Ever wondered just how black pudding came to be the national staple it is today? What IS black pudding anyway?

Black pudding has a long history as rich as the pudding itself and has appeared in many different guises and countries across the globe.

Fit for a king

Blood pudding, Boudin Noir, Blutwurst, the list goes on – all these share very similar ingredients with only slight variations. These were dependent on the availability and affordability of ingredients in days gone by, which have stayed true today through customs and tradition.

In the UK for example, oatmeal or barley was the grain of choice to bulk up the pudding, while the Spanish equivalent would use rice. While for many it was an affordable option with high nutritional value, it was not just food for the regular Joe – even the royal breakfast banquets of King Henry VIII featured black pudding!

Why Simon Howie?

Still fit for royalty, our black pudding differs slightly from other traditional variations. While still containing the key ingredients characteristic of black pudding, we’ve created a contemporary twist on the classic pud by adding apples caramelised by our in-house chefs to create a subtle, fruity flavour with warming spices. We enjoy receiving your lovely messages about our products and many of our customers have dropped us a note to say they are now a black pudding convert after trying ours!

Never had black pudding? Or sitting on the fence? Pop to the shops for some Simon Howie black pudding this week (or Click & Collect if you’re local!), try it for yourself and taste the softer, sweeter texture. A truly versatile ingredient, it can be used for any mealtime – check out our recipes page for some ideas, like Gary McLean’s Scallops and Wee Black Pudding! While our Perthshire and Premium Black Pudding slices will easily fill the rumbling stomachs of a family, our Wee Black Pudding Chub is handy if you’re only feeding 1 or 2 people, or if you just fancy trying something different.

Regional differences

The talk around ‘superfood’ status of black pudding that emerged in 2016 brought the classic into the spotlight and generated a lot more buzz than usual because of its high iron content. Regardless of the hype however, it continues to be a consistently popular product in the average UK shopping basket. Its appearance in the classic, British fry-up is standard across the nation, but the Great British Breakfast survey tells a slightly different story. Although the five most popular items were found to be sausage, bacon, fried egg, baked beans, and mushrooms, there are certain regional differences in our idea of a perfect cooked breakfast.

The survey found that Glaswegians swap a slice of haggis into their fried breakfast, while Edinburgers (seamless pun, we know) prefer a slice of black pudding. In Belfast, 40% said that potato bread is a must-have in a fry-up, while 38% of Birmingham residents like to shake things up with a vegetarian sausage.

What do you think? How do you like your black pudding in the morning?

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