Venison Andouille and other Fresh Sausages

[WI Smoker77]

Took last Thursday and decided to make up some venison/pork fresh sausages and some Andouille. This was my first attempt at Andouille and I enjoyed the process of making it.
I made all my sausages with a 50/50 mix of venison and pork butt. The Andouille I added a little more back fat for the picture profile. Trying to use up my venison, next season fast approaching!
First the Andouille:
Ground the pork coarse, 1 grind in a 1/2" plate. Venison 2 grinds 1/2" and 1/8" plate. Wasn't sure if should just do 1 grind, but looking at pics looked like a second grind would result in a nice texture.

Next added the spices. I used the pre mix from PS Seasonings, Hot Andouille, since my family likes spicy foods, and mixed.

Stuffed in natural hog casings and amazingly, no blowouts!!

Off to the smoker it went. Preheated and held for 1/2 hour, at 110 degrees.

Sorry not hung very 'pretty' going to work on this in the next batch.
Raised the temps to 130 and added smoke for 1.5 hours. Then continued with smoke and raised temps to 185 degrees until internal temps hit 155 degrees. Ice water bath and back to hang for 2 hours to bloom.

Here is a pic of the Andouille cut before packaging. I liked the flavor and texture. Although only my first try and may be better out there to try next time!

Next few pics are just fresh sausage I made using PS Seasonings.
Habanero Mango Bratwurst

Philly Cheese Bratwurst

Polish Sauage

and failed to take pics of the Hot Italian and Breakfast sausage I made. Fry tests we were happy with all. 55 lbs of sausage for the freezer to be eaten.
Sorry so long and pic heavy.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Looks good to me. Nice work for sure.

 

[zippy12]

All looks like great work! Now get into freezer and relax

 

[smokin peachey]

Looks great! No need to apologize for to many pics. That’s some fine looking sausage.

 

[uncle eddie]

Nice effort. Looks pretty good to me!
I love andouille and yours sure looks to have a nice texture.

 

[indaswamp]

Good job... great color too! Like!

 

[Winterrider]

Darn good looking sausage. Nice work...

 

[WI Smoker77]

Thank you all for the comments. I've wanted to try and get started making smoked sausage for a while and finally got my smoker finished and working. Hoping to try more and
different sausages soon. The Andouille has a nice flavor and a nice heat to it. Thanks again.

 

[SmokinAl]

Looks delicious to me!
We use Andouille in a lot of dishes, it’s one of my favorite sausages next to Hot Italian sausage.
Al

 

[WI Smoker77]

Looks delicious to me!
We use Andouille in a lot of dishes, it’s one of my favorite sausages next to Hot Italian sausage.
Al

I'm looking forward to making some Jambalaya with it and maybe Gumbo (?). I also made some Hot Italian to use also!

 

[wazzuqer]

Yours looks great, I made some tonite, my question is I can smoke it like summer sausage/Snack Sticks OR I can just freeze it and cook later like a Johnsonvile Brat later? There was cure in the packet so I used it, It’s been really long time using hog casings forgot home much fun they are…

 

[fftwarren]

When you said you ice bathed it then hung it to let it bloom. What exactly do you mean by that? And when you hung it was it back in the heat? Or to cool? I’ve heard of coming out the smoker into ice bath but never hear the term bloom.

 

[indaswamp]

Bloom simply means to hang at room temp. to allow the casings to dry after cooling in an ice bath. The drier casings look darker so blooming really is about color for eye appeal.

 

[WI Smoker77]

Wazzuqer, sorry late response, but I read the posts response from others and I agree, I think you can just freeze and thaw and cook as it is a fresh sausage, just like a brat. I do not add cure to my fresh sausages, just the ones that I smoke.
FFTwarren, as Indaswamp stated, after you cool the sausages, you simply hang them at room temp. or so and let hang to 'darken'. Mainly for eye appeal I believe.
Thanks Indaswamp!!

 

[donaltman3]

[ Wazzuqer .... can I just freeze it and cook later like a Johnsonvile Brat?]

You can do that but then you lose what it is. Andouille is smoked... if it isn't SMOKED sausage (w/Pecan wood) it isn't Andouille... it would/could be called Cajun sausage though and it would be delish, I am sure.