Black Pudding Recipe (Homemade British-Style Blood Sausage)

This black pudding recipe makes a British-style blood sausage mixture in a loaf pan, so you can get the familiar oat-and-spice texture without stuffing casings. The loaf is baked until fully cooked, chilled until firm, then sliced and browned in a skillet for serving.

The flavor comes from pork blood, pork, oats, onion, black pepper, marjoram, allspice, and nutmeg. This version is written as a practical home-cooking recipe rather than a nutrition or wellness article, with extra attention to temperature, chilling, storage, and clean handling of raw ingredients.

For a brunch spread, serve a few crisp slices beside eggs and tomatoes, or pair them with a savory high-protein quiche. If you are cooking for someone who avoids gluten, use certified gluten-free oats and review the label-checking guidance in our gluten-free recipes guide.

What Is Black Pudding?

Black pudding is a type of blood sausage associated especially with Britain and Ireland. Recipes vary by region, but the basic structure combines animal blood with fat, a cereal such as oatmeal, and seasonings. The mixture is traditionally filled into a casing and cooked until set.

For home cooks who do not want to work with sausage casings, a loaf pan is a useful alternative. It will not look exactly like a butcher-shop ring of black pudding, but the finished loaf firms up well enough to chill, slice, and pan-fry. That makes the method easier to repeat with standard kitchen equipment.

This version uses pinhead oatmeal or steel-cut oats for a coarse, traditional-style texture. Ground pork gives the loaf more structure, while a smaller amount of pork back fat keeps the slices moist without making the mixture excessively greasy.

Ingredients for Homemade Black Pudding recipe

• Pinhead oatmeal or steel-cut oats: provides the characteristic cereal texture and absorbs liquid as the loaf cooks.
• Whole milk or buttermilk: softens the oats before they are mixed into the sausage base.
• Onion: cook it until soft before mixing so there are no harsh raw pieces in the finished loaf.
• Ground pork: gives the loaf structure and a meaty texture that slices cleanly after chilling.
• Pork back fat: use a modest amount, diced very finely, for moisture and the speckled look typical of many blood sausages.
• Food-grade pork blood: use only blood sold for culinary use and kept properly refrigerated; do not substitute uninspected blood.
• Seasonings: black pepper, thyme, marjoram, allspice, nutmeg, parsley, and optional smoked paprika create a warm, savory profile.

Keep the blood, ground pork, and fat cold while you prepare the other ingredients. Measure the spices before combining the raw mixture so you do not need to taste it for seasoning.

Food Safety Before You Start

Treat the blood and pork like other raw animal ingredients: keep them refrigerated, prevent drips onto ready-to-eat food, wash hands and utensils after contact, and use a food thermometer rather than judging doneness by color. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends cooking ground pork to 160°F (71°C). See the agency’s food-safety basics for the current temperature guidance.

Because this is a dense loaf, check the temperature in the center, not near the edge of the pan. Refrigerate cooked food within two hours, and use cooked leftovers within three to four days. Reheated leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C), according to USDA guidance.

Black Pudding Recipe Card

The card below gives the measured quantities for one 9×5-inch loaf. The chilling time is important: the loaf is delicate when hot and becomes much easier to slice after several hours in the refrigerator.

Loaf-Pan Black Pudding

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Print Recipe

A British-style black pudding loaf made with food-grade pork blood, pork, oats, onion, herbs, and warm spices, baked until set and chilled for clean slicing.

• Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes (including chilling)
• Yield: 12 slices (6 servings)

Ingredients

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• 1 cup (100 g) pinhead oatmeal or steel-cut oats
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk or buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil or lard, plus more for greasing
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, optional
• 1 pound (450 g) chilled food-grade pork blood
• 12 ounces (340 g) lean ground pork
• 4 ounces (115 g) pork back fat, very finely diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Parchment paper for the loaf pan

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Put the oats in a bowl, pour over the milk or buttermilk, and let them soak for 20 minutes.
3. Heat the oil or lard in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic for the final minute if using, then cool the mixture.
4. Place the finely diced pork back fat in a small saucepan, cover with water, and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
5. In a large bowl, combine the salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram, allspice, nutmeg, smoked paprika, and parsley. Add the ground pork, blanched fat, cooled onion, and soaked oats, and mix evenly.
6. Whisk the chilled food-grade pork blood gently until smooth. Pour it into the pork mixture and stir slowly until evenly combined. Do not taste the raw mixture.
7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the center reaches 160°F (71°C) on a food thermometer.
8. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes. Lift it out with the parchment, cool further, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing.
9. Cut into 1/2-inch slices. Brown the chilled slices in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve hot.

Notes

• Use only animal blood sold for culinary use and kept properly refrigerated. Do not use uninspected blood.
• Keep raw blood, pork, and fat cold while you work, and wash hands, bowls, knives, and work surfaces after contact.
• USDA guidance for ground pork is 160°F (71°C); check the center of the loaf with a food thermometer.
• Refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
• For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free oats and verify packaged ingredients for your needs.
• Nutrition is an estimate per serving and assumes pork back fat rather than bacon; blood, pork, milk, and fat products vary significantly.

• Author: Adam Moretti
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: British
• Diet: High Protein

How to Make Black Pudding

1. Prepare the pan and soak the oats

Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment so the cooked loaf is easier to lift out. Put the oats in a bowl, pour over the milk or buttermilk, and let them stand for about 20 minutes while you prepare the onion and pork.

