Andouille with QView

[pantherfan83]

Smoked off about 20 lbs of Andouille last night. It turned out really good. The last time I made it, I used some cayenne that I got from a discount store for 99 cents and it wasn't spicy at all. I didn't make that mistake this time. It's smokey, spicy, melt in your mouth goodness all the way through.

 

[pmk]

Is this the Cajun sausage they use in New Orleans? I'm looking for a recipe my self for it, just started experimenting. I have made lots of polish and Italian sausages but now i want to try something different.

 

[pantherfan83]

Yes, that's andouille. I read your intro in Roll Call and saw that you have an MES. I smoked this on my MES 40" SS. I love it too.

As far as recipes go, I used the recipe from this book: http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Cr.../dp/0393058298. I deviated slightly from the recipe. I used a 3/8" plate for a courser grind. I also smoked it at 135F for 2.5 hours before raising the temp up to the recommended 180F to finish it off so it could spend some extra time in the smoke.

As you read the threads on this site, you will see a lot of recommendations for this book too: http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=413. Both of these books are excellent.

There are good andouille recipes on the web at: http://www.nolacuisine.com/creole-cajun-recipe-page/ and
http://www.gumbopages.com/recipe-page.html. Both of these sites also have recipes for gumbo, red beans & rice, jambalaya, etc... that you can use the andouille in.

 

[beerorkid]

I am smoking some andoullie right now. Did the nola recipe. Ground it all though. The thyme is way too powerful, but will see what happens.

Q view a coming tomorrow.

 

[beerorkid]

jeeeeeeeesh ;)

To give ya a bit now

13 pound boston butt from sams

ground it up with a kitchenaid food grinder attachment on the coarse setting

Ran it through twice to grind up the fat a bit more

was only 4.25 pounds but I spiced it like it was 5 pounds

5# Pork (I prefer a Boston Butt) Trimmed of tough connective tissue and cut into 2 inch cubes.
Combine the following in a bowl:
2 tsp of Cayenne or to taste (Remember, if you make it too hot, every dish you make with it will be too hot! Start off with a little, you can add more after you taste the finished seasoning)
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Garlic
1/8 Cup Fresh Ground Black Pepper
3 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme leaves, chopped
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 healthy pinch of Prague Powder#1 (see note) (optional)
1/2 Cup Ice Water

Took a patty and cooked it in a skillet to check the flavor. Waaaaaaaay toooooo much thyme and it overpowered the flavor. But the spice was kicking and overall it was good.


Let sit for two days with cling wrap on the meat in the bowl and foil sealing the bowl.
The smell filled the whole fridge in 6 hours so I moved it outside. Thyme kicking.


Got to stuffing with the KA sausage attachment. My first time dealing with pig intestines. Wow. I feel so primal. What is with the "for her pleasure" rib things? They quite tough and fitting them on the stuffer nozzle was a pain, but I got it down. I hear folks say pam, but it only works for the first foot or so. Oh well figured out how to work it. Cat stole the casing bag twice.

I have some hickory, apple, and cherry right now. This is just a first attempt. I love learning ;)

The smoke a kicking and I am in hour 3. Just about to put a probe in to get to 155

Will post the rest.

 

[bmudd14474]

looks great

 

[dingle]

Beerorkid....see what you can do about thinning that smoke out a bit. seems awful thick and white...should be thin and blue.

 

[beerorkid]

Good call DINGLE

I kinda learned that last weekend when I uber oversmoked some ribs and chicken.

Pic was taken right after closing the lid with a fresh addition of lump and wood chunks. I was trying to get an uber smoke at the end while I got it up to 155.

Will I get unwanted flavors from the heavy smoke? It does get much less after about 10 minutes.

 

[beerorkid]

Sorry to glom on your post pantherfan

Just figured since this thread way my inspiration I would share.

Got the sausage temp up to 160 (5 over 155 by not watching)
They looked pretty awesome.

Single barrel smoker

rinsed them off

hung them to dry with a fan blowing

cooked one up in slices in a skillet

I over smoked them a bit. The smoke flavor is there as an aftertaste.

I decided to make sausage to make my wife happy after we worked at a place that got killer andoullie from a supplier no longer in biz. I figured I could recreate it. This was my first attempt and it was spicy enough, but I did not have enough fat and the thyme was a bit too intense. I think more fat and some more black pepper will fill out the flavor really well.

Too much white smoke.

I still plan on making all sorts of sausages though. Lunch is gonna rule from all my sausage making adventures.

Need to search the forums for cheezy brats ;)

 

[cheapchalee]

Nice looking sausage, looking forward to that, got a couple of Cajun friends I wouldn't mind surprising with that.

Charlie

 

[waysideranch]

We have all over smoked meat. Like everybody says around here if ya see smoke its smokin'. Keep it thin and blue. You may want to smoke some meat and wait until the next day or even two days to eat it and you will have a better idea how much smoke actually penetrates the meat. Good luck.

 

[venture]

Keep after that sausage. It is hard to buy here.

Is the thyme in your recipe adjusted after you found it to be too much? Or is it the version you found to be too heavy in thyme?

I didn't see cat in the recipe?

 

[curious aardvark]

wow some excellent looking sausage all round here.

For the pig casings I add some vinegar to the water I soak them in. Softens the casing, makes it stretchier and easier to work with.
Most of the instructions on the packets I've seen have you soaking for hours. I use dry casings packed in salt. Wash the salt off, run water through the casing to check for large holes and then leave in a small bowl of water with about 20-30% vinegar (whichever vinegar bottle I snag from the cupbaord first - doesn't seem to matter what type). I then set yp the sausage stuffer and by the time I've filled it the skins are ready. probably about 20 minutes or so.
The vinegar really seems to do the trick.
Hope that helps.

 

[dingle]

Hey that was some great looking sausage for a first time. Keep up the good work. Great color

 

[beerorkid]

I used 1 Tbsp of dry instead of 1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme leaves, chopped as the recipe called for. Failed to realize that the dry would be much more powerful.

BTW: I live in Lincoln and can see the stadium from my house.

Thanks for the vinegar tip ardvark. Will try it on the 2nd batch.

 

[venture]

You just had to say that! Now I am really jealous!

Yes, dried is usually considered to be 2 to 3 times stronger than fresh.

Keep the faith in the heartland.

Go Big Red!

No answer about cat meat in the sausage?

 

[beerorkid]

Wife has a strict no livestock policy :(

The fat content of the cat would make a good sausage though.

 

[crockadale]

Great thread, Thanks to all for the recipes. I can see an Andouilli Fatties in my future.

 

[venture]

I see that I have participated in hijacking this thread.

I am just learning. The andouille got me excited. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Apologies to Panther.

Thanks Ken for another take on the andouille.

 

[dangerdan]

Thems some fine lookin sausages!
I put in an order for KA grinder & stuffer to Santa for this Xmas but I think he can't come fast enough. Wife says I gotta wait like the rest of the kids..

The nerve of some people...I'm looking forward to some andouille. The only kind I can get around these parts tastes like hilshire farms.