No, blood sausage isn’t illegal in the United States. And we get it, like where that confusion of yours may be coming from, and to solve that, we’d have to start from the very basics. So let’s get to that first, and then we’ll talk about the legality side of things. Shall we?
What Exactly Is Blood Sausage?
Before anything else, you should know that blood sausage or black pudding as it is also called, is basically a sausage that is made from a mixture of animal blood, which is most commonly pig’s blood, fat, fillers such as oats or barley, and some spices. After it is cooked, it becomes dark and thick, and it is commonly found in countries such as the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Spain. And just a little bit of the fact here, see, this is one of the oldest traditional foods that have been retained in the history of mankind.
But it is true that while out there shopping for non-veg food items, you won’t commonly find blood sausages in a regular grocery store, dinner, or supermarket. And that is the very thing that makes it kinda confusing and a lot of people out there, whether they’re even legal in the US or not. So let’s get rid of that doubt once and for all.
Why Do People Think It’s Banned?
Oh, see, much of this misunderstanding arises from the comparison of blood sausage and haggis. You know, like haggis is made with the lungs of a sheep, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits the import and sale of any food that contains the lungs of animals; that is the reason why conventional haggis is illegal.
And when people come to know about this specific regulation, they automatically think that by that logic, blood sausages are also banned in the country. But is that the case, though? Nah! There are no lungs in blood sausage; therefore, it is handled in a totally different way.
What Do the Actual Laws Say?
Here’s the simple part: blood sausage is allowed to be made, sold, and eaten in the US. The only thing the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration are concerned with is the safety of the product. That’s all! Like, first of all, the blood has to be from animals that have been processed in facilities that are inspected by the government, and the whole production should be done in a hygienic environment.
It is true that there are times when foreign blood sausages fail to live up to the requirements of the U.S. inspections. It is not that they are dangerous in any way, but rather that they were not made in accordance with the particular regulations that are necessary here. Because of that, some products are not allowed to go beyond the border; however, the sausages are not illegal in the slightest.
American-Made Versions Are Completely Allowed
Yup! It is totally possible to come across a duly legalized blood sausage that is made domestically in the United States. Though it is not common, it is there. To give a few instances, Cajun boudin rouge in Louisiana, Polish kiszka in those areas where there are Polish communities, or French-Canadian boudin in the localities of Maine. They make it and enjoy it to the fullest, too.
There are quite a few local butchers who produce different versions of their own by using the ingredients that have been inspected. Also, if you are really willing, you can make it at your place, provided the blood is from USDA-approved sources. Plain and simple! Though we assumed you’d like to go with the ready-made option because it is much more convenient that way. Right?
