Grub Blogger

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Andouille is a heavily spiced pork sausage which is smoked.  When I can, I like to mail-order mine from Jacob’s World Famous Andouille in LaPlace, Lousianna.  I usually like to brown off the sausage to intensify flavor and help keep it from falling apart if using in a stew or beans.  Pretty simple.  Slice, brown and reserve.  I like to brown it in the same pot I will be cooking the rest of the meal, to use a a bulding block for my flavor base. Read more…

Andouille, Cajun / Creole, Sausage

So, I’m finally making sausage, I thought to myself as my ground pork mixture was (now properly) easing its way into the natural hog casing I had soaked and slipped onto the nozzle of the stuffer, trying to stifle the obvious twelve-year old jokes that were coming to mind.  After making sure I could grind my own pork and season it correct with some breakfast sausage and Mexican chorizo, I went ahead and ordered my stuffer from The Sausage Maker, Inc. Again, the Grub Blogger went to Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing as his guide, and started with their basic garlic sausage recipe as a base.  I wanted to try the simplest sausage they had for the first time, but added a little nutmeg, all spice and white pepper to their fresh garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. Read more…

Charcuterie, Porcine Revolution, Sausage

After finding success with breakfast sausage, the Grub Blogger continued his march through Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn’s Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing by making Mexican chorizo.  At this point I still hadn’t picked up a sausage stuffer, as I wanted to make sure I could get the grinding down first.  As soon as I tasted my homemade chorizo, I went online and ordered a stuffer.  The freshness and intensity of spices was better than any fresh chorizo I had eaten, and using the small die on the grinder made sure there were no large pieces of fat like in some of the stuff I had bought in Mexican markets.  For the primer on my experience with basic sausage making, check out my post on Breakfast Sausage Patties. Read more…

Charcuterie, Mexican, Porcine Revolution, Sausage

A major part of the Porcine Revolution for the Grub Blogger has been the desire to make his own, homemade sausage.  Just as with bacon, Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn’s Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing was the key to my getting my hands porky.  After getting a Kitchen Aid for Christmas and the meat grinding attachment for Valentine’s Day (the Grub Blogger found the right lady), all systems were go.  Charcuterie has a recipe for a breakfast sausage that I started with because it doesn’t involve stuffing the meat into casing.  I wanted to make sure I nailed the basics before buying more equipment.  I figured on mastering this recipe and the one for Mexican chorizo (which is generally used loose) first.  Sausage making takes some preparation, so make sure you are not really hungry and have time on your hands.   Read more…

Breakfast, Charcuterie, Porcine Revolution, Sausage