Andouille and Cajun Smoked Sausage ~ Foamheart

[foamheart]

I have threads showing all the labor and love involved already.

I was low on Sausage and out of Andouille. Been a lot of home health care workers in and out the last couple a weeks. And of course I share. So its less than 100 degrees outside AND all my smokers are currently operational so I thought I'd make some.

40 lbs of cryo butts on sale for .99/lb., deboned and chunked ready for the grinder. Spices added, andouille then ground w/3/4" plate and country sausage ground with a medium fine plate. Into the reefer overnight to mix and mingle all those flavors thru out the meats.

Today I added the last bit of spices, a bit of spring water, and the appropreiate amount of #1 cure (dissolved). Dang that meat is soooo cold, you need special high temp gloves to mist that stuff....LOL

Andouille in Large 46+MM casing is short links, so as not to mistake them for sausages. Sausages in I believe 32's, in sausage link size.

This is what they looked like...... just got a quick picture and into the reefer so they could bloom till equalization (a few days), and also to dehydrate too.



Excuse the messy table but been making sausage.....LOL

I will include more when the smoking starts I would imagine it'll be a double smoke as usual.

BTW got a new toy. I started as a kid with a wet stone, then an Arkansas Hard stone, then I started selling DMTs so I have 4 or five of them. Last year I posted where I had broken my favorite chef's knife and they gave me a new one after 30 or 40 years of ownership. Well I could just look at the knife and look at the DMT and shave with it. The new one was taking way too much maintenance. So after talking with Mr. Fasset I ordered a new sharpener. It was worth it for nothing else but to get the new knife's blade within acceptable limits. I got a Work Sharp (Ken Onion). I like it.

Well stay tuned for more later.

 

[crazymoon]

Foam, Your sausage looks good and I'm in for more of your sausage making!

 

[tropics]

Got me a good seat for this smoke
Richie

 

[foamheart]

I want to try and show you something, but doubt my photographic skills are good enough, but it won't stop me from trying.

I always "Bloom" my andouille before smoking. Bloom to me means allowing it to sit and do it business before proceeding. If the word bloom is wrong, sorry just seems right because I bloom my yeast before baking, I bloom my jello before using, to me bloom is where it sits and carry's out some type of catalytic reaction. With andouille I want the cure to have all the time it can have to preform its function before heat kills that ability.

Here is the picture last night of the andouille



This is tonight's photo



There is a very pronounced increase in that red color. All it has done is set in the reefer for 24 hours so far. What I am trying to explain is, it is very important to allow your chemical additives time to work before you smoke the meat and in most cases end their reactionary abilities. In the olden days when there was little or no chemical modifiers you could dry either in the reefer, or on a rack with a fan, or even by doing a de-watering cycle in the smoker. Today I think its important to allow those chemicals to do their work. I wish you could see this meat as I do, it is a dramatic change, the cure is making that pork meat into ham....LOL

When I start smoking, I'll be back..... but for now it is the resting or Blooming period. I swear by it.

Oh and BTW, I caught the morning healthcare worker sitting by that reefer this AM and every so often just opening the door and taking a big whiff of them curing.....LOL I really couldn't blame her.

Will be back!

 

[foamheart]

Got me a good seat for this smoke
Richie

<Chuckles> I am sitting here with a pint jar of homemade Tia Maria and Bailey's Irish Creme (Caramel). Of course its all Faux. Could I fix ya one Richie?

Foam, Your sausage looks good and I'm in for more of your sausage making!

We are doing 80/85 degrees here daily, they say Thursday we could get a cold front get down to 70 degrees for a high for a couple a days....LOL Be a good day to smoke I think.

 

[myownidaho]

That’s some fine looking sausage. I am 100% behind the “bloom”. Whether it’s mixing the ingredients the day before grinding or letting the finished sausage sit for a day or two before smoking makes a noticeable difference.

 

[mike5051]

That looks incredible! I can't wait for the smoke!

Mike

 

[foamheart]

That’s some fine looking sausage. I am 100% behind the “bloom”. Whether it’s mixing the ingredients the day before grinding or letting the finished sausage sit for a day or two before smoking makes a noticeable difference.

Thank you.

I'll explain thinking here. I do not add the cure to the meat when grinding. I do add all the spices though, so they can get a good mix into the meat. I don't add the cure till I am about to extrude it into the casing. Why? Because if I added it when I added the spices the meat would start curing and the density or texture would change to a much firmer state, This would cause it to require much more pressure to extrude or the need to add even more water. So by waiting (which we are all used to by being smokers), I can alleviate these problems.

That looks incredible! I can't wait for the smoke!

