Andouille Sausage Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the casing in cold water for about an hour to soften it and loosen the salt in which it is packed. Place the wide end of the sausage stuffer up against the sink faucet and run cold water through the inside of the casing to remove excess salt.
• Cut the meat and fat into 1/2-inch wide chunks. Pass them once through the coarse blade of a meat grinder. In a large bowl, mix together the ground pork and fat with the garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, sage, and hickory smoke. A wooden spoon works well.
• Cut the casing into 26 inch lengths and tie a small knot in one end of each. Fit the open end over the tip of the sausage stuffer and slide it on until the tip of the stuffer touches the knot. The casing will look like accordion folds. This keeps excess air from getting into the casings. Fit the stuffer onto the meat grinder or according the directions that come with the stuffer, or hold the wide end of the stuffer against or over the opening by hand.
• Fill the hopper with the sausage mixture. Turn the machine on if it is electric and feed the stuffing gradually into the hopper; for a manual machine, push the stuffing through with a wooden pestle. The sausage casing will fill and inflate gradually. Stop filling about 1 1/4 inches from the funnel end and slip the casing off the funnel, smoothing out any bumps carefully with your fingers and being careful not to push the stuffing out of the casing. Tie off the open end of the sausage tightly with a piece of string or make a knot in the casing itself.
• To cook, slice the sausage into half-inch rounds and grill in a hot skillet with no water for about 12 minutes on each side, or until brown and crisp at the edges.

Steps:

• Slice the andouille sausage into thin coins on the bias.
• Add the olive oil to a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and onion and saute until the sausage is seared and browned. Add the garlic, peppers, squash and zucchini, season with salt and pepper and lightly saute about 2 minutes (you still want the zucchini and squash to have a bite and be very al dente). Add the rice to the pan with the sausage and veggies, stirring to coat the rice with all of the flavors. Add the stock and saffron. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is done, 10 to 15 minutes. Fold in the diced tomatoes and parsley.

Steps:

• Combine the pork, pork fat, Essence, paprika, garlic, black pepper, salt, file, chili powder, red pepper, and cumin in a large bowl and mix well. Pass through a food grinder fitted with a coarse die. (Alternately, transfer in 2 batches to a food processor and process until finely ground.) Transfer to a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• To test the seasoning, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet, and cook about 2 teaspoons of the mixture. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
• Using the sausage attachment on a mixer, stuff the meat into the casings, if being used. Twist and tie off to make 4-inch sausages. Alternately, shape into patties.
• Preheat a home smoker to 250 degrees F. Smoke the sausage for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the smoker and use as desired.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.