Tag Archives: boudin balls

Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse – LaPlace, Louisiana

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From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse and Restaurant
769 West 5th St.
Laplace, LA
985-652-9990


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At the bitter end of every trip I make back to Louisiana, I always head to LaPlace for a smoked meat care package to take back north. My stop on the last trip (two years ago, I know, bad blogger) was to Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse, not to be confused with Jacob’s Andouille which is also in LaPlace. (See my post on Jacob’s Andouille here).

Upon arriving at Wayne Jacob’s I was pleased to find out that they also run a restaurant with many of the items on the menu made with the smoked products that they produce!

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – LaPlace, Louisiana

I was also pleased to see this sign propped up just off the road in front of the establishment:

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

Unlike Jacob’s Adouille, Wayne Jacob’s does not ship their products because that would mean that they would have to change the way that they produce their meats, that is, the way it has been produced there since 1950. Admirable.

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

The restaurant was very busy for the lunch rush when I arrived and a little short staffed to boot, but everyone was super friendly.

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

I ordered a few appetizers to check out some of the fine Charcuterie work that David Rauch does in the back of the house, and I was super pleased that I got to go into the back and say hello to David and get a few photos of him at work! I also got a few shots of the cracklins that were cooling on the back counter before being bagged up!

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

David Rauch filling the stuffer:

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

The Hog Cracklin, a thing of southern beauty!

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

Upon arriving back at my table I found my food waiting for me. Boudin Balls with a Remoulade style dipping sauce (my Boudin Recipe):

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

Andouille Chips, thinly sliced Andouille which is deep fried and served with Creole Mustard (my Creole Mustard Recipe):

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

Finally, a wonderfully simple, gelatinous Hogshead Cheese served with Saltine crackers:

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

After getting my to go package of Andouille and Tasso I went out back to get a shot of the smokehouses:

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

And of course, as always, a shot of the woodpile:

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

I stuffed my package into my luggage, and flew back to Detroit. As soon as I got home I tore open that package and sliced off a piece of what is, in my humble opinion, the best Andouille I’ve tasted:

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

Notice the course grind and the large size of the casing, expertly filled with no air gaps, and lastly perfectly smoked, not overpowering…just perfect.

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

The Tasso from Wayne Jacob’s (my Tasso Recipe):

From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana
From Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse – Laplace, Louisiana

I enjoy the Andouille that I produce (my Andouille Recipe) and I also enjoy the one at Jacob’s Andouille. But in my humble opinion, as Andouille goes, the product that David Rauch produces in LaPlace is by far the benchmark.

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Cochon Restaurant Revisited

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From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

On my last visit to New Orleans I stopped into Cochon Restaurant, which I had visited a few trips prior and absolutely loved, especially since back then, I was invited back into the kitchen to take some pictures! (Here is the original post, followed by one of my favorite pics from that visit):

Cochon Restaurant

From Nola Cuisine

There were a few dishes that I wished I had tried on my previous dining experience, so I made another go at it. On a side note, Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski also recently opened a second Cochon Restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Cochon Lafayette

Donald Link’s book Real Cajun is one of my absolute favorites (My Review):

Here are the dishes that I had a second chance at sampling, well worth the wait! All of these are actually featured in his cookbook as well!

Fried Chicken livers with Pepper Jelly:

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

Perfectly fried chicken livers on toast points, slathered with housemade Pepper Jelly and finished with a salad of mint leaves and sweet onions.

Wood Fired Oyster Roast:

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

Cooked in the restaurants wood burning oven, these baked oysters, topped with a compound butter made with Vietnamese Chili sauce among other inredients, were easily my favorite of the appetizers. The plump Louisiana Oysters with the spicy, garlicky butter sauce were absolutely addicting. Definitely one of my new favorite Louisiana Oyster dishes, of which I have many.

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.
From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

I couldn’t resist trying Donald Link’s Boudin, as I was on a bit of a Louisiana Charcuterie hunt on this particular trip. Fried Boudin Balls with pickled peppers and housemade Abita Beer Whole Grain Mustard:

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

Definitely a great tasting Boudin! I think they’re using chicken liver, instead of the traditional pork. There is also some poblano pepper in the mix:

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

Donald Link has a great web show called Taste of Place. Here is his show about Boudin:

Here is my Boudin recipe:

Boudin Recipe

Lastly dessert, Blueberry Buckle with…get this…Hog Cracklin’ Streusel topping! There has to be some kind of award for most creative way to incorporate pork into a dessert, with delicious results!

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

Of course, I will end this post with a picture of the restaurants woodpile, which is starting to become my signature on the sister site to this one American Gourmand.

From Cochon Restaurant – New Orleans, LA.

Related Posts:
Cochon Restaurant
Cochon Butcher
Real Cajun – Cookbook Review
Boudin Recipe
Pepper Jelly Recipe

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