LSU faces Arkansas at home this weekend, and die-hard tailgaters know that means one thing: Pork is on the menu. Tiger fans haven’t had much to celebrate on the gridiron lately, but that won’t stop them from firing up the pit—or the Cajun microwave—to roast, smoke and grill various iterations of Arkansas’ porcine mascot.
These 10 local specialty meat markets are great spots for sourcing boudin, smoked sausage, stuffed pork chops, cracklins and more for Saturday’s tailgate parties.
Jerry Lee’s Cajun Foods
Watch boudin links made fresh on site at this local institution. You can also find hog’s head cheese here, a humble Cajun treat that’s best spread on Saltine crackers, along with andouille, pork skins and several types of smoked sausage. You know the drill with boudin: Buy yourself a link and a root beer, and consume them in the parking lot before heading home. 12181 Greenwell Springs Road
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Hebert’s Specialty Meats
First founded in 1984 in Maurice, Louisiana, this longtime Cajun butchery is awash in all manner of stuffed, trussed and smoked meats. Among other piggy delights, pick up pork chops stuffed with ground pork, onions and bell pepper, boudin balls or eggrolls and smoked pork sausage with Steen’s cane syrup. 13375 Highway 73, Suite I, Prairieville
Chris’s Specialty Foods
Oh, the many ways that Chris’s reimagines the pig. Order a whole hog in advance, or pick up seasoned or stuffed pork tenderloin, shoulder, ribs, roast or pork chops stuffed with cornbread or shrimp dressing, or pork sausage. 3075 Millerville Road and 17316 Airline Highway, #L, Prairieville
Ronnie’s Boudin and Cracklin House
Hot, crisp pork cracklins, pork boudin and keto-friendly cauliflower boudin, in which traditional rice is replaced by riced cauliflower, are part of the line-up at this Mid City fan favorite. 9726 Florida Blvd
Tramonte’s Meat & Seafood Market
Part restaurant, part specialty meat store, Tramonte’s features about 20 different kinds of sausage, including Italian, Cajun, maple and jalapeño and cheddar. Pick up pork or seafood boudin, too. 12451 Jefferson Highway
Bergeron’s Boudin & Cajun Meats
This popular meat market and lunch spot includes smoked and regular boudin links, cracklins, pork tenderloin stuffed with jalapeño and cream cheese and a wide variety of smoked sausage. Sink your teeth into the addictively crisp exterior of Bergeron’s golfball-sized boudin balls, savoring the spicy, tender filling within. 760 LA Highway 415, Port Allen
Benoit’s Country Meat Block
Twenty-two different fresh and smoked sausages are part of a lineup that also includes cracklins, beef jerky, tasso, boudin balls and lots of stuffed pork and poultry. 7251 LA Highway 1, Addis
Iverstine Farms Butcher
A whole animal butcher, Iverstine’s sells all sort of cuts of pork, as well as house-made smoked pork sausages, like the Flying Hawaiian with pineapple and jalapeño. 4765 Perkins Road, Suite A
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Cutrer’s Meat Market and Slaughterhouse
This popular Red Stick Farmers Market vendor sells cuts of pork and beef that it processes fresh at its Kentwood store. Bacon, loose pork sausage and several different types of smoked sausage, including a fiery hot link with extra cayenne pepper, are part of its lengthy menu. Find Cutrer’s at the Red Stick Farmers Market, Thursdays and Saturdays
Bellue’s Fine Cajun Cuisine
Serving lunch as well as prepared foods, this hole-in-the-wall Cajun food mecca sells boudin prepared traditionally or smoked with pecan wood. Pick up tasso and Cajun hot tamales, too. 3110 Scenic Highway
Know of another great specialty meat market in the Baton Rouge region? Let us know about it at [email protected].