like the casing. Some like it under certain conditions. So... what makes boudin casing bad (or good)?

How Is The Boudin Cooked?

Part of the issue appears to be the chewiness of the casings when it's been steamed or boiled. Most of the time, when people bite into a link of sausage, they like the crisp snap of the casings - that's something you don't get with boudin that's been cooked over the stove using water/steam.

But, that was one of the most frequent responses online - people like it smoked or grilled, when the heat has dried out that casing and made it tight and crispy. It's an entirely different experience when you eat it that way.

That might also be the reason so many people prefer boudin balls to links. With boudin balls, you have a crispy, fried exterior that is also easy to hold.

Fans No Matter What

Still, some people are definitely pro-casing no matter how it's cooked. One person on Facebook told us "If you don’t eat the casing then you’re not eating boudin. Might as well go ahead and make you some rice dressing."

Fair point.

But there's definitely a divide. Some people will cut it open and scoop out the insides. Some will squeeze it out like a Cajun pixie stick. But regardless of how you eat it, we really can't judge you for eating. It's delicious.