If you’re anything like us, you’ll love a Full English Breakfast on the weekend. While certain foods, such as toast and hashed browns, are clearly out of the question, other foods are slightly more tricky. One example is black pudding, a food that tends to puzzle people on the keto diet.
Given the different variations of black pudding, consuming it on the keto diet can be somewhat controversial. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
So, what is black pudding and can you eat it on the keto diet?
Table of contents
What is black pudding?
Black pudding is a type of ‘blood sausage’ traditionally served in a Full English or Irish breakfast. Usually, it is made from a combination of pork blood, pork or beef suet and added grains, such as oats or barley. To top it off, certain herbs and spices are often added to the mixture.
There are of course variations in the type of black pudding consumed in different countries. However, black pudding in the UK is normally distinguishable from other types of black pudding, due to its high grain content. For this reason, black pudding can be seen as questionable on the keto diet.
(While black pudding can be made from different types of blood, including cow and sheep, it is most commonly made from pig blood).
Although the core ingredients of black pudding are pork blood, suet and grains, pre-packaged products can contain a number of added ingredients. The black pudding available in most supermarkets often contains ingredients such as preservatives, fillers and stabilisers. These are designed to increase the shelf-life and give the sausages a more compact structure.
While this might be good for supermarket shelf-life, it’s not necessarily good for your keto diet.
Is black pudding keto-friendly?
It depends. Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer to whether black pudding is keto-friendly or not. This is in large part due to the different ways it can be prepared.
As mentioned, a core ingredient in English black pudding are grains, such as oats and barely. As you will know, grains are not keto-friendly so should be avoided or substituted.
In addition, whether or not you incorporate black pudding into your diet will largely depend on how strictly you are following keto. For example, some keto dieters adhere to a very strict diet, eliminating almost all sources of carbohydrate, apart from those found in some low carb vegetables.
On the other hand, some people are less concerned about occasionally having a few carbs, as long as they fall below the 50g per day threshold.
Generally speaking, we wouldn’t advocate for consuming grains on the keto diet. This is because they add a significant number of carbs, which can quickly add up and potentially spike your blood glucose.
How many carbs are in black pudding?
The amount of carbs in black pudding varies depending on the ingredients it is made from. As you may know, carbohydrate content is key for determining whether a food is keto-friendly or not. So let’s explore this further.
Looking at the USDA FoodCentral database, black pudding (or blood sausage) contains only 1.29g of carbohydrate per 100g. At this level, black pudding would be deemed keto-friendly.
However, if you look at store-bought black pudding, you’ll see the carb content can be much higher. For example, The Bury Black Pudding company in Sainsbury’s has 18.6g of carbohydrate per 100g. Looking at the ingredients, it’s easy to see why. Black pudding like this contains wheat flour, oatmeal, barley and starch, all sources of carbohydrates.
The important thing to remember is to check the label. To be on the safe side, select options which contain less than 10g of carbohydrate per 100g. That level of carbohydrate should not impact your keto diet, when consumed in moderation.
How to make keto-friendly black pudding
If you’ve got the time and patience, you can always try to make your own black pudding! That way you can replace the carb-heavy oats and barely with a keto-friendly substitute, like almond flour. This can help provide some additional structure and filling to the black pudding, without adding extra carbs.
What you need to make keto black pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (about 450g) pork blood (available at some specialty butchers)
- 1/2 pound (about 227g) pork fat, minced
- 1/2 (around 50g) cup almond flour
- 1/4 (around 25g) cup ground flaxseed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, sage and rosemary
- 1 whole egg
Equipment:
- Cable ties
- Sausage casings
- Plastic wrap (cling film)
- Mesh strainer
- Saucepan(s)
- Sausage stuffer or funnel
How to make keto-friendly black pudding
Prepare the Pork Blood:
- If you have frozen pork blood, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw until breakable – begin by breaking it into small pieces.
- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the pork blood pieces and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully liquid.
- Drain the blood through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any clots or solids.
- Remove saucepan from the stove and allow the blood to cool.
Mix the Ingredients:
- Start by slicing the pork fat into smaller strips and then mince
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pork blood with minced pork fat, adding the whole egg
- Add almond flour, ground flaxseed, salt, black pepper, and any dried herbs.
- Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.
Prepare the Casings:
- Rinse casings thoroughly and soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften.
- Perform an additional rinse and gently squeeze out any excess water.
Fill the Casings / plastic wrap:
- Carefully slide the casings onto a sausage stuffer or funnel, leaving a small overhang.
- Gently spoon the black pudding mixture into the casing, ensuring it’s evenly filled but not overfilled. Tie off the ends of the casing with kitchen twine.
- Alternatively, if you don’t have casings, you can mould the mixture into a log shape using plastic wrap. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to secure the log shape.
Cook the Black Pudding:
- After adding the mixture to the plastic wrap/casings, gently simmer the black pudding in water for about 30-45 minutes. Keep the water temperature below boiling to avoid bursting the casings.
- After adding the mixture to the plastic wrap/casings, gently simmer the black pudding in water for about 30-45 minutes. Keep the water temperature below boiling to avoid bursting the casings.
Cool and Slice:
- Remove from the pan and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, refrigerate the black pudding for a few hours or (ideally) overnight to allow it to set.
Serve:
- Slice the black pudding into rounds and fry them in a skillet with a bit of oil or butter until they are heated through and have a crispy exterior.
- Serve alongside other breakfast classics, such as eggs, bacon and sausage
Conclusion
Black pudding is a traditional UK food that is a popular component of a full breakfast. If you’re careful with your ingredient selection, there is no reason you can’t enjoy black pudding on the keto diet. Just make sure to avoid grains or added starch in store-bought black pudding, or give cooking a go and substitute grains for almond flour.
