Andouille by any other name...

[kangarool]

I’ve always loved making gumbos, and have gotten to the point where I’m very pleased with the my concoctions – most of them are pretty basic, traditional gumbos.

But I moved from the U.S. sometime ago, and authentic Southern US ingredients are not in ready supply – in fact, pretty much non-existent. One of the key, basic ingredients I love to add to my gumbos is: andouille.

The good news is, I have a feeling that "andouille," or something very satifsfactorily similar exists here in Melbourne – even if under a different name. I say that because, there’s a huge selection here of European (both mediterranean and eastern) sausages, smoked and cured meats, deli items, etc etc, pretty much everywhere you turn. The main market in Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market, has a staggeringly fantastic amount of choice: Italian, French, Hungarian, Polish, Greek, Turkish … truly bountiful.

So I wonder if someone can help me find the closest equivalent to andouille, from these or other cultures. Never having made it, I’m not sure of any very-specifically-Southern U.S. spices or additions that go into the real thing, but even leaving those aside, what’s the next closest beast? Italian Cotechino? Polish Kielbasa? French garlic sausage? Spanish chorizo? I’m not totally up on which (if any) of these kinds of sausages are smoked, like an andouille is.

Thanks for any help you can provide everyone.

[Gifted Gourmet]

From what I have read, the closest substitute for andouille is kielbasa ... and using tasso ham also makes for the smoky taste you may desire ....

http://www.hub-uk.com/interesting/sausage-type.htm

Edited April 15, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[PopsicleToze]

IMHO, kielbasa in something dry (like jambalaya) is actually preferred over andouille, because andouille is dry itself and kielbasa adds to the moistness.

However, the question was for gumbo -- andouille doesn't have a lot of fat at all, and you don't want to add any sausage greasy and with overpowering flavors. What I would substitute for it in gumbo is smoked ham cubes.

Rhonda

P.S. Agreed on the tasso as stated above, but my bet is that if you can't get andouille, you can't get tasso.

Edited April 15, 2004 by NolaFoodie (log)

[Mayhaw Man]

Andouille is essentially chopped smoked ham, seasoned (seasoning varies with the maker) packed into a casing. Foodie is right in that it is not exceptionally full of fat. There are a number of sources, all of which do mail order, that will allow you to try a couple of native sausages:

Poche's Meats in Breaux Bridge

Hebert's Specialty Meats

Jacob's World Famous Andouille

Comeaux's Meat in Lafayette

John Folse Company Store

Out of all of these I prefer Poches for the sausages and Hebert's for the stuffed chickens. Shipping is pretty reasonable and service seems to be acceptable at all of these places. Try em out.

[PopsicleToze]

Jacob's is my favorite for andouille. Some of the meat has a strange texture, but the smoked taste is outstanding. They come in about 12" long sausages. I always get extra to freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, and then wrap in foil. It's hard not to laugh when you grab one out of the freezer

[Mayhaw Man]

It's hard not to laugh when you grab one out of the freezer

But of course, everyone's sense of humor is different.

[FistFullaRoux]

In a pinch, I use turkey smoked sausage. It's a different texture, but the smoke level is about right, and adds no extra fat to the pot that has to be scraped out.

But pretty much any smoked meat product would work, as long as it is not cured. (Yes, I have seem meat that was smoked and then cured. Not needed, but it is done) I've even used smoked turkey legs, ham hocks, and smoked ham.

Smoked + not greasy = workable. At least enough for Australia.

Edited April 15, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Just to note: Your andouille for gumbo will definitely not be French andouille.

[kangarool]

I love egullet.

Step 1: Post question.

Step 2: Go to bed.

Step 3: Awake to a half dozen literate, informative and helpful replies.

How easy is that!

Thanks everyone. Looks like Kielbasa might work, but the ones I’ve had do seem a bit less richly flavoured than the andouille’s I remember. And you’re right, NolaFoodie, that it might ‘grease up’ my gumbo, and I’m already heavy-handed enough on overdoing the fats.

And you’re also spot on with the Tasso comment. Love it, but the closest legit Tasso to Melbourne Australia would have to be a few thousand km over a very large body of water.

From the replies, though, it seems like you’re all suggesting that the smokiness is the key, more so than the specific sausage-expression of it, so that alone should help me track down the best substitute. I'll track down some smoked ham and see how I go.

[paz5559]

Just a few thoughts on the subject of andouille

1) It is German not French, which is why the best ones are not, despite what Mayhaw Man may think, are not to be found in Acadiana, but rather in La Place

2) Bailey's Famous Andouille, IMHO, is actually BETTER than Jacob's World Famous Andouille, and right next door on Airline Hwy. Also, Wayne Jacob's Andouille and Smokehouse on West 5th Street, I think, is better than either of the Airline Highway alternatives (and, from what they say, the original recipie)

Edited April 17, 2004 by paz5559 (log)

[Mayhaw Man]

Paz,

Thank you for correcting me, but somewhere around here I have a whole thread discussing the German coast and why it is the center of Andouille making in Louisiana. I do, however, believe that there is some good sausage to be had in Acadiana and I believe that you will see my link to Jacob's in LaPlace. In fact, I can easily make the argument that the sausage from Poche's is as good and just as traditional as anything that they have in La Place. Incidentally, I can drive to La Place in about 45 minutes and often choose to drive the extra 45 and go to Breaux Bridge instead to fill up the ice chest. Just personal preference I guess.

While this is not about andouille, it is about the area that Paz so kindly mentioned. THe article is about the production of Head Cheese in the traditional manner, but it has a good general explanation of the area.

Hogs Head Cheese on the German Coast

The Jacob's Andouille Website shows how proud they are of their German Heritage.

Thanks for pointing out my weakness for the sausages of Acadiana. It's all true. Every word of it.