Cooking with smoked sausage is a common practice in many different cultures. In the south, e.g. Louisiana (especially New Orleans), it's in almost every dish.
Smoked sausage has such a delicious array of flavors which is why is is used. Not so much about the protein but more about adding flavor and seasoning to a dish.
Romans were believed to be the first to preserve meat in a sausage form by smoking it on a wood smoker and using salt and seasoning. It was the best way to be able to preserve for periods of time.
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Why We Love Smoked Sausage
Adding slices of smoked sausage to a dish can really give it great flavor and depending on the sausage, heat too. Some smoked sausage is spicier and hotter than others.
When we have a seafood boil, we always add sausage with the veggies. To me, that's my favorite part. I fill up on it then don't have much room for the seafood (oops).
You can grill it and eat it like a hot dog, or add it to beans. It's so versatile and delicious.
Type of Sausage
- Andouille Sausage (a favorite in Louisiana)
- Kielbasa (a Polish smoked sausage)
- Chorizo (Spanish sausage)
- Longaniza (another Spanish sausage similar to Chorizo)
- Cheddarwurst
- Chicken Sausage
- Turkey Sausage
- Beef Sausage
- Pork Sausage
- Boudin Sausage
There are so many variations of smoked sausage I could go on and on, but above are the most common we see here in Louisiana, with the most famous the Andouille Sausage.
Andouille has a Cajun blend of spices and some brands are seasoned quite hot.
How We Cook With It
- On the Grill - Cook some links on the grill with your next barbecue.
- Added to a Recipe - Sliced and incorporated into a recipe.
- Pan Fried - Cook on the stove top and eat on a sandwich.
- Air Fried Smoked Sausage - It cooks well in the air fryer, either by itself or as part of a recipe.
Our Favorite Brands
It's important to note, I haven't been paid for this opinion and it is only that. Our (my husband and my) opinion.
When grilling and eating as is we like to use Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage. It's simple and really really tasty with distinctive flavor.
If we're making a Creole Gumbo, or Pastalaya or a dish like that we like to use a combination of Kielbasa and Andouille. We like Hillshire Farm's Kielbasa and Savoie's Andouille Sausage.
Hint: When I cook with the two types of sausage (like in a Gumbo) I make sure to make them distinguishable - like slicing one sausage as whole coin slices and the other as half coins. That way I'll know which ones are safe to give to the kiddos as sometimes the Andouille can be a little spicy.
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Recipes That Use Smoked Sausage
The Best Sausage For Gumbo
All my gumbo recipes I do the same thing when it comes to the sausage. We like a combination of spicy andouille sausage AND regular smoked sausage.
We do this because andouille can be more on the hot side and where a gumbo does need that spice (and we love andouille sausage) it can be too much for the kids.
We add 1lb of a deliciously spiced andouille sausage and 1lb of Polska Kielbasa. We cut the andouille up into tiny pieces to add the flavor to the delicious gumbo itself, then we leave the kielbasa as nice big coins. We love it this way!
Storage
Once cooked allow to cool completely then store any smoked sausage product in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
It does freeze well. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Mel's kitchen notes
When adding smoked sausage to a recipe it is always best to pan fry for a few minutes first, to get a little caramelization going. It adds a lot more depth of flavor to your recipe!
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