I would hazard a guess that the one you had was Stornaway black pudding, this contains oatmeal. You don't have to go all the way to the Western Isles to buy it, my local butcher in south London sells it.
Following on from the offal thread, I can see that black pudding is particularly well liked on this forum.
I've been getting the bog standard stuff from Tesco called the Bury black pudding company. It the only one my local supermarket stocks.
However, I find it a little on the creamy side, and prefer one with little more oatmeal so it breaks apart easily. I had one like this up in a hotel in Scotland a couple of weeks ago and it was head and shoulders above the Bury stuff they sell in Tesco.
So, any recommendations from you black pudding officianados?
I would hazard a guess that the one you had was Stornaway black pudding, this contains oatmeal. You don't have to go all the way to the Western Isles to buy it, my local butcher in south London sells it.
Stornoway black pudding has much more oat content - fantastic stuff.
www.albertmatthews.com
They sell Chadwicks black puddings which have been around for ever. They still have a stall at Bury market and the puddings are excellent.
great to collect in person but equally good delivered.
If you can get it, try Clonakilty black pudding. Lovely.
Try France for proper boudin noire.
We use this company to supply ours at the shop.
Wins quite a few awards too.
http://www.reallancashireblackpuddings.co.uk
We have a local butcher here in Scotland who makes a very oaty black pudding, more so than the much lauded Stornoway pudding. Personally, I prefer the black pudding from the butcher in the Yorkshire village I grew up in. Less oats and larger fat pieces.
My favourite is Mark's and Spark's own brand....cooked on a really high heat until it goes crispy.
Stornaway is the only one I'll eat and it can be bought in Costco for £8 for a huge quantity. Lovely.
Waitrose sell it
http://www.waitrose.com/shop/Display...oductId=280829
Stornoway Black Pudding for me.
So happens that I will be working in Stornoway for the next couple of weeks.
Will have some black pudding whilst there no doubt.
Was also there last week, but could not get a hotel to stay in all week.
Ended up staying in Tarbert and had to drive back and forward each day.
Ferry crossing from Uig to Tarbert was shorter than Ullapool to Stornoway, so not all bad.
Had this on holiday in Ireland. Its about the best there is. Some times you can find it here in Tesco's. Its all about the barley.
My local tesco's stock Simon Howie Black Pudding...
They also sell it online:
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/produ.../?id=275477037
'morning, Gents,
My first post here so please be gentle with me (I couldn't see a "newbies say 'hello' section anywhere on the forum).
I'm one of those primitive caveman types who prefer black pudding just as it comes- not fried, not grilled, just sliced off and enjoyed. As a consequence I've had several "polite disagreements" with waitresses who insist that "chef sez it 'as t'be cooked fer 'elf'n'safety so you can't 'ave it raw". Usually followed by a blank look on being told that if it really were "raw" it would be a bucket of pigs' blood.
That said, the Bishopsgate Kitchen near Liverpool Street Station serves one of the best cooked breakfasts you'll ever experience, including an excellent black pudding, even though they insist it has to be singed on the outside.
The last really good one I bought for home consumption was from a stall in Borough Market.
I'm Adrian by the way, a professional tax dodger.
There are few better!
Link:
'A public health report from Manchester said: “Black Puddings are retailed as a cooked preparation and considered to be a ready-to-eat food which are sometimes consumed without further cooking. Environmental health officers in Lancashire and Greater Manchester have expressed concern relating to the storage and display of black puddings and have observed that some retailers handle them as a raw product and others as a cooked product.”
'Which means they could become contaminated and would, therefore, need to be cooked.
'Eric has raised a valid point but I think he can rest assured no-one is attempting to change his eating habits. Black pudding can be eaten hot or cold according to preference.
'Now, what about white pudding from Ireland?'
From the net:
Clonakilty Black Pudding
Oatmeal, Onions, Irish Beef Fat (25%), Water, Beef Blood Powder, Salt, Potato Starch, Natural Spices
Bury Black Pudding
Water, Oatmeal, Pearl Barley, Rusk (Wheat), Dried Pork Blood, Wheat Flour, Pork Fat, Onion, Pork Rind, Salt, Mixed Herbs, Wheat Starch, Pepper, Yeast Extract
So...pork or beef?
Oh ollocks!
Its about 2 months since I last had black pudding,, and here you lot are tempting me back to the dark side.
I saw a vintage Floyd in France episode where he was exploring peasant food. A very old woman was explaining that they would kill something and hang it up to drain the blood, underneath which they would have a big flat pan over a low heat. The blood would drip in, they'd throw a few bulking grains etc. and give it an occasional stir.
Eventually they'd end up with a big blood pancake. Every time they cooked a stew, they'd slice off a bit of the pancake and chuck it in for extra calories and protein. Don't think I'll try that at home though.
Perigord market? YouTube link.
See also: Use Blood for Pancakes, Sausages, Desserts, & More...take a look a the video under Blood Pancakes for a foul-mouthed Swedish chef Cooking with the Kock!
