Which do you prefer: Andouille (Cajun), or boudin (blanc)?
You have to choose one or the other to vote.
I don’t think I can choose. I had some white boudin brought back from Louisiana and fell in love with it. Where do you get it up here?
Uli’s makes both. 
I answered based on the French sausages, not the American. In which case, I prefer *boudin *(proper boudin blanc de Rethel, none of your rice-attenuated faux-boudin) for everything except cassoulet, when only *andouille *will do.
I was just in New Orleans and had great versions of both. I voted for andouille but it was a tough choice. I had boudin-stuffed quail that was out of this world, but I prefer the flavor of andouille.
This was difficult, and not at all a fair question. In the end I actually love both; we used to go out of our way to a place called Veron’s in Prairieville, Louisiana with an ice cooler in the trunk and load up on both, as well as stuffed chops. According to the internet I could actually get them to ship…hmmm.
Well now I’m hungry.
Andouille by far. It’s the centerpiece meat in the French Quarter omelette served at Margaritaville.
Boudin. And it isn’t close. Smoked, grilled, crawfish boiled, in casings or balls. Boudin. Throw in an ice cold Abita beer, and I’m in heaven.
Hmm…I think I know what I’m having for dinner tonight.
I have to go with boudin but they both have their place. The cajun version is exotic and great when made well.
If you have a personal recipe for cassoulet, I’d sure appreciate it. I’ve had the best in my life in a small French restaurant in NYC in the early 1980s, but haven’t been able to recreate it at home.
I’ve never had boudin–and it sounds like I’m missing something big.
And I went with andouille as cassoulet is my favorite way to have beans … 
take a nice heavy pot, i use a la creuset dutch oven.
1 softball sized onion, stick 4 whole cloves into it.
3 carrots scraped left whole
the center cluster of celery, probably an inch and a half in diameter. Wash, leave whole.
3 smoked pork neckbones
bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs each of parsley and thyme, 1 3 inch twig of rosemary, 3 bay leaves tied up in gauze
2 of the grocery store bags of great northern beans, or about 1 lb, washed and picked over
place everything in the pot, with water to about 2 inches over everything. Cover, set on low for about 4 hours.
After 4 hours, reserve the cooking liquid, toss the dead veggies and reserve the beans.
in the heavy dutch oven line with strips of bacon, then place a layