Here in the UK black pudding is a very common sight. However, a surprising amount of people have never tried it and still ask the question of what the traditional sausage actually is.

When we say sausage we don’t mean sausage rolls, but we do have a great blog on how those are made which you can read, here.

What is black pudding made of?

Black pudding is one of the oldest forms of British cuisine. It has been around as long as humans have farmed and kept livestock.

It is a common sight amongst British breakfasts and dinners the like. Funnily enough the one place you’ll very rarely see it is as a dessert.

Black pudding is a sausage that’s the main ingredient of which is blood, usually pig. Which doesn’t sound great if you’re at all squeamish.

To give it its spongy and firm consistency coarsely milled grains and ground fats are added. These grains soak up all the flavour, giving the sausage its rich flavour.

How did it get its name?

We can thank the European Monks for black pudding in the UK, or as they called it at the time ‘blutwurst’, which translates to blood sausage.

Blood sausage became blood pudding, which eventually became black pudding, which thankfully was the one that stuck.

What does black pudding taste like?

Black pudding doesn’t have a specific ‘taste’. It’s like asking the question of what sausage tastes like; there are many different options and each has its own distinct flavour.

It doesn’t have the metallic taste that blood has, but instead tends to be savoury due to the seasoning. It has a spongy yet crumbly texture that, in order to properly understand, you need to have experienced.

Is it a superfood?

A few years ago it was classified as one of the ‘superfoods’ alongside the likes of kale, broccoli and spinach. Suggesting that it was one of the best things out there for your body.

Unfortunately, this is not the case, despite black pudding being incredibly high in iron and zinc, seeing as it is mainly made from blood. The fat, calories and salt levels are to be of concern with this age old delicacy.

On average your typical serving of black pudding (100g) contains around 1-3g of salt, 22g fat and 297k calories. Like all things, it’s okay to enjoy it occasionally, but eating it too often can lead to health conditions.

Is black pudding an ethical option

Yes, usually it is made to use up a plentiful by-product of the meat industry; blood! This makes it one of the most economical and ethical choices out there.

Black pudding recipes

Typically, you will see black pudding being served on the side of a delicious Full-English breakfast. However, it is equally delicious served in mash potatoes, in a stew or even in place of sausages. The BBC Good Food website has hundreds of mouth-watering options, here.