Porkapalooza!!!!

[indaswamp]

Looking good....INT @126*F so right on schedule....

 

[gmc2003]

Looks good Keith. I'm riding shotgun on this one(s)

Point for sure
Chris

 

[Florida Chris]

Gonna use Hickory, cherry and dark brown sugar for smoke....gives a great color on the andouille.

Every time you post I learn something new! So you actually put brown sugar on the fire??

This is amazing. Thank you, sir!

 

[Fueling Around]

Always enjoyable when you get into processing mode

 

[indaswamp]

Every time you post I learn something new! So you actually put brown sugar on the fire??

This is amazing. Thank you, sir!

Yeah...so Cajun Andouille is traditionally smoked with Pecan wood and sugar cane stalks. Dark Brown sugar is just easier to come by in our modern society. The sweet smoke is white, but if you smell it, it is not bitter. The sweet sugar sticks to the casing and sweetens the Andouille....it is a very distinctive flavor of true Cajun Andouille.

 

[indaswamp]

Pulled 'em at 7:00p.m. to quench in a water bath. INT hit 136*F around 5 so 2 hours pasteurization. Definitely achieved LOG7 reduction. Final INT was around 144*F.

Final color pic...

Cross cut....

Juicy! Juicy!! And no that is not fat out.....

Got them blooming now. Then bag them and on ice, packaging tomorrow.

 

[indaswamp]

Here ya go F Florida Chris ; Brown Sugar onda fire....

 

[indaswamp]

First grind onda Nduja....

Added the Calabrian peppers to the meat/fat for first grind through 6mm plate. I find the 3mm plate has trouble with the 4.5mm grind, but does well with the 6mm so that is what I use now.

About to do second grind, mix the seasoning, then case.

 

[indaswamp]

Wow...long night! That Nduja was stiff. Had to wait 2 hours for it to warm up enough so I could mix it properly. But got it done. Chubs are hanging in the kitchen with a fan on them for the dripping phase. Will transfer to the fermentation can for 12 hours or so, then to the chamber. Will wait 3 months on these so sometime in July.

 

[DRKsmoking]

That is a whole lot of goodness and work. And the Andouille looks very nice. Couple long days for ya.

i would have had a couple of your sausage sample sandwiches, wow say that 10 times, lol

Love the brown sugar trick. I can see that adding to a couple different smokes, thank you.

In for the rest of the show.

David

 

[Gonna Smoke]

We were talking about making a batch of shrimp and grits. Need to give Tasso a go as it’s non existent around here

Same here, Tasso is as elusive as hen's teeth and tri-tip around me. As for the shrimp and grits, let us know how that turns out...

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Lot of work there Keith, but I'm along for the ride, too...

 

[civilsmoker]

Just amazing work!

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks fellas.... long day...and night for me yesterday. I slept in this morning. here's a pic. of the Nduja I forgot to post last night...

Most salami I will do a starting weight and track it over time. The Nduja however is not necessary. It will be ready in 3 months.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Fantastic work there Inda.

 

[indaswamp]

Fantastic work there Inda.

Thanks SE. Will do the first cold smoke session tonight if the casings are dry enough...

 

[gmc2003]

I'd be dumpster diving in that trash can for sure

Chris

 

[indaswamp]

Lunch today was Nduja that was leftover in the stuffer. Cooked it though because it is not dried yet...20 minutes in the toaster oven...

Very good heat profile...just a touch of burn. Should be great once that fat breaks down and gets those complex buttery flavors.

 

[indaswamp]

Here is a better cross cut picture after the Andouille has chilled...

Instead of huge chunks of fat, the fat is more evenly distributed using the 3mm plate.....I like that much better...Oh, 15% fat in the sausage.

 

[geostriata]

Instead of huge chunks of fat, the fat is more evenly distributed using the 3mm plate.....I like that much better...Oh, 15% fat in the sausage.

That looks so good! And also so much better than some of the Andouille I've seen, with fat covering a filled circle of fat covering like 1/3rd of the cross section.

This convinces me to grind my fat separately, if I'm trying for a more textured mouthfeel (i.e., lean coarse, fat fine). If it looks better, most likely it tastes better imo.