#TailgateBracket - The Deep-Fried Regional Final: Boudin Balls vs. Fried Chicken

The Deep-Fried region of the Ultimate Tailgate Bracket has come to the final, with one of Louisiana's best fried products against maybe the OG of all American fried food.

For me, fried chicken was the original tailgating food. Or picnics, Mardi Gras parades, whatever. A 12-piece, a couple biscuits, a family-sized red beans and maybe some fries or mashed potatoes. Pick it up on the way to campus and enjoy. We didn't really have a big enough group or all the fancy gear to cook stuff on our own until I was much older. So it definitely has a special place in the heart.

Aside from all the cholesterol and plaque it's built up in there, of course.

But against boudin balls? I'm just not sure it can compete.

We have a fried chicken recipe in our archives here, and it's important to note that you can screw up fried chicken if you don't know what you are doing. Brining is important, and make sure you have the grease at the right temperature, otherwise you risk burning the skin before the meat is really cooked. There's also the versatility of chicken fingers, to be enjoyed with sauce. Don't sleep on a good tray.

Boudin balls are simpler. Just take some boudin out of the casing, roll it in some flour or other type of breading and fry it until it's good and brown. Obviously the quality of the boudin is a factor, but even the cheap stuff you picked up at the supermarket is going to fry up pretty damn good.

And again, you can always pick up a tray from any number of places here in Baton Rouge, if you don't have the means to cook ‘em yourself.