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Brined & cooked recipeOrigin Recipe

Boudin Blanc de Liège

A cooked charcuterie preparation from the Salumi Atlas

Draft

This recipe is a draft, pending verification by The Curesmith. Treat the salt, cure and timing figures as provisional and confirm them against your own judgement before curing.

Introduction

Boudin Blanc de Liège is a Belgian white cooked pork sausage whose dominant aromatic signature is dried marjoram. The cut surface shows a visible meat grain and fragments of whole leaf, while the aroma of marjoram remains clear rather than being masked by the other ingredients. It is traditionally eaten cold in slices.

Where it comes from

Pork cut chart with the Belly highlighted
Pork · BellyPork belly

Before you begin

Purpose and scope

The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.

Limitation of liability

The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.

Nitrite and cure safety

Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:

  • Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
  • Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
  • Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
  • Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.

Temperature control

Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.

Uncooked cured products

Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.

Commercial production

These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.

The recipe

StyleCooked
MeatsPork belly, Lean pork shoulder
Salt2.5%
Cook to72 C / 162 F

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Ingredients

gAdjust to
scale the recipe
Meat & fat
Pork bellyReference1000 g
Lean pork shoulder50% of pork belly500 g
Neutral oil or lard for onion5% of pork belly50 g
Binders & vegetables
Fresh white bread crumb100% of pork belly1000 g
Onion, finely diced66.7% of pork belly665 g
Pasteurised cream10% of pork belly100 g
Pasteurised whole milk10% of pork belly100 g
Whole hen egg, beaten33.3% of pork belly335 g
Seasoning
Salt2.5%37.5 g
Ground white pepper0.7%10 g
Ground nutmeg0.3%4.5 g
Ground cinnamon0.2%3.0 g
Ground cloves0.1%1.5 g
Whole dried marjoram leaves1%15 g

Production

GrindAs the style requires
Rest1 hour, ideally overnight
Cook to72 C / 162 F internal

Method

1
Preparation. Crumble bread and moisten with milk and cream.
2
Cooking. Cook onion gently in the measured oil or lard until translucent; cool to 4°C or below.
3
Comminution. Chill pork and belly until firm and grind through 6 mm.
4
Mixing. Mix meat, belly, panade, onion, egg, salt and spices. Fold in whole dried marjoram leaves so fragments remain visible. (Endpoint: Use food-grade Origanum majorana leaves; keep the mixture below 10°C.)
5
Stuffing. Stuff into natural pork casing and close both ends.
6
Cooking. Poach or steam until the cold point reaches 72°C. (Endpoint: The PGI minimum is 68°C; the Curesmith home branch applies a 72°C endpoint.)
7
Chilling / rest. Immediately immerse or shower in cold water, then refrigerate. (Endpoint: Meet the stated two-stage cooling limit.)
8
Drying / maturing. Dry and refrigerate. Traditionally serve cold in slices. (Endpoint: 0–4°C; consume within 5 days or freeze.)
Key tipsThis is the house version of a cooked product; the Atlas entry carries the traditional detail. Keep everything cold, cook to a measured core temperature, and cool quickly.
ImportantThis is a cooked product. Cook thoroughly to a safe internal temperature of 72 C / 162 F before eating, cool promptly and keep refrigerated.

Recipe by The Curesmith — thecuresmith.com