2. Cook and cool the onion

Heat the oil or lard in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic for the final minute if using. Transfer the mixture to a plate and let it cool so it does not warm the raw meat and blood.

3. Prepare the pork and fat

If the back fat is in larger pieces, dice it very finely. Briefly blanch the diced fat in simmering water for about three minutes, then drain and pat it dry. This step softens the fat slightly and helps it distribute more evenly through the loaf.

4. Mix the dry seasonings first

In a large bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, thyme, marjoram, allspice, nutmeg, optional smoked paprika, and parsley. Add the ground pork, blanched fat, cooled onions, and soaked oats. Mix until the seasonings and oats are evenly distributed.

5. Add the blood last

Whisk the chilled food-grade pork blood gently until smooth, then pour it into the bowl. Stir slowly with a sturdy spoon until the mixture is even in color and consistency. Do not taste the raw mixture. Transfer it immediately to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.

6. Bake to temperature

Bake for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until the center of the loaf reaches 160°F (71°C) on a food thermometer. If the top darkens too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil. The exact time can vary with the pan material and starting temperature of the mixture, so use the thermometer as the final check.

7. Cool, then chill until firm

Set the loaf pan on a rack for about 30 minutes. Lift the loaf out carefully with the parchment and let it cool further, then cover and refrigerate for at least three hours. Chilling lets the oats and pork mixture firm so the slices hold together in the skillet.

How to Know the Loaf Is Ready

• Temperature: the center registers 160°F (71°C).
• Texture: the middle feels set rather than liquid or loose when the pan is moved gently.
• After chilling: a sharp knife cuts through the loaf without the slice collapsing.
• Inside: the oats and small pieces of fat should look evenly distributed instead of collecting in one layer.

Do not keep baking only to make the loaf look dry. Black pudding should stay moist enough to brown in the pan later. The center temperature is a more useful doneness test than surface color.

How to Slice and Pan-Fry Black Pudding

Cut the chilled loaf into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, then brown the slices for roughly two to three minutes per side. Turn them only after the first side has formed a crust; moving them too early can make the edges crumble.

Serve the browned slices with eggs, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, or toast. If you want another make-ahead breakfast for the same table, the site’s egg bite variations give you a milder option alongside the richer black pudding.

Variations and Substitutions

Use certified gluten-free oats when needed

Oats themselves do not contain wheat, but cross-contact is common during growing and processing. If you need a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free steel-cut oats or pinhead oatmeal and check the labels on the remaining packaged ingredients.

Adjust the spice profile

For a more peppery loaf, increase the black pepper slightly. For a softer aromatic profile, keep the allspice and nutmeg modest and let thyme and marjoram lead. Fennel and sage can work, but they push the flavor away from the profile used in this recipe.

Fresh versus dried blood

If your culinary blood product is dried, reconstitute it exactly according to the product instructions before measuring the amount required by the recipe. Do not guess the dilution ratio because different products vary in concentration.

Loaf pan versus casing

A casing creates a more traditional round sausage, but the loaf-pan method is intentionally designed for home kitchens and standard equipment. Keep the loaf-pan version if your priority is predictable baking, chilling, and slicing.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Cool and refrigerate the cooked loaf promptly. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator and use it within three to four days. For longer storage, freeze individual slices in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers.

Thaw frozen slices in the refrigerator. Reheat cooked slices until they are steaming hot; USDA guidance for leftovers calls for 165°F (74°C). For the best texture, reheat only the portion you plan to eat rather than repeatedly warming the whole loaf.

FAQ about Black Pudding Recipe

What is black pudding made of?

Black pudding generally combines animal blood, fat, a cereal such as oatmeal, and savory seasonings. This loaf-pan recipe also uses ground pork for structure, plus onion, herbs, black pepper, allspice, and nutmeg.

Is black pudding the same as blood sausage?

Black pudding is a type of blood sausage. “Blood sausage” is the broader category, while black pudding usually refers to British and Irish styles built around blood, fat, cereal, and seasoning.

Can I make black pudding without sausage casings?

Yes. This recipe is specifically written for a loaf pan. After baking and chilling, the loaf can be sliced and browned in a skillet much like rounds cut from a casing.

Why does my black pudding crumble when sliced?

The loaf may still be warm, the oats may not have absorbed enough liquid, or the slice may be too thin. Chill the loaf thoroughly and use a sharp knife. Half-inch slices are easier to handle than very thin ones.

Can I freeze homemade black pudding?

Yes. Freeze the fully cooked, chilled loaf in slices so you can thaw only what you need. Separate slices with parchment to keep them from sticking together.

Can I reduce the amount of fat?

You can reduce it slightly, but black pudding becomes drier and more crumbly when too much fat is removed. This version already uses less back fat than many richer formulas, so make small changes rather than removing it completely.

Final Tips

The three details that matter most are keeping the raw mixture cold, baking the center to 160°F, and chilling the cooked loaf before slicing. Once those are in place, the rest of the recipe is mostly about getting the oat texture and spice balance you prefer.

Keep the article focused on the food itself: a practical homemade black pudding recipe, a reliable loaf-pan method, and clear safety cues. That gives readers what they need to cook the recipe without turning the page into a medical or diet claim article.