Andouille
intro
Bold, spicy, deeply smoky homemade Cajun andouille sausage, perfect for grilling, gumbos, or jambalaya, with classic Louisiana Southern flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Combine Meat and Seasonings
Combine cubed pork shoulder and fatback in a large mixing bowl. Add kosher salt, Prague powder #1, smoked paprika, cayenne, fresh garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, tossing to coat the meat evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at 4°C (40°F) for 2 hours to let the cure penetrate and keep the meat firm for grinding.
Grind Chilled Meat Mixture
Set up a meat grinder fitted with a 6mm (1/4-inch) coarse grinding plate. Feed the chilled seasoned meat mixture through the grinder into a metal bowl nested in crushed ice, working quickly to keep meat temperature below 7°C (45°F) to prevent fat smearing. Once all meat is ground, pour in 60ml of ice-cold water and mix vigorously by hand for 2 minutes until the mixture is sticky and binds together.
Prepare and Stuff Casings
Rinse soaked hog casings thoroughly with cool running water, then slide one end of a casing fully onto a 2cm (3/4-inch) sausage stuffer tube, leaving a 10cm (4-inch) loose tail at the end. Feed the ground meat mixture into the stuffer, cranking slowly to fill casings evenly to a 3cm (1.25-inch) diameter, taking care to avoid trapping air pockets. Do not overstuff casings, as they will split during smoking.
Twist Sausage into Links
Once all casings are filled, pinch and twist the sausage rope every 15cm (6 inches) to form individual links, alternating twist direction with each link to prevent unraveling. Use a sterile sausage pricker to pop any visible air bubbles on the casing surface. Hang links on a metal smoke rack in a cool, 10°C (50°F) well-ventilated space for 1 hour to form a dry, tacky pellicle on the casing exterior.
Smoke the Sausage Links
Preheat a smoker to 107°C (225°F), loaded with hickory wood chips for smoke. Place sausage links directly on smoker grates, leaving 2.5cm (1 inch) of space between each link for even air flow. Smoke for 1 hour 45 minutes, until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F) as measured with a calibrated instant-read thermometer.
Cool Smoked Sausage Links
Transfer finished smoked andouille links to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, and let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to cool completely. Serve immediately grilled, on po’boys, or diced for gumbos and jambalaya, or vacuum-seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips
2.Never skip the pellicle formation step before smoking: the dry, tacky casing surface allows smoke particles to adhere evenly, creating the signature deep smoky flavor and rich colored exterior, rather than a pale, weakly flavored sausage.
3.If you do not own a dedicated smoker, you can replicate this recipe on a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat, placing a foil packet of soaked hickory chips directly on the hot coals and maintaining a steady 225°F grill temperature until the sausage hits the 160°F internal temp target.
OMG, this andouille is a total game changer! I’ve been buying store-bought for my annual neighborhood gumbo cookoff for years, and this homemade version blew every judge away last weekend. The 6 hour cook time felt a little intimidating at first, but the steps were way easier to follow than I expected. Perfect smoky heat, not too overpowering, great snap on the casing. Already got three neighbors asking for the recipe link!
Made a double batch of this for weekly meal prep! It’s SO good sliced up in breakfast scrambles, tossed in jambalaya, even just eaten as a quick protein snack on busy days. My only note is that I cut the cayenne in half because my kids are total wimps about spice, and it was still super flavorful. Curious how long these stay good in the freezer, though?
Brought this sliced up on a backcountry camping trip last weekend and it was chef’s kiss. Doesn’t get mushy when you pan fry it over a camp stove, the fat renders perfectly, and it added so much flavor to our campfire red beans and rice. 10/10 camp food approved.
Tried this for the first time last weekend and the flavor was amazing, but my casings burst halfway through cooking! Did I stuff them too tight? I was really looking forward to that snappy texture everyone is talking about, but mine all split open and leaked a bunch of fat out.
Made this for my office Mardi Gras potluck yesterday and people were literally coming back for thirds! I served it sliced with tangy Creole mustard for dipping, and even my boss who swears he 'doesn’t like spicy food' ate three pieces. Will absolutely be making this for every backyard BBQ this summer.
SO good! I added an extra teaspoon of paprika and a pinch of file powder to mine for an extra deep Cajun kick, and it turned out unreal. Way better than any fancy butcher shop andouille I’ve bought around here, and way cheaper too. Can’t wait to experiment with different spice blends next batch.
This looks incredible! I live in a tiny apartment with no outdoor space for a smoker—would this still turn out okay if I use liquid smoke and cook it low and slow in my oven? I’ve been craving real andouille for gumbo but don’t have space for a bunch of grilling equipment.
Made this for our Sunday family dinner last night, served over creamy cheesy grits with collard greens, and my kids loved it! Even my super picky 7 year old who turns his nose up at anything 'smoky' asked for seconds. The spice level was perfect for the whole family when I followed the recipe exactly, no adjustments needed.
I grew up eating homemade andouille at my grandparents’ house in Louisiana, and this is the first recipe I’ve tried that actually tastes like the real deal! Most recipes skimp on the garlic and paprika, but this one nails the depth of flavor without being too salty. Total nostalgia trip.
Perfect for my low carb lifestyle! Zero weird fillers, just straight meat and spices, and it’s so satisfying. I’ve been having it for breakfast with fried eggs and avocado every morning this week, and it keeps me full until lunch no problem. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish there was a pork-free option for my friends who don’t eat pork, but that’s a personal preference!
Super excited to try this! Quick question before I start—do I have to use natural hog casings, or will collagen casings work okay for this? I can only find collagen ones at my local grocery store right now and don’t want to wait for an online order.
Smoked a batch of these for the Broncos tailgate last Sunday and they were gone within 15 minutes of me setting them out. People were putting them on buns with slaw, dipping them in queso, even slicing them up to put in their bloody marys. Absolute tailgate MVP.
Flavor was good but wow, this was way too spicy for me! I know it’s Cajun so I expected some heat, but even after cutting the cayenne and red pepper flakes in half my mouth was on fire. Might try it again with just a pinch of cayenne next time, but as written it’s too hot for my Midwestern taste buds.
Moved out to LA 3 years ago and have been chasing good andouille ever since—all the grocery stores out here sell that sad, bland stuff that tastes like regular smoked sausage with a pinch of chili powder. This recipe? It transported me right back to my mom’s kitchen in the 7th ward. I used it in a big pot of jambalaya for my roommates and they all lost their minds.
I was worried a 6 hour cook time would be too much of a project for a casual weekend, but the hands-on time is actually super minimal! Most of it is just letting the smoker do its thing, so I was able to do yard work, hang out with my dog, and watch the game while it cooked. 100% worth blocking off a Saturday for.
Tested this recipe for an upcoming amateur BBQ competition sausage category, and it’s going to be my entry! The balance of smoky, savory, and spicy is exactly what judges look for, and the texture is perfect. Already did two test batches and my friends are begging me to sell them links. Thanks for the incredible recipe!