# Andouille (UMAI)



## rgautheir20420 (Feb 22, 2015)

So I've been wanting to do this....so I finally did. Took my Andouille recipe and removed the thyme, added cure #2, upped the salt, and added flc for the ferment along with .5% dextrose. Looking forward to this!













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__ rgautheir20420
__ Feb 22, 2015


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## b-one (Feb 22, 2015)

Sounds interesting,how long is the wait?


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## rgautheir20420 (Feb 22, 2015)

Fermenting time will be 60 hours and drying time will likely be 4-5 weeks.


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## b-one (Feb 22, 2015)

Can't wait to see how this goes, not sure I have the will power to see it through personally.:biggrin:


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 22, 2015)

Checking in to see the end results.


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## rgautheir20420 (Feb 23, 2015)

It's so fun seeing the change of color in the meat during curing and fermentation. Here's the salami after just 24 hrs hanging. 













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__ rgautheir20420
__ Feb 23, 2015


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## foamheart (Feb 23, 2015)

I have been planning to make andouille like this for awhile. I know it has to be how it was done when I was a kid because it just hung out not refridgerated.


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## daveomak (Feb 24, 2015)

I bought this tight weave muslin for use as a casing for some meats....   What do you think the difference is between the UMAI bags and this stuff...   You can see the porosity in the picture....














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__ daveomak
__ Feb 24, 2015


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## chewmeister (Feb 24, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> I bought this tight weave muslin for use as a casing for some meats.... What do you think the difference is between the UMAI bags and this stuff... You can see the porosity in the picture....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Umai material allows water and air to escape from the inside, but won't allow anything to enter from outside the casing.


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## rgautheir20420 (Feb 24, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> I have been planning to make andouille like this for awhile. I know it has to be how it was done when I was a kid because it just hung out not refridgerated.


Me to Foam. It just always seemed that everytime I made it in the smoker I wanted to eat it all and didn't want to wait. I needed to do a dedicated batch if I was to keep my hands off. 

A hickup with this process though is the UMAI bags I've got supposedly don't allow odors and such in....as chew has mentioned above. I'm thinking of maybe aging until a 20% loss of weight and then removing the casings and doing some cold smoking sessions. After that, I can tie it up some string and hang it in my normal drying chamber for continued drying. I'd try this step with just one of them though....but we'll see.


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## gary s (Feb 24, 2015)

Nice color change  great advice too, that's why this site is so great

gary


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## chewmeister (Feb 24, 2015)

rgautheir20420 said:


> Me to Foam. It just always seemed that everytime I made it in the smoker I wanted to eat it all and didn't want to wait. I needed to do a dedicated batch if I was to keep my hands off.
> 
> A hickup with this process though is the UMAI bags I've got supposedly don't allow odors and such in....as chew has mentioned above. I'm thinking of maybe aging until a 20% loss of weight and then removing the casings and doing some cold smoking sessions. After that, I can tie it up some string and hang it in my normal drying chamber for continued drying. I'd try this step with just one of them though....but we'll see.


That may work just fine. I see that Umai now has a material that will allow smoke penetration. Something to think about for future projects.


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## rgautheir20420 (Feb 24, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> I bought this tight weave muslin for use as a casing for some meats.... What do you think the difference is between the UMAI bags and this stuff... You can see the porosity in the picture....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dave, Chew has already answered the question. I just wanted to say that stuff looks cool. I remember seeing nepas doing an Amish SS in there I think? I think it would be need to do a salami or something in there.


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## foamheart (Feb 24, 2015)

chewmeister said:


> The Umai material allows water and air to escape from the inside, but won't allow anything to enter from outside the casing.


Soooo your saying these bags are only one way, your way or the highway! I've heard about folks like that.


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## foamheart (Feb 24, 2015)

rgautheir20420 said:


> Me to Foam. It just always seemed that everytime I made it in the smoker I wanted to eat it all and didn't want to wait. I needed to do a dedicated batch if I was to keep my hands off.
> 
> A hickup with this process though is the UMAI bags I've got supposedly don't allow odors and such in....as chew has mentioned above. I'm thinking of maybe aging until a 20% loss of weight and then removing the casings and doing some cold smoking sessions. After that, I can tie it up some string and hang it in my normal drying chamber for continued drying. I'd try this step with just one of them though....but we'll see.


I oft times remind folks of this and it sounds like you are reinforcing my argument. Remember Andouille is NOT sausage, andouille is like tasso or pickled pork, is used as a seasoning meat. It wasn't originally for stand alone eating like sausage.

That way the long boil down in the gumbo pot or beans would loosen or soften the meat.

And by the time you do all that the italians will have some fancy new name for the finished product or maybe the Germans.


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## rgautheir20420 (Feb 24, 2015)

Foam, I've definitely heard you say/type that. I'll just say....I decide what my sausage is for 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. I use it for both occasions. I'll make gumbo with it or I'll take a link out, slice it and snack with a bit of cheese. While I agree that a seasoning meat was it's intended purpose, constricting ourselves to intended purposes wouldn't get us very far now would it?


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## foamheart (Feb 24, 2015)

rgautheir20420 said:


> Foam, I've definitely heard you say/type that. I'll just say....I decide what my sausage is for
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*"It wasn't originally for stand alone eating like sausage."* I quite agree with you that it has now evolved. Most of it here now is sold as "andouille sausage". The old made andouille wasn't made fron the quality cuts of pork that it is today also. Nothing is locked in place, I only refer to the original usages.

Just like they never added cure to sausages. except those which were specifically made as cured sausage. But now, we know its safer. To my knowledge, I don't remember ever hearing of someone becoming deadly ill from tainted meat. Maybe rotten chicken salad or tuna fish. The very worst was a mild cause of diarrhea. But we envolve to insure no  runs on toilet paper.


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## rgautheir20420 (Mar 24, 2015)

Alrighty. So here are some updates and pictures. The chub that I cut open has lost about 35% of it's weight. It could serve to go a little more, but I just couldn't wait. All in all, it was very good. The heat was a lot milder than I expected and next time I'll up the salt to 2.5% instead of the 2%. It never got smoked  because.....well....I just never got around to it. So it doesn't have much of an "Andouille" flavor. The thyme was left out also so that's takes this further away from that flavor profile. I wasn't confident that the herbs would do well drying.













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__ rgautheir20420
__ Mar 24, 2015


















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__ rgautheir20420
__ Mar 24, 2015


















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__ rgautheir20420
__ Mar 24, 2015


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## chef willie (Mar 24, 2015)

Well now....that does look delish....very much like a salami.....I'd venture to say you got a winner there. I'd definitely ruin a dinner or two munching on those slices with some cheese and beer. Well played.....Willie


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## chewmeister (Mar 24, 2015)

Looks tasty.


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## gary s (Mar 24, 2015)

I'm with Chef Willie looks good to me  

Gary


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## rgautheir20420 (Mar 24, 2015)

Thanks everyone!


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## b-one (Mar 24, 2015)

Looks great!


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