The white pudding from Rethel: lean part, fat... and a secret recipe

What’s this?

The boudin blanc (″white pudding″) from Rethel (Ardennes, Eastern France) is made with pork meat (fresh belly), composed of 70% of lean meat and 30% of fat.

The meat is cut into pieces, chopped and seasoned.

Then they add eggs, chop the blend and add milk. Voilà!

They put the mixture into a pork’s guts and they cook it into boiling water.

A delicate meal… we even can eat it for Christmas! With yummy potatoes and an apples purée, whoa...

The little history

The story began when Rethel was raised to a duchy for duke of Nevers Charles de Gonzague.

His descendants sold it to cardinal Mazarin, who named it Rethel-Mazarin, in 1663!

A name kept until the French Revolution.

So, the boudin’s recipe was probably created by the cardinal’s cook! A secret recipe, of course.