The smell of smoked meat, boudin and cracklins, and the sound of Zydeco on a Saturday morning is always a swift reminder of what part of Louisiana you’re in.

Boudin (French pronunciation: ​[budɛ̃]) are various kinds of sausage in French, Belgian, German, Quebec, Acadian, Creole, Austrian[1] and Cajun cuisine. - Wikipedia

One Saturday in December of 2014, I walked into a gas station convenience store in the New Orleans area and heard a woman ask the store’s clerk if he had any boudin. His response of, “Sorry, we don’t sell boudin on Saturday, baby” left me in utter dismay. After all, we are in Louisiana.

Though we are one in the same when it comes to our love of LSU football, the New Orleans Saints, boiled crawfish, gumbo, and seafood, we are also unique in our own way throughout the regions of “The Bayou State".

Standing inside of that convenience store on the Westbank, I just figured that no one else does boudin the way we do in Cajun Country. Maybe it was just that particular store I visited that didn’t sell boudin on Saturday, who knows? What I do know is, boudin's made and sold everyday around these parts, for sure!

Folks drive from Texas to purchase our boudin, so that should tell you how good it is. We won’t get on the subject of boudin made in Texas, because I don’t have time to talk about all that's wrong with it. We love our neighbors in TX though, so don’t take it personal, because they do have “the best barbecue". Allegedly.

We make “the best boudin", no argument. [LOL]

Some prefer to eat only the pork rice dressing stuffed inside that makes it boudin. Others prefer to eat everything including the sausage casing, which can be made from a collagen or synthetic substance, or the real deal: hog intestines.

Boudin comes in regular, mild, spicy, smoked, blood, seafood, and it’s even made into a ball and deep fried. You name it!

From Lake Charles to Lafayette, New Iberia, and all points in-between, here are some of the best spots to grab yourself a link or two, or three, of boudin. Trust me, it’s all made fresh and ready to eat as soon as you plop down in the seat of your vehicle.

We want to know, what's your favorite boudin spot in the Acadiana region? Vote below!

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