Pudding and Souse

About This Recipe

Pudding and Souse is one of Barbados's most iconic street foods, sold every Saturday from small stands across the island. The 'souse' is thinly sliced pickled pork — typically head meat, trotters, or shoulder — cured in a refreshing brine of lime juice, cucumber, onion, and fresh herbs. The 'pudding' is a steamed sweet potato sausage, subtly sweet and warming. Together they are a study in contrasts and one of the Caribbean's most distinctive taste experiences.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgpork (shoulder or head meat), cleaned
• 3limes, juiced
• 1cucumber, thinly sliced
• 500 gsweet potato, grated
• 1onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbspfresh parsley and chives, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pork

   Boil pork pieces in well-salted water with a bay leaf for 60–75 minutes until very tender. Drain and cool, then slice thinly.

2. 2

   Make the brine

   Combine lime juice, cucumber, onion, herbs, salt and a pinch of scotch bonnet pepper. Toss sliced pork into brine and marinate at least 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Prepare pudding mixture

   Season grated sweet potato with salt, pepper, chives, and a little butter. Stuff tightly into a cleaned sausage casing or foil roll.

4. 4

   Steam the pudding

   Steam pudding roll over boiling water for 45 minutes until firm and cooked through. Slice into rounds.

5. 5

   Serve together

   Plate sliced pudding rounds alongside pickled souse. Spoon extra brine over the pork.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian souse with jackfruit.

• •

  Add green mango to the brine for extra tartness.

• •

  Skip the casing and steam pudding in banana leaf for extra aroma.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Souse keeps refrigerated in brine up to 3 days. Pudding keeps 2 days wrapped; reheat by steaming.

Frequently Asked Questions