Just got back from Ireland and everyone said we didn't want to know what was in black/white pudding. TELL ME!

Answer 1

Black pudding and white pudding are made of boiled blood.
Pigs blood to be exact and they add lumps of rendered pig (fat) or suet for the lumps

If you cant be botherd with the recipe you can actually make an omlette out of animal blood too. It's more of a survival thing, but handy to know

Answer 2

Always knew that the black pudding was made from the blood of pigs - but white pudding I didn't know about. White pudding may just be the fat of the pig! - Does it really matter if you enjoyed the eating?

Answer 3

My friend from Ireland says this

It's not 'black & white' pudding, but 'black' pudding a delicious, mildly spiced sausage concoction made with ...... dried blood! However, it is very nice when sliced into 1cm slices and fried - makes a splendid breakfast ingredient.

White pudding is a sweet, fruited pudding. It's boiled in a cloth, so called clootie pudding in Scotland.

Answer 4

black pudding

It goes without saying that to make black pudding you need blood. This is not for the faint hearted and under current regulations is difficult. Of course, if you have your own pigs the abattoir will allow you to collect the blood together with the rest of the pig.

Those of us who do not live the River Cottage dream will have more problems. You may find a butcher who makes his own puddings and is prepared to sell you some. Abattoirs used to be happy to sell a bucket of blood for a few pounds (very good for tomatoes apparently) but are now most seem unable to do this.

The alternative is to buy dried blood and re-hydrate this with water. Trade supplies such as Scobies Direct (link to http://www.scobiesdirect.com/ ) can supply this.

Assuming you have the blood a basic recipe is.

Ingredients
2 litres blood
Casings, beef runners of large hog casings (optional)
3 onions, finely chopped
1 kg of suet or diced pork fat (back fat or bacon fat)
500ml double cream
500g oatmeal, soaked overnight in water)
500g barley, boiled in water for 30 minutes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mixed herbs or ground coriander
1 teaspoon black pepper or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground mace

Method
Soften the onions in a quarter of the fat, make sure that they do not colour. Add the rest of the fat and leave to slowly sweat for 10 minutes
Add the oatmeal and cream and cook for a few minutes
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir over a gentle heat for 5 minutes
If you are using skins, these can now be filled and sealed with two knots. The puddings can then be poached in barely simmering water for 5 – 10 minutes. Splitting is common, to avoid this prick the puddings with a needle and cook on the lowest possible simmer (better to cook them very, very slowly then to lose them). Any pudding which floats to the top should also be pricked, they are cooked when brown liquid comes out. They can then be drained and kept in a fridge for 1 – 2 weeks
An easier method is to bake the pudding in an ovenproof tin, and cook in a bain marie (by standing the tin in a larger tin half filled with water) in a low oven (160 degree or gas mark 2) for 1 – 2 hours. Make sure that the mixture has started to thicken and coat your stirring spoon before pouring into the tin and stir well first (this should ensure that the ingredients are evenly mixed). You can then cut slices and fry or bake

Answer 5

The Black Pudding bit has been well answered.
White Pudding is a mixture of onions, suet and oatmeal (if fried or steamed in a basin) it is known as Skirlie in Scotland.
If it is stuffed into sausage casings it is known as white pudding.
A mixture similar but containing dried fruit instead of onions is known as "fruit pudding" - Clootie dumpling is like Christmas pudding with a skin.

Answer 6

You've had some excellent answers here..
Evidently irish black puddings basic ingredient is blood, usually pork, with spices and a bit of suet (lard / fat) .

Irish white pudding is the oatmeal, spices and pork fat one.

(Only the irish, scottish and english blood puddings have oatmeal in them, not those in the rest of europe.)

As you have seen for yourself it is a great breakfast food served with eggs and maybe some nice homemade spelt bread and preserves or jam. Also a classic for a supper... with bacon also, and no jam...

There are other varieties made in different countries...

In France and Belgium, this type of sausage is called "BOUDIN" and is made similar to the irish type (without the oats)...
The white pudding (boudin blanc) has chicken in it.
The belgians make a special one for the Xmas holidays that also has raisins (yummy!).
The french generally steam or fry it whole, and serve with apple sauce and potatoes (boiled or mashed).

The germans have "BLUTWURST" of different kinds depending on the region... One I know is eaten like a coldcut and another is similar to the french one.

Then in Spain we have "MORCILLA" which is also a black pudding sausage... In northern Spain the Burgos morcilla has rice added to it, giving it a great texture when fried in slices!
in southern Spain, there are 2 types, one has onion added for a slightly different flavour, the other more common morcilla has paprika added to the other spices, and more suet... It is very tasty, but harder to digest.
Morcilla in Spain is often added, along with chorizo sausage, to winter stews with lentils, beans or chickpeas...

The spanish also make a dish called "Sangre Frita" it is made of chicken blood, sold at the butchers, it comes in a block, you cut it in small cubes, and fry it with chopped onion, peppers and tomatoes with a little added tomato sauce... very tasty! Has a flavour a bit like liver.

In Poland I know the polish have their "ducks blood soup", but I have never tasted it.

There are probably more types of blood sausage in eastern europe, but I don't know those, so this is the best information I can give you.

I'll bet you enjoyed your visit to Ireland as much as I did mine! It's such a lovely country, especially if you have friends there to coddle and spoil you!

Answer 7

Black pudding is made from pigs' blood, and white pudding from pigs' white love tears

Answer 8

Black pudding is sheeps blood. Not sure what white pudding is though

Answer 9

Black pudding is boiled pig's blood in a length of intestine. In the UK our puddings are usually bound with cereal with suet or cubes of fat added. European puddings are lighter because they are often made with cream instead of cereals.

Answer 10

Irish white pudding is made from pork and herbs. Black pudding is made from pigs blood.