Pudding and Souse (Bajan Saturday Dish)
Local name: Pudding and souse
In short: Bajan Saturday classic of steamed spiced sweet potato pudding with cold pork souse pickled in lime juice, cucumber, onion and hot pepper. It takes about 2 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 2 h 10 min
- Resting
- 3 h
- Total
- 2 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 465 kcal
Pudding and souse is the Saturday meal of Barbados. The pudding is grated sweet potato seasoned with thyme and pepper and steamed until firm, and the souse is tender pork pickled in lime juice with cucumber, onion and hot pepper. Traditionally the pudding is cooked in a natural casing, but a foil-wrapped log works at home. Slice both and serve them together, with a little of the souse liquid spooned over.
Instructions
- Put the pork and trotters in a large pot with the 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water by 5 cm (2 inches). Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then cover partly and simmer for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the pork is very tender.
- While the pork cooks, mix the sweet potato, onion, scallions, thyme, hot pepper, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined.
- Shape the mixture into two logs about 18 cm (7 inches) long. Wrap each tightly in parchment, then in foil, twisting the ends.
- Steam the logs on a rack over simmering water for 60 to 70 minutes, until firm when pressed. Cool, then unwrap.
- Drain the pork and cool for 20 minutes. Slice the meat thinly, and chop the soft skin and meat from the trotters, discarding the bones.
- Mix the lime juice, cold water, parsley, hot pepper and salt in a bowl. Add the cucumbers, onion and pork and stir. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.
- Slice the pudding into rounds 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick. Serve with the cold souse, spooning a little of the lime liquid over.
Tips
- No trotters? Use more pork shoulder, or add a pork hock. The trotters give the souse its soft, gelatinous bite, so use them if you can.
- No natural casing is needed. If you want it, ask a butcher for cleaned casing and fill it loosely, since the pudding swells slightly as it steams.
Questions and answers
How long does souse keep?
Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pork is fully cooked before pickling, but it should stay chilled until serving.
Is souse served hot or cold?
Souse is served cold or at room temperature, while the pudding is usually served warm. The contrast between sharp, cool pork and soft sweet potato is the point of the dish.
How spicy is pudding and souse?
It depends on the pepper. Use half a seeded scotch bonnet for a mild warmth, or add more with the seeds for a hotter souse.
How long does it take to make Pudding and Souse (Bajan Saturday Dish)?
About 2 h 50 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 2 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pudding and Souse (Bajan Saturday Dish)?
About 465 kcal per serving, with 32 g of protein, 34 g of carbohydrates and 22 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 465 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 34 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
