What is the difference between chorizo and andouille sausage

[Elf]

This really several questions about sausage 1st what is the difference chorizo and andouille 2nd what is the difference between the fresh that is showing up in the super markets and the dried style 3rd what is the difference between mexican/new orleans and european style andoulle? Sorry this is so long, but I just had to ask.

 

[ChefJune]

There are two kinds of chorizo. The Mexican is a fresh sausage, while the Spanish is a dried sausage that comes in long links, like salami.

Andouille sausage is a spicy Cajun sausage. The French make Andouillettes, which are a different product altogether, and are not at all spicy, but are made with chitterlings. If you like those (aka chittlin's) you'll like Andouillettes.

Hope that helps.

 

[Steve A]

Having lived in Spain for four years, June's summed it up.

Ciao,

 

[VeraBlue]

andouille is a cajun sausage, chorizo is not. I am unaware of any mexican andouille product, so I doubt there is any comparison. Fresh is akin to sausage you normally associate with 'needing to be cooked' where dried is already cured..like pepperoni.

If you are seeking to make an authentic dish, I wouldn't substitute either for the other.

 

[auntdot]

ChefJune is right.

Used to get Portuguese chorizo when we lived in MA, a large Portuguese population, many were, and some still are, fishermen. Cajun andouille, the Portuguese chorizo and kielbasa are variations on the same theme, although they all can have a distinct flavor. I say can have because I have tasted variations of each that can sorta merge into one another.

Love Mexican chorizo but that is a different bird altogether.

 

[ironchef]

Regarding flavor, they are both spicy but they taste entirely different from one another. Usually, from what I've tried, chorizo will be spicier than andouille. I've tried some andouille that were mild at best. Your best bet would be to buy both and try them to see which that you like better.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Mexican Chorizo has a very loose and greasy texture. it is added to scrambled eggs, burritoes, etc, where it can add its flavor but isn't required for meaty chunks. It is also good when added to ground beef for chili.

Don't look at the ingredient list for Mexican Chorizo. You may not want to eat it if you do. Kind of like cheap hot-dogs.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[skilletlicker]

Mexican Chorizo has a very loose and greasy texture. it is added to scrambled eggs, burritoes, etc, where it can add its flavor but isn't required for meaty chunks. It is also good when added to ground beef for chili.

Don't look at the ingredient list for Mexican Chorizo. You may not want to eat it if you do. Kind of like cheap hot-dogs.

Goodweed's description of Mexican chorizo seems accurate for all the commercial products I've tried so far except that I disagree with the notion that they will add anything to "eggs, burritos, etc." Maybe I haven't found the right brand but I've yet to discover a useful purpose for the stuff.

There is, however, a completely different thing also called Mexican Chorizo that I make at home or buy at the meat counter of local Mexican market. There are a lot of recipes but this is a simple one I've been using lately. Some of the recipes I've tried use much more vinegar, and they acquire more of the commercial texture. I prefer this proportion.

 

[Andy M.]

Check out this description of different sausage types. See especially, the Mexican, Spanish and Portugeuse chorizo/chourico.

 

[TATTRAT]

Andoullie is Cajun, smoked, spicy, earthy goodness


Chirizo is more like a spicy, equally greasy, Mexican/Spainish, dare i say Pepperoni almost...?

I personally love them both, for different reasons: Gumbo is NOT complete without andoullie and file and okra...Paellia(sp?) is not the same without Chirizo...jmo.

 

[buckytom]

from everything posted heretofore, tattratt is pretty much dead on, imo.

gw, i totally disagree that all chorizos are loose; have had both loose and tight, pepperoni types. agree that it's great in eggs tho, and commercial chorizos are often made from lips, hoofs, and sphincters.

would lugaru here, i'm sure he'd defend homemade chorizo.

see this thread for more info:http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f17/chorizo-9604.html?highlight=chorizo

and hey, where's shunka in all of this?

 

[Shunka]

I'm late coming to this topic!!!! Yes, Mexican chorizo is very different from the Spanish and Portugese chorizo. I am much more familiar with the Mexican kind seeing as how I have lived my wjole life here in AZ. Definitely make your own or buy from a place that does not put in all the stuff that you would not feed to your dog!!! Bucky, thanks for posting the link to the other discussion on this subject!!

 

[Mylegsbig]

Goodweed's description of Mexican chorizo seems accurate for all the commercial products I've tried so far except that I disagree with the notion that they will add anything to "eggs, burritos, etc." Maybe I haven't found the right brand but I've yet to discover a useful purpose for the stuff.

that's how we do it in texas

chorizo, egg, cheese, potato, in a flour tortilla for breakfast = heaven

you seriously dont like chorizo with egg and flour tortilla? crazy.

 

[Claire]

All of the andouille I've had has been a smoked sausage. Chorizo has differed very widely depending upon where I lived -- from a raw sausage (here) to a smoked sausage other places. So read the label!

 

[skilletlicker]

that's how we do it in texas

chorizo, egg, cheese, potato, in a flour tortilla for breakfast = heaven

you seriously dont like chorizo with egg and flour tortilla? crazy.