Mike

Thanks Mike. I prefer the old ways. I don't care for andouille sausage (That is all knew so commercial manufacturers can make sausage and andouille without changing the dies), nor the long continuous strings of andouille just cut in sections (For the same reason, it makes it cheaper for the commercial manufacturers to to produce). I find that the smaller length, large diameter (so as not to confuse it with the non-cured sausages), come pretty close to the needs of every Cajun pot of whatever food for 8 servings. Which works out fine since back when, the average Cajun catholic family was 7), So instead of hacking a piece off and then refreezing the rest (freezer burn), or having random pieces of andouille rolling around the freezer, I pull a link and use it all.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Looks tasty Kevin!

I’ve had the KOWS for a few years now and it’s great. Once you get everything honed in good all you need to use is the super fine to keep everything sharp.

 

[foamheart]

Looks tasty Kevin!

I’ve had the KOWS for a few years now and it’s great. Once you get everything honed in good all you need to use is the super fine to keep everything sharp.

Thanks Case

I have always used a stone, pumice, hard stone, diamond or synthetic. I do still love those DMT's you can use the little one and hit it a couple a time on each side while cutting meats and its a dangerous weapon...LOL But the sandpaper sure made short work of getting that new knife into spec. I noticed it still dulled while cutting up those 4 butts. Thinking it might still take a few more times to get there. Still better than sitting for days sharpening.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Well I'm sure in for this one Kevin!!
One of those sharpeners has been on my list for a while now. Maybe soon.......
Gary

 

[daveomak]

We are doing 80/85 degrees here daily, they say Thursday we could get a cold front get down to 70 degrees for a high for a couple a days....LOL Be a good day to smoke I think.[/QUOTE]

Turn on the AC !!!! I'm sitting by the fire....

 

[foamheart]

Well I'm sure in for this one Kevin!!
One of those sharpeners has been on my list for a while now. Maybe soon.......
Gary

Gary I have not decided yet on the sharpener. It sharpens fine, but I must not be using the right angle. Ya know the older I get the more resistant I am to change....LOL Its really fast on SS, but all my old Carbon Steel was already able to shave with from the stones. Let me play with it a bit and I'll have a better idea of its real value. I used to spend hours and hours sharpening knives. It was a stress relief I think. But now I sharpen just a few mins and I am wanting to quit..... <strugs> I am just turning into weenie baby I guess.

 

[foamheart]

We are doing 80/85 degrees here daily, they say Thursday we could get a cold front get down to 70 degrees for a high for a couple a days....LOL Be a good day to smoke I think.

Turn on the AC !!!! I'm sitting by the fire....
[/QUOTE]

LOL...... But I bet you don't have year round monster mosquito's either though! I been thinking about making some mosquito sausage just to see how it tastes.

 

[foamheart]

Tired, long day.
I started smoking yesterday. De water cycle, then add smoke, add thermometer. I have started running the smoker hot, and leaving the door cracked while smoking. It maintains goo smoke and doesn't drive me nuts trying to get things to continue smoldering.



Add some andouille as sausage



Dewater over so added the temperature sensor probe.



4 hours in at and IT of 115



Brought inside and heated to a constant 150 in a water bath



and into an ice bath..... Imagine the ice is still in there. It melted...LOL



Back in the reefer Overnight! The top tray is smoked and cooked, bottom tray is awaiting its turn.Will only smoke little tray one time.



Today, I smoked the second tray, it was hot sausage and some andouille with extra garlic. First smoke.



4 hours into the smoke......



I ran it up to 140 IT and let it run to 150.



Two days of smoke.... you just cam't imagine how good these smell and zero rendered!



and single single smoked.......



I am guessing you can see the difference. Now I am headed to the kitchen to put 'em in the cooler to mellow a day or so.

I didn't show it, but I also did 5 lbs. of Pop sage breakfast sausage. Those ground meat bags work great for a tube.

I'll cut 'em apart i a couple a days and package 'em. Holidays comming up you can be sure there will me more done soon.

Any questions just let me know. I am pretty happy with them, and I guess that is all that matter. I surprised myself with the single smoked Cajun hot sausage, That's some good stuff!

Aint it pretty.................



Thinking chicken gumbo tomorrow!! Thanks for check it out and keeping me honest.

 

[daveomak]

What are those casings ??? 45-50's ???
They sure look good... Plump... Perfect... Youze getting to be pretty darn good at this stuff...

 

[whistech]

Kevin, that is a delicious looking batch of goodness!

 

[foamheart]

What are those casings ??? 45-50's ???
They sure look good... Plump... Perfect... Youze getting to be pretty darn good at this stuff...

Thanks Dave, I think they call 'em 46MM+, Butchers & Packers.

Kevin, that is a delicious looking batch of goodness!

Thank ye Thank ye....... I'll know tomorrow evening how good. LOL... I post a link cross section.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Wow Kevin. I'm coming to your place gor Christmas!!!
Gary

 

[foamheart]

Wow Kevin. I'm coming to your place gor Christmas!!!
Gary

Thanks Gary. You'll always be welcome.