Last edited by PickleB; 5th October 2015 at 15:15.
I have no idea where these would be available in the UK but if you like Clonakilty Black pudding there are 2 brands in IRL that would be deemed even better again; Kanturk (McCarthys) & Annascaul...
http://www.jackmccarthy.ie/shop/
http://www.annascaulblackpudding.com/
This vegan black pudding has good reviews
http://www.veganoo.net/2013/03/revie...k-pudding.html
First comment on that review...from Liz:
"I need to disagree with you on this one. I hated it! I have eaten a lot of non vegan black pudding a very long time ago and loved it. The texture of this wasn't too bad but it tasted overwhelmingly of dried herbs to me. I threw half of it away, unheard of!"
I'm guessing that it compares well with other vegan fare, but doesn't hold up against regular black pudding. I don't get why vegans, veggies etc have to have their own version of traditional products. I like some vegetarian dishes, but they're called something other than sausage, burger, mince etc. Don't get me on to Quorn...
when we are in Ullapool we get the ferry on a Saturday to Stornaway. we walk up through the pedestrian precinct to Macleod and Macleod the butchers and buy the black puddings. then a quick pint of the black stuff in Mcneills and back to the ferry to return to Ullapool. a great way to pass a Saturday.
Another vote for Clonakilty black pudding and their white pudding, if you can find that, is just as delicious with perhaps a little more pepper to it.
Agreed
I'm a vegetarian because I dont like meat - why would I want things to be like something I dislike?
I guess that those that do are the ones that choose not to eat meat for 'ethical' reasons and then miss the look/taste etc
Anyway, sorry to digress - back to the real stuff you meat eaters!
I'm rather fond on the Spanish Morcilla, especially in a Fabada Asturiana - in fact, I think I'll cook that this weekend!
Bonfire night approaches...anyone for Groaty Dick?
Just fried up a nice Perthshire black pudding bought from Tesco. It was by Simon Howie butcher and called the Wee Black Pudding.
Lovely stuff, which is probably down to the much higher beef fat content - yum
Morrisons do I nice one at deli.
I lost a black pudding last week. Bought it from local market while wife was looking for a handbag. Then we went into Debenhams and TK-Max and while I was loaded with "maybe" hanbags must have put black pudding down and I forgot it. Wonder what people thought was in the plastic bag when they found it
Mmmm, black pudding
Haven't had any for ages, but have one of those Tesco 'Wee' ones in the fridge, might have to be devoured tonight. Only remaining question is whether to have it with bacon and eggs, or go up market and fried it up with some slices of apple and do a cider sauce.
Whilst reading this thread a memory hit me of getting whole puds, about the size of those 'wee' one's, battered and deep fried from a chippy. A thing of sheer indulgence, way too rich to eat a whole one, but used to get one to share between us as a 'side dish' to our fish n chips, bloomin lovely they were. Problem is i can't for the life of me remember when or where i used to have it, who i used to share it with or where i lived at the time, or why we stopped getting them. That's annoying. I'll have to ask the wife later, but i'm not sure if it was before her or not
Brighty
No. only been to scotland once, on a school trip, so not there. Really confused where it would have been. Can't imagine it was down south, curry sauce and gravy recent developments there. Was in Liverpool for uni, but wasn't there as we could only just stretch to chips n gravy back then. Lived in the northeast for last 7 years, so could have been up here, but if that recent, why can't i remember it? Used the same local chippy for pretty much the whole time here and it wasn't from there. Might have been visiting the folks in Lincolnshire maybe? Wifey will know, i'll check later. I probably dreamt it, it's a weird part vivid part vague memory. Want one now though
Brighty
I get you. In that case find any recipe for battered fish...delete fish...substitute black pudding. What's not to like?
Stolen from another JM recipe:
- Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 190°C.
- Sprinkle 15 g / ½ oz fresh yeast and a pinch of sugar into a mixing bowl.
- Pour over 300 ml / 10½ fl oz beer and 1 tsp cider vinegar, then whisk in 200 g / 7 oz plain flour and a pinch of salt.
- Leave to ferment – it is ready to use when the mixture starts to bubble.
- Dip the cod fillets black pudding into the batter and deep fry until golden-brown and cooked through – about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
He used vegetable oil for his fish, but I've heard that duck fat makes great chips and my mum used to use lard.
Last edited by PickleB; 19th October 2015 at 15:35. Reason: delete 'dick' insert 'duck'
I dare you to try black pudding Swedish style
Bought from local farmers market :)
A fan of Stornoway black pud here also. However.......... If by some rare chance you are around the Ullapool, Lochewe, Gairloch area on holiday for example then a visit to Ault Bea butchers is a must. Quality of meat is excellent and the Black Pudding is quite simply superb. Every time we are up there we phone in advance to make sure they have plenty, so as to fill up the boot of the car when we leave. Slight exaggeration there.
Come to think of it, not been up there for ages. Time for a visit.
Hmmm couldn't agree more,
http://badachroinn.filmdesign.me.uk/
Its also got its own moorings 😊