Historic recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook "A Domestic Cook Book". Page 34. One of the earliest known cookbooks by an African American author.
Finely chopping suet (beef fat) and mixing it with flour creates a matrix where fat coats flour particles, preventing gluten development and ensuring tenderness. Pricking the casings during boiling allows steam to escape, preventing bursting while the collagen in the intestinal casings gradually breaks down into gelatin. The initial boiling followed by drying creates a preserved product through moisture reduction, while the high fat content (suet) acts as a natural preservative that inhibits bacterial growth.
This is fundamentally a make-ahead preservation recipe. Once boiled and dried, the puddings can be hung in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for up to 2 weeks (historically longer, but modern food safety standards suggest refrigeration). Store dried puddings wrapped in parchment paper in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
After the initial boiling and drying process, wrap each pudding individually in parchment paper and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, simmer refrigerated puddings in water for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (frozen puddings need 25-30 minutes). The puddings can also be sliced and pan-fried in a skillet until crispy on both sides.
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Take suet, pick out all the strings and skin, then chop it very fine, mix with flour, season with pepper, salt, summer savory, sage, and sweet margery.
Dress the inwards of the beef or of a pig as you would for sausage.
Stuff them, and boil slowly nearly an hour, occasionally pricking them with a fork.
When done, hang them up to dry; they are then ready for use at all seasons.
Boil them over to warm when you wish to eat them.
