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Cajun Beef Boulettes, a well seasoned beef and pork meatball, simmered in a roux based gravy, usually include a little surprise of garlic, button mushroom or even an olive tucked up inside. |
Mary's Cajun Beef & Pork Boulettes with Brown Sauce
Boulettes is French for pellet or ball, and can be made with just about any type of ground meat or seafood. They are sometimes formed into patties instead of balls. Cajun Beef Boulettes include a little surprise of garlic, button mushroom or even an olive tucked up inside. Many Cajun cooks brown their boulettes in a pan first, then deglaze the pan with wine or stock and create a sauce, adding chunky peppers and onion to the stew.Others flour and fry their boulettes. I prefer to finely chop up the veggies by hand, because I tend to turn them into mush with the food processor, and then add them in the meat mixture. I also prefer to stew the boulettes slow and long in a roux (what else?!) instead of precooking them. I think both of these produce a very tender and delicious meatball.
These do take some effort, so it's not a dish for the weekday if you're away from home at the office all day, but let me tell you, these are some kind of good and you won't be sorry for the effort! Since this recipe calls for a roux, follow the link to see how to make an oven roux.
You can do this ahead and have it on hand, or just do it right before you make up the boulettes. And, of course, you can just do a roux on the stovetop too, but for a deep, dark roux like this, you just cannot beat the oven method. You'll want to make at least a cup of roux, and we'll start here with the roux already made.
Here's how to make some bullets!
Add 1-1/2 quarts of water to a stockpot and warm it slightly, then slowly whisking in the room temperature roux.* Bring it to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes; reduce heat to medium and let it simmer while you form the boulettes.
Carefully drop the boulettes into the roux and once it begins to bubble up again, reduce heat to a medium low to low simmer, occasionally lightly shaking and swirling the pan in order to toss and turn the boulettes. You can also use a spoon to turn them, but I find that just the gentle shimmy once in awhile seems to do the trick!

Simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until cooked through.
Sprinkle the pot with some dried crushed red pepper flakes just before you serve the boulettes. Serve with some of the brown sauce over hot, cooked rice.

Recipe: Mary's Cajun Beef and Pork Boulettes with Brown Sauce
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 2 hours | Yield: About 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1-1/2 quarts of water
- 1 cup of dark roux*
- 1/2 of a medium onion, grated or finely minced
- 1 stalk of celery, finely minced
- 1/2 of a small green bell pepper, finely minced
- 1/2 of a small red bell pepper, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1/2 tablespoon of dried
- 2 stalks of green onions, sliced very thin
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- Splash of heavy cream, to moisten
- 12 small whole cloves of garlic, or 2 to 4 sliced** (see note)
- Couple dashes of dried crushed red pepper flakes, and/or Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
In a 4 quart stockpot, add the water and stir in the room temperature roux and bring to a boil. Start with 3/4 cup but add more roux if needed to achieve the desired thickness; boil for 5 minutes; reduce to medium.
Combine all of the remaining ingredients, except for the garlic and red pepper flakes, and shape into 12 large balls. Insert a slice of the raw garlic into each meatball, pinch closed and roll the ball a bit more to tighten it. Put the raw meatballs in the sauce and once it returns to a bubble again, reduce the heat to a low to medium low simmer, and cook the meatballs for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Sprinkle with a few dashes of dried crushed red pepper flakes and/or Cajun seasoning, and serve over rice with some of the brown sauce. Add a side of steamed green beans or a nice garden salad to round it out.
Cook's Notes: This recipe uses a pre-made roux that has been cooked ahead and cooled, so if you're using a refrigerated roux, you'll want to bring 1 cup of the roux up to room temperature, rather than use it straight out of the fridge. Then add the room temperature roux to a pot of warmed water, not hot water. Of course, you can certainly do the roux on the fly when you need it. When I do use a hot roux, I find it helps to just slightly warm the water first and then slowly whisk the water a little at a time into the hot roux, until it is incorporated. Don't add boiling hot water to just made roux - it's just too dangerous.
Traditionally, beef boulettes are stuffed with a small whole clove of garlic, or sometimes a small button mushroom or an olive, and then the meat is wrapped tight to seal it in. Since my husband doesn't care at all for olives, nor does he like big chunks of mushroom or garlic in his food, I slice up the garlic cloves into smaller slivers and then insert them. He doesn't seem to notice them that way!
Source: http://deepsouthdish.com
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Basic Homemade Meatballs - great to make ahead & freeze!
Meatball and Stuffing Bake
Spaghetti and Meatballs
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Those looks so juicy and tender! I love the cajun kick!
ReplyDeleteWow, now I can make a roux and boulettes. This looks scrumpsious....
ReplyDeleteYum yum, I can't wait to try these out. Now this is a good dish, no sugar. LOL Seriously I bet this is incredible, I'm showin' hubby and he's thinkin' tomorrow night?
ReplyDeleteJennifer, they are very tender - I think the combination of meats helps but also all those veggies and the little touch of cream.
ReplyDeleteJoyce, the oven roux is a definite winner!
