Homemade Andouille Sausage
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Andouille sausage… a real food staple in Louisiana

If you are a “foody”, at one point you’ll want to try making homemade sausages. I don’t blame you because it’s fun to make your own…
 
New Orleans is definitely on my bucket list. Live Jazz, history, great bars, amazing joie de vivre, and incredible Creole & Cajun cuisine… what’s not to like about the “Big Easy”! It’s food is an amazing blend of different cultures combined. This is what makes Creole/Cajun cuisine so interestingly delicious! Many common ingredients are utilized in these two styles such as gumbo file, okra, chili peppers, catfish, duck and alligator, just to name a few.
 
There’s a particular sausage that is also used often in both cuisines and here’s my version of it… Homemade Andouille Sausage. I’ve shared several sausage recipes with you already including my North African Merguez, Garlic Sausage, Hot Italian Sausage and Chorizo, plus more coming soon.
 
Andouille sausage is spicy and flavorful and it enhances any recipe you use it in. As I mentioned earlier, making homemade sausages is great because you can add your own intensity of spiciness and create some new flavors but here’s one important thing to keep in mind… increase the amount of spices. Don’t be shy when it comes to seasoning as the meat will absorb a lot of the flavor from the spices, making them less spicy than you originally thought.
 
Now let’s talk about Prague Powder #1 also known as Insta Cure #1 or Pink Curing Salt. This is important to add when making sausages for many reasons. It helps to preserve the meat and prevents the possibility of botulism. It helps give a nice color and also improves the flavor.
 
The components in curing salt are 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% salt. The simple reason why this particular salt is “pink” is so it won’t be confused with table salt. If sodium nitrite is overly consumed even in small quantities, it can kill an average-sized adult. Adding a teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat is fine but beyond that, it can be very dangerous. I am not trying to alarm you with the risk of using this salt but I definitely want you to be aware of its powerful effects and repercussions if too much is consumed.
 
In this video, I won’t be showing you all the steps of the sausage making process. I have a tutorial video where I explain the tools used and a few tips to successfully make your own sausage. If you’re new to this, I highly suggest you take a moment and watch the video on How to Make Homemade Sausage.
 
I also have another video recipe that you should definitely check out and it’s my Creole Seasoning Mix. This is a blend I use often for my Cajun/Creole recipes and the taste is phenomenal! It’s quite “zippy” but the beauty of it is when you cook your recipe, it mellows out and brings a wonderful bouquet of flavors… give it a try! It’s also perfect for this Andouille Sausage recipe.
 
Now as mentioned in the Andouille Sausage video, here are some quick reference points on how to dry, smoke, and cook your sausage.
 
To dry out sausages: Place them on a wire rack or hang them on a laundry drying rack for 2 hours. Depending on the humidity and if you are using a fan, the drying time may vary. You’ll know they’re ready when they are dry to the touch.
To smoke sausages: Use wood chips of your choice and place them in a smoker or BBQ. If you are using the BBQ to smoke the sausages, use indirect heat and bring the temperature to around 160ºF. Smoke them for 3-4 hours. Keep in mind that if you use mesquite or hickory wood chips, you might want to reduce the smoking time by an hour because of their strong flavor.
To cook sausages on the stove: Add a little bit of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook them for 12 to 14 minutes flipping them every 2 minutes.
To cook sausages on the BBQ: Grill the sausages at around 300ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping them as well every 2 minutes.
 
Last but not least, if you have 2 lbs. of meat, you should be able to make about 8 sausages (1/4 lb. each) and that’s good for 4 people. Five pounds of meat will make 20 sausages therefore 10 servings. Also if there’s any leftover casings which there probably will be, put them in a container, add plenty of salt (regular not curing), close the lid and transfer to the refrigerator. They will keep for a long, long, long time!
 
As much as it may sound overwhelming, after you’ve made your first batch of homemade sausages, you’ll see how easy it really is. With summer just around the corner, this is the perfect time to give them a try. Just experiment along the way and have fun making your Andouille Sausages.
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these other great sausage recipes…
North African Merguez
Homemade Chorizo
Garlic Sausage
Hot Italian Sausage
 
Here are a few more scrumptious pork recipes you definitely have to try…
Sweet & Sour Pineapple Pork
Zucchini Pork Penne
Asian Sesame Pork Chops
Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Pulled Pork Enchiladas
Chinese 5 Spice Spare Ribs
and for even more pork recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Pork
 

 
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Homemade Andouille Sausage

Homemade Andouille Sausage

With an incredible combination of ingredients and spices, this classic Louisiana Homemade Andouille Sausage is a must try!
4.72 from 7 votes
Servings 10

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 lbs. pork shoulder, silver skin removed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1/4 cup dry milk powder
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. pressed garlic
  • 3 tbsp. creole seasoning mix, or more to taste see Recipe
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. mild paprika, or more to taste
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. smoked paprika, or more to taste
  • 2 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
  • 2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin, or more to taste
  • 1 tsp. Prague Powder #1 aka Insta Cure #1 or Pink Curing Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine (substitute water), cold
  • hog casings, rinsed, as needed

Directions
 

  • In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except grapeseed oil and casings. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the the surface and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. *Don’t be shy with the spices as the meat will absorb most of them, making the sausage weaker in taste.
  • When ready to grind, remove the meat from the fridge and process, using the large grinder plate . Cover with plastic wrap making sure it touches the meat, and transfer back to the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or until the meat is cold again.
  • Lightly grease the sausage nozzle with grapeseed oil or any other flavorless oil. Slide hog casing on the nozzle.
  • Remove the meat from the fridge and make a small patty. Cook it; taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  • Process the meat by making sausages or patties.

Notes

Kitchen Tools: The Cuisinart 5 1/2-Quart 12 Speed Stand Mixer and the Cuisinart Meat Grinder Attachment can be purchased in the "SHOP" section of Club Foody.

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