I do like chorizo very much, just not any of the commercially packaged Mexican Chorizo brands in the markets I shop at. I've never seen smoked chorizo in those stores. I've only seen andouille at Sam's club and don't care for the quality. Almost every sausage will have a small piece of bone or two.

Once a month or so I buy a pork butt and and make some chorizo and breakfast sausage and use the rest for a braised pork roast.

 

[Surfrider]

Don't look at the ingredient list for Mexican Chorizo. You may not want to eat it if you do.

Salivary glands and lymph nodes don't sound appetizing to you?

 

[Jimbo99]

Cajun Andoulle sausage is smoked and spicey. But aren't they all (sausages) ? I did research on-line and the closest substitute indicated by others is Polish Kielbasa for Cajun recipes. I made Gumbo and Jambalaya over the last week using smoked Kielbasa, chicken and shrimp. I know, it's not crawfish. I found it makes little difference the type of sausage you use, just as long as it's smoked and not completely raw so it can be sliced into round pieces and added into the pot.

What is going on in a one pot Cajun recipe with Cajun seasonings for those dishes, really overwhelm the meat anyway if you stick to a pound of meat ingredients. I make the recipe more substantial and add 1.5X to 2X on the meat ingredients. If you want kick, add Louisiana hot sauce or even Sriracha because the latter is a spicy hot chili sauce with garlic flavoring added. I just couldn't tell the difference in the gumbo I made just last night. Kielbasa can be made from pork, beef or chicken. Cajun Andoulle is made from pork from my readings. Sounds to me like Kielbasa could be leaner and healthier ?

 

[CraigC]

Cajun Andoulle sausage is smoked and spicey. But aren't they all (sausages) ? I did research on-line and the closest substitute indicated by others is Polish Kielbasa for Cajun recipes. I made Gumbo and Jambalaya over the last week using smoked Kielbasa, chicken and shrimp. I know, it's not crawfish. I found it makes little difference the type of sausage you use, just as long as it's smoked and not completely raw so it can be sliced into round pieces and added into the pot.

What is going on in a one pot Cajun recipe with Cajun seasonings for those dishes, really overwhelm the meat anyway if you stick to a pound of meat ingredients. I make the recipe more substantial and add 1.5X to 2X on the meat ingredients. If you want kick, add Louisiana hot sauce or even Sriracha because the latter is a spicy hot chili sauce with garlic flavoring added. I just couldn't tell the difference in the gumbo I made just last night. Kielbasa can be made from pork, beef or chicken. Cajun Andoulle is made from pork from my readings. Sounds to me like Kielbasa could be leaner and healthier ?

You do realize how old this thread is? Where are you getting the recipes for your gumbo and jambalaya? I tend to use Prudhomme's and don't find that the spices overwhelm the dishes. There is a big difference between regular smoked sausage and andouille. That is why we make our own andouille. We also usually use tasso in jambalaya instead of andouille, again homemade.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

For those of you who are interested in making your own fresh Mexican chorizo, which I started doing a long time ago when I tried to fry up some commercial chorizo and ended up with a skillet full of grease in which I could hardly find the meat, here is a really good recipe. I have made it with beef, pork, turkey and goat. My favorite is goat, pork and turkey are both acceptable, but I was not happy with the beef.

Fresh Chorizo

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground meat
• 4 cloves mashed garlic
• 6 Tbs chili powder
• 2 Tbs oregano
• 2 Tbs minced onion (optional)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs water
• 2 Tbs vinegar
• 1½ tsp sugar

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, divide into quarters, roll each quarter into a log, and tightly wrap each log with plastic wrap, twisting the ends to secure. If you like it mild, use Ancho chili powder, if you like it spicy, use New Mexico chili powder

If you don't like my recipe, here is BOBBY FLAY'S RECIPE

 

[Jimbo99]

You do realize how old this thread is? Where are you getting the recipes for your gumbo and jambalaya? I tend to use Prudhomme's and don't find that the spices overwhelm the dishes. There is a big difference between regular smoked sausage and andouille. That is why we make our own andouille. We also usually use tasso in jambalaya instead of andouille, again homemade.

Wasn't expecting a response but rather just sharing information. Zatarain's (McCormick) Gumbo & Jambalaya Mixes. The mix is definitely isolated from any smoked & seasoned sausage and will flavor any sliced sausages added to the boiling pot to cook the rice and Cajun seasoning mix. Some seasoning items might even be duplicated in the mix and sausage ?

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"ANDOUILLE, CAJUN ANDOUILLE, LOUISIANA ANDOUILLE.
This spicy smoked pork sausage is used in jambalaya and gumbo. Don't confuse it with the milder French andouille sausage. Closest substitute: kielbasa."

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"KIELBASA, KOLBASA, POLISH SAUSAGE, KNUBLEWURST, POLNISCHE WURST.
This smoked Polish sausage is made with pork and/or beef and flavored with garlic, pimento, and cloves. Although precooked, most people still heat them before serving. Closest substitutes: andouille, Spanish chorizo or linguica."[/FONT]

Sausage Reference Guide