Rebel, I'm sure he's gonna love 'em!! Now a typical side dish to this is most often white beans believe it or not, often Blue Runner cream style right out of the can. So good, but I didn't want 2 starches. People often eat the boulettes on the side and the rice and beans together! If y'all like garlic, go for a whole or at least a half of a clove in each ball. Hubs freaks out over slivers of garlic in anything, even though they get nice and soft and practically melt into the meat. He's wierd like that LOL! Me, I'd stick a whole clove in but then I'd lose track of which balls were mine! Oh...LOL...
LOL, you gotta keep track of your balls Mary! I'm definitely gonna put a whole clove in 'em. We really like garlic and it is so good for you.
ReplyDeleteYou're funny.
I'm not funny... I'm just TIRED lol :) I totally love garlic so I love 'em like that too, and they're big balls so they can take the whole clove and are yummy. LOL. Shoot, I can eat garlic by itself when it's roasted! And you're right, it IS good for ya.
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious! I love that I'm learning a little Cajun cookin' when I read your blog. Thanks, Mary!
ReplyDeleteHi Krista! You're so welcome. Cajun and Creole foods are a big part of living along the Gulf Coast whether it's Texas or Florida or somewhere in between. A lot of people think that automatically means it's super spicy and mouth-burnin' hot, but that's just not true. Course it can be, if ya like it super hot, but it doesn't mean it automatically is. It's all about flavor, and often layers of flavors - like this dish that starts with a very dark and flavorful roux and ends with a mighty moist meatball that is just loaded down with veggies and has a nice chunk of garlic surprise inside!!
ReplyDeleteHello Mary,
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog! I am real glad that I did! So many wonderful flavours of of the South and Cajun country that I was fortunate enough to sample during my college years! Now throu your help i can enjoy them again!
I think I am going to try this recipe tonight! and hope you donnot mind I added you to my blogroll! =) Cheers!
Hi Heni! Thanks for stopping by - hope you find some favorites here. Let me know if you have any questions.
ReplyDeleteThese boulettes are sooooo good and fantastic on a pistolette sandwich as leftovers too. ;) Enjoy. Thanks for following my blog - please let me know your blog address since your profile isn't public, and I will be happy to reciprocate!
OMG Mary I made your meatballs last night for dinner! Only thing I did different is used all veal instead of pork. This was such a wonderfully enjoyable meal- my husband even asked for seconds which he rarely does!
ReplyDeleteMy blog is:http://simplicitybythesea.blogspot.com/
If you want to check me out! Since you said it is ok to link you! I am taking your badge and linking you!!!
Henri - I am delighted! These are a family favorite here also. Nice blog!
ReplyDeleteJust a couple weeks ago, a misplaced Cajun friend asked me if I ever made these. I had never heard of them, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try them. Five people for dinner, 5 double thumbs up!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSo glad y'all enjoyed them! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and say so. I appreciate that!
ReplyDeleteHi, Mary:
ReplyDeleteMy boulettes are simmering away and smell delicious. My Mom passed away when I was 14, so, I didn't get the chance to learn everything she knew about cooking, Cajun especially since we lived in Lafayette.
Deep South Dish has so many of the recipes that my Mom used to make. My family has lived in Louisiana since the mid-1700's so these are some long cherished recipes in our family. I'm 54, so, a lot of the recipes died with the family members.
So, I am really, really happy to find this blog. It's like bringing my family back.
Thanks!
Sissy
Hi Sissy and welcome! Thanks so much & I hope that you continue to enjoy the recipes here & share the site with your family and friends!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely can not wait to make this! Yum!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed them Ann!
DeleteI made these and they turned out perfect! I admit that I cheated and used jarred roux, but the recipe was no less delicious.
ReplyDeleteNot a thing wrong with jarred roux - it's a good thing! Glad you enjoyed the recipe & thank you for taking the time to let me know!
DeleteHow can I put this on my Pinterest? Want to make them later.....they look delicious!
ReplyDeleteThere is a pin-it button right at the top of the actual recipe text - hope you enjoy them!!
DeleteMade roux with onions, peppers, and added thyme to liquid. I used beef meatballs and I placed them in the oven for about 40 minutes, before stewing them. (large) Then, I added them to the liquid, along with potatoes and carrots!! I can't wait, until this meal is finished!!! Spectacular.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy them!
DeleteOh goodness, these were so moist and tender. Lots of flavor too! The roux really was easy and scoring the meat into sections was a big help and great tip.
ReplyDeleteDidn't realize I was out of rice until the boulettes were almost done so I made your everyday mashed potatoes and green beans and it was a belly busting meal! I do want to make sure I have rice next time though. And one last quick note, I thought the bits of the red bell pepper throughout was not only tasty but visually appealing too, kinda pretty. Thank you for sharing another great meal!
Aren't they so good?! You're welcome Mellie & I so glad y'all enjoyed them.
DeleteMoma use to make these but simmer them raw in tomato soup..guess thats the Alabama redneck version..lol..just came from spending some time with my bff in Lafayette and boy did I get schooled on some junk..fun times though. Thanks for sharing Mary..you da bomb!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Aimee!
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