This is Black Pudding and Why it Could Be 'Huge' in 2016

What is black pudding and why is it now on every foodie’s lips?

Made from pork blood and oatmeal, grits or barley groats, black pudding is a blood sausage that is commonly eaten as a staple, greasy breakfast food in Great Britain and other parts of Europe.

Black pudding can be grilled, fried, baked or boiled and eaten cold or hot. And it is said to be loaded with protein, potassium, calcium and magnesium, as well as being rich in iron and zinc, all factors that may be contributing to the sausage’s surging popularity.

And surging it seems to be. The famous Charles Macleod Butchers in Scotland have seen orders for black pudding increase eight-fold in the last week, and in a report on telegraph.co.uk, Daily Mail journalist Anucyia Victor has predicted that the traditional breakfast staple will be ‘huge’ in 2016.

Victor, it turns out, also has black beans, seaweed, and avocado oil in her sights as superstar foods to look for as the new year plays out, but who knows. Journalists once predicted insects like locusts to be one of the next big superfoods, but we have yet to witness any of these pre-packaged crunchies ready for consumption at the supermarket.

That being said, black pudding may find itself in a different culinary category.

Says Lorna MacLennan, a director at Charles Macleod Butchers in Scotland’s Western Isles says,

‘Traditionally in the Hebrides it (black pudding) was a real staple on every kitchen table because they want to use every part of the animal traditionally and black pudding was a great way of using up some of your by-products. It is low carb, high protein, no sugar and you don’t need to eat a lot, it’s very filling, and you get your iron with just a small portion.’

2016 may be the year of sensible choices, and black pudding could be a great way of getting a solid, sensible breakfast packed away. Time will tell!

Want to try it? Check out these recipes or order some online.