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 COMMENT:
Andouille is the nationally famous Cajun smoked sausage of Louisiana.
Made with pork butt, shank and a small amount of pork fat, this
sausage is seasoned with salt, cracked black pepper and garlic.
The andouille is then slowly smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane.
Andouille is stuffed into the beef middle casing, which makes the
sausage approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. When smoked, it
becomes very dark, almost black in color. It was not uncommon for
the Cajuns to smoke andouille for seven to eight hours at approximately
175 degrees F.
Traditionally, the andouilles from France were made from the large
intestines and stomach of the pig, seasoned heavily and smoked.
In parts of Germany, where some say andouille originated, the sausage
was made with all remaining intestines and casings pulled through
a larger casing. The sausage was seasoned and smoked, and it was
served thinly sliced as an hors d'oeuvre.
It is interesting to note that the finest andouille in France comes
from the Brittany and Normandy areas. It is believed that over half
of the Acadian exiles who came to Louisiana in 1755 were originally
from these coastal regions.
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 pounds pork butt
- 1/2 pound pork fat
- 1/2 cup garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup cracked black peppercorns
- 2 tbsps cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp dry thyme
- 2 tbsps salt
- 6 feet beef middle casing (see butcher or specialty shop)
METHOD:
Cube pork butt into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Using a meat grinder with
four, 1/4-inch holes in the grinding plate, grind pork and pork
fat. If you do not have a grinding plate this size, I suggest hand
cutting the pork butt into 1/4-inch square pieces. Place ground
pork in a large mixing bowl and blend in all remaining ingredients.
Once well blended, stuff meat into casings in 1-foot links, using
the sausage attachment on your meat grinder. Tie both ends of the
sausage securely using heavy gauge twine. In your home style smoker,
smoke andouille at 175-200 degrees F for approximately 4-5 hours.
The andouille may then be frozen and used for seasoning gumbos,
white or red beans, pastas or grilling as an hors d'oeuvre. |
