Homemade Andouille, for beginners

Great choice! Here's a homemade Cajun-style andouille sausage recipe that you can make with or without a smoker. It’s smoky, spicy, garlicky, and perfect for gumbo, jambalaya, or grilling.

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🔥 Homemade Cajun Andouille Sausage

Yields: ~3 lbs sausage (can be stuffed or formed into patties)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Optional Smoke Time: 2–3 hours
Cure Time (optional): 12–24 hours

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🧂 Ingredients:

• 2 lbs (900 g) pork shoulder, coarsely ground (or store-ground pork)
• 1 lb (450 g) pork belly or fatback, diced or ground
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp curing salt (Instacure #1 / Prague Powder #1) – optional but recommended if smoking
• 1 tbsp paprika (smoked or sweet)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp black pepper, coarse
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced or powdered
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp allspice (optional)
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ cup ice-cold water
• Natural hog casings (optional, if stuffing)

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🥣 Instructions:

1. Grind the Meat (if not already ground):

• Use a coarse grind plate for pork shoulder and fat.
• Keep everything cold to preserve texture.

2. Mix the Seasonings:

• Combine all spices and curing salt in a bowl.
• Sprinkle over meat and mix thoroughly.
• Add ice water slowly, mixing by hand until the mixture gets sticky.

3. Optional Cure (Improves Flavor/Texture):

• Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours to allow seasoning and cure to develop.

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🔄 Choose Your Method:

🔸 A) Without Smoking (Stovetop/Oven-Cooked Version):

• Form into patties or logs.
• Cook in a skillet or bake at 350°F (175°C) until internal temp is 160°F (71°C).
• Slice and use in gumbo, etc.

🔸 B) Smoked Andouille (Traditional Style):

1. Stuff into hog casings (optional).
2. Air-dry sausages for 1–2 hours in the fridge or at room temp with airflow.
3. Smoke at 150–175°F (65–80°C) for 2–3 hours, until internal temp reaches 150°F (65°C).
4. Let cool, then refrigerate or freeze.

No smoker? You can mimic the flavor by adding 1 tsp liquid smoke to the mix (optional, but helpful).

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🍲 How to Use It:

• Slice into coins and brown before adding to gumbo, jambalaya, red beans & rice, or grilling.
• Freezes very well, either raw or cooked.

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