Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › After Hours Lounge › What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

post #1 of 26
1/30/07 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 
My mom made Jambalaya and used Italian sausage I was like "You can't do that!" it tasted more like Sausage and peppers (over rice) than jambalaya.

Anyways, I was telling her that she needed to use that 'other' sausage, but I couldn't remember if it was chorizo or andouille. We started discussing and I was confused as to the real differences between them. I always thought they were basically the same, but my sister in law (who is part Spanish) said there was a difference, but she couldn't tell me exactly what it was.

Anyone?
Reply
post #2 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:14pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

andoullie is the one you want. chorizo is a mexican sausage that is not eaten in the casing-you open it up to cook it, the bits of meat are about the size of tic-tacs. Its really greasy, although there is a great soyrizo product that is much better for you.
Reply
post #3 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:15pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Just look them up on Wikipedia and you'll find a good description of both sausages.
Reply
post #4 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:28pm
Thread Starter 

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick_S
Just look them up on Wikipedia and you'll find a good description of both sausages.
I did that at first, but Andouille didn't look like anything I've seen. I thought the stuff in jambalaya was a real thin sausage (like the size of peperoni) and according to my wiki search, chorizo seemed to be what I was thinking of because it was spanish. But according to my sister in law (and backed up by Matt) it's not what they use in jambalaya. So now I'm really confused.
Reply
post #5 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:30pm
Thread Starter 

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

LOL - so now what's even funnier is, I never wiki'd jambalaya. DOH!

But check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambalaya
Quote:
First add the meat, usually chicken and sausage (such as Andouille or chorizo),
No wonder I'm so confused.
Reply
post #6 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:34pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Yeah, the Andouille in that wiki picture doesn't look like any of it I've ever bought. Of course, I never shopped for raw sausage in that part of the world either. Ultimately, I prefer Linguica to either of them, though.
Reply
post #7 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:50pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Actually, chorizo is originally Spanish and/or Portuguese (Portuguese Kale Soup contains chorizo). Most of the chorizo in my area (Boston) is Portuguese out of Fall River and New Bedford, big former Portuguese whaling towns. Mexican chorizo has it's origin in Spain. Andouille is similar, but it is more a combination of French, Spanish, Carribean and African influences (like most cajun/creole). Chorizo is all meat and spices, whereas andouille sometimes has fillers such as potato or rice (there are 100 different 200 year old recipes for andouille and every one is "authentic"). They both are a cured spicy sausage that are more alike than different. However, authentic Jambalaya/Gumbo is made with andouille.
Reply
post #8 of 26
1/30/07 at 6:58pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
Actually, chorizo is originally Spanish and/or Portuguese (Portuguese Kale Soup contains chorizo). Most of the chorizo in my area (Boston) is Portuguese out of Fall River and New Bedford, big former Portuguese whaling towns. Mexican chorizo has it's origin in Spain. Andouille is similar, but it is more a combination of French, Spanish, Carribean and African influences (like most cajun/creole). Chorizo is all meat and spices, whereas andouille sometimes has fillers such as potato or rice (there are 100 different 200 year old recipes for andouille and every one is "authentic"). They both are a cured spicy sausage that are more alike than different. However, authentic Jambalaya/Gumbo is made with andouille.

Interesting, the folks that introduced me to Linguica were from New Bedford. French/Italian, though, not Portuguese.
Reply
post #9 of 26
1/30/07 at 7:37pm
Thread Starter 

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
Mexican chorizo has it's origin in Spain. Andouille is similar, but it is more a combination of French, Spanish, Carribean and African influences (like most cajun/creole).
Of course, to add to my confusion, I always had trouble with the difference between traditional Spanish rice and Jambalaya.

But out of all this confusion, there is ONE thing I do know - Jambalaya is not good with Italian Sausage.
Reply
post #10 of 26
1/30/07 at 11:51pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Chorizo (at least the ones I've dealt with) has always had a much more smokey flavor and smell than the andouille I've dealt with.
Reply
post #11 of 26
1/31/07 at 2:42am

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
Actually, chorizo is originally Spanish and/or Portuguese (Portuguese Kale Soup contains chorizo). Most of the chorizo in my area (Boston) is Portuguese out of Fall River and New Bedford, big former Portuguese whaling towns. Mexican chorizo has it's origin in Spain. Andouille is similar, but it is more a combination of French, Spanish, Carribean and African influences (like most cajun/creole). Chorizo is all meat and spices, whereas andouille sometimes has fillers such as potato or rice (there are 100 different 200 year old recipes for andouille and every one is "authentic"). They both are a cured spicy sausage that are more alike than different. However, authentic Jambalaya/Gumbo is made with andouille.

When we lived in R.I. we ate Chorizo a lot. Sliced and cooked on a grill with green peppers etc........ Yummmm. My uncle was portugese from Mass.
Reply
post #12 of 26
1/31/07 at 10:12am

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
Originally Posted by KurtEP
Interesting, the folks that introduced me to Linguica were from New Bedford. French/Italian, though, not Portuguese.

New Bedford and Fall River have a huge Portuguese population, so even though French/Italian, they still probably grew up on Gaspar's (the local Linguica that is shipped out of NB/FR) or even better, some small corner shop that's been making it for 200 years. Mmmmmm.

For a great breakfast, try Linguica and eggs. It's fantastic.
Reply
post #13 of 26
1/31/07 at 10:40am

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
For a great breakfast, try Linguica and eggs. It's fantastic.

Sounds good. They used to order a plain cheese pizza and crumble Linguica over the top. I loved it.
Reply
post #14 of 26
6/12/09 at 4:36pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
For a great breakfast, try Linguica and eggs. It's fantastic.

That's the standard "Hawaiian Breakfast" served with rice.

I always thought it was:

Chorizo - Spanish or Mexican
Linguica - Portugese
Andouille - Cajun or Arcadian

My cheap score of the week is Aidell's Cajun Style Andouille. Fred Meyer knocked the price for a 12 oz. package down from $5 to $2.50 since the "use or freeze" date is next Monday. I'll make Jambalaya with it and some of the big shrimp I have in the freezer.

Big question: is it permitted to put okra in Jamabalaya? No fresh okra around here so I picked up a bag of frozen okra slices - should be OK in a stew pot dish like Jambalaya.
Reply
post #15 of 26
6/12/09 at 4:55pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Quote:
Big question: is it permitted to put okra in Jamabalaya? No fresh okra around here so I picked up a bag of frozen okra slices - should be OK in a stew pot dish like Jambalaya.

I guess you can but it's much more traditional to put okra in gumbo. I've never had it in jambalaya. It might make it a bit slimy.
Reply
post #16 of 26
6/12/09 at 5:00pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Slightly off-topic...

I don't eat pork products, but I like Louisiana cuisine such as jamablaya and red beans and rice. I always have to ask for my beans sausage free, and I never order the jambalaya in Louisiana. I only make my own.

Anyone know if there are any vegetarian imitation andouille sausage products on the market? I'd like to be able to make my own closer-to-authentic jambalaya.

I already go vegetarian on breakfast sausage and bacon (hurray Morningstar Farms), and there's some great vegetarian beer bratts and italian sausage as well.
Reply
post #17 of 26
6/12/09 at 5:02pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

So, are you a vegetarian or just don't eat pork?
Reply
post #18 of 26
6/12/09 at 6:09pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

I don't eat pork. I have a kosher home. It's hard to find kosher beef sausage products other than hot dogs, but the vegetarian ones are almost always kosher.

The reason I asked is because I have made jambalaya at home, but it always seems like it's missing something flavor-wise, and I assume it's because of no andouille in it.
Reply
post #19 of 26
6/12/09 at 6:40pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

All the other Aidells sausages are made from chicken and turkey, but for some odd reason the Andouille sausages are made from pork.

You could try their other sausages: they have one with Jalapeno peppers made with chicken and turkey.
Reply
post #20 of 26
6/12/09 at 8:00pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

I know of one kosher sausage company called Jeff's Gourmet. Looks like they sell a Cajun Chicken sausage.
Reply
post #21 of 26
6/12/09 at 11:11pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Thanks for the link.
Reply
post #22 of 26
6/13/09 at 12:34pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Dennis, I took a look through my varied and (seemingly) countless cookbooks and couldn't find a jambalaya recipe with okra in it.
Reply
post #23 of 26
6/13/09 at 4:16pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and file gumbo;
'Cause tonight I’m gonna’see my ma cher amio;
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o;
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.


I agree that jambalaya does not have okra as an ingredient—then again, neither does file gumbo.

But chorizo may be in either a casing or loose, while andouille is always in a casing. Of course sausage in a casing may be sliced as thinly or thickly as the cook desires, so one can find very fine jambalayas that have sausage ranging from thin slices to chunks.

For me chorizo (at least Mexican) includes chilies, while andouliie does not.
Reply
post #24 of 26
6/13/09 at 5:03pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

I have nothing really important to add as far as the difference between the two items in question, but I will say this about chorizo....

Best cooked with scrambled eggs and ham. My grandmother use to cook chorizo every morning for breakfast (typical mexican meal in the morning). She would could up some delicious ham, homemade beans (never canned) and mix in chorizo with scrambled eggs. She would always have chile with everything.

She also made chorizo patties rolled in a chile paste. YUM!
Reply
post #25 of 26
6/13/09 at 5:57pm

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

I used okra last night and it was really good in the jambalaya. I used this recipe with a few substitutions: Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Recipe - Pork - MyRecipes.com
Reply
post #26 of 26
6/14/09 at 12:07am

Re: What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?

Did it turn out slimy?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: After Hours Lounge
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › After Hours Lounge › What's the difference between Chorizo and Andouille sausage?