📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of Swedish husmanskost (traditional home cooking), Blodpudding is a deeply flavorful, savory-sweet blood sausage enriched with earthy rye and warming winter spices. This rustic delicacy offers a unique velvet texture contrasted by crispy fried edges, representing a beautiful 'nose-to-tail' culinary tradition. Served with tart lingonberries and salty bacon, it is a soul-warming meal that captures the true essence of Scandinavian heritage.
🥗 Ingredients
The Blood Base
- 500 ml Beef blood (strained and at room temperature)
- 250 ml Water or light beer (Pilsner works excellently)
Grains and Fats
- 300 grams Coarse rye flour (provides the traditional structure)
- 150 grams Pork fat (back fat) (very finely diced)
- 50 grams Butter (melted)
Aromatics and Seasoning
- 1 piece Yellow onion (grated or very finely minced)
- 3 tablespoons Dark muscovado sugar (or dark molasses/treacle)
- 2 teaspoons Salt (fine sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon Ground allspice (the signature Swedish spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper (freshly cracked)
- 1 teaspoon Marjoram (dried)
Traditional Accompaniments
- 1 cup Lingonberry jam (high quality or homemade)
- 300 grams Thick-cut bacon (sliced into strips)
- 2 tablespoons Butter (for frying the slices)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Thoroughly grease a 1.5-liter loaf pan with butter and set aside.
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2
Strain the beef blood through a fine-mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl to ensure there are no clots, ensuring a smooth texture.
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3
Whisk in the water (or beer) and the melted butter until the mixture is well combined.
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4
Gradually add the rye flour while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. The batter should be thick but pourable.
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5
Stir in the finely diced pork fat, grated onion, and the dark sugar or molasses.
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6
Add the salt, allspice, ginger, cloves, pepper, and marjoram. Mix thoroughly for 2-3 minutes to ensure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
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7
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil to prevent a hard crust from forming during the long bake.
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8
Place the loaf pan inside a larger roasting tray. Fill the roasting tray with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the loaf pan (a bain-marie).
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9
Bake in the center of the oven for approximately 60-75 minutes. The pudding is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 75°C (167°F).
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10
Remove from the oven and the water bath. Let the pudding cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate overnight. This is crucial for the pudding to set properly so it can be sliced.
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11
When ready to serve, turn the pudding out of the mold and cut into 1-cm (1/2 inch) thick slices.
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12
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon but keep the rendered fat in the pan.
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13
Add a knob of butter to the bacon fat. Fry the blood pudding slices for 2-3 minutes per side until they develop a dark, crispy crust while remaining soft inside.
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14
Serve immediately on warmed plates with the crispy bacon and a generous dollop of lingonberry jam.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always strain the blood twice if you suspect any irregularities in texture to ensure a silky finish. If you cannot find pork back fat, you can substitute with very finely chopped pancetta or bacon, but reduce the added salt accordingly. The 'overnight rest' in the fridge is not optional; cutting the pudding while warm will cause it to crumble. For an extra layer of flavor, try soaking the rye flour in the beer for 30 minutes before mixing with the blood. If the batter seems too thin, add an extra tablespoon of rye flour; it should resemble a thick pancake batter.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of freshly grated raw carrots tossed with a little lemon juice for a refreshing crunch. A cold glass of Swedish milk is the most traditional beverage pairing for this humble meal. For a more modern twist, serve with thinly sliced green apples to provide acidity and sweetness. A robust Stout or Porter beer complements the metallic and spicy notes of the pudding perfectly. Try adding a fried egg on top for a truly decadent 'brunch-style' Swedish experience.