FOOD NEWS
Utilize Good Kielbasa In Red Beans And Rice If You Can't Find Andouille
BY AUTUMN SWIERS
Classic New Orleans-style red beans and rice uses andouille sausage as the star of the dish's flavor profile. If you can't find andouille in stores near you, opt for kielbasa.
Andouille is a strongly flavored pork sausage with a sharp, smoky, spicy taste. Also being smoked and highly seasoned, Polish kielbasa can easily stand in.
Kielbasa is flavored with garlic, juniper, and marjoram before being smoked and dried. It's easily found at retailers from standard grocery stores to Polish delis to Whole Foods.
This sausage has a subtler flavor compared to andouille, so if it isn't spicy enough for you, add a little extra heat with a dash of hot sauce or sriracha.
A sausage that's more fatty than meaty won't cut it, so check the label on kielbasa. If 100 grams of meat or more were used to make 100 grams of kielbasa, it's of good quality.
Once you have your kielbasa, slice it into coins and cook. For best results, whip up your red beans and rice the day before you plan to eat it, so all the flavors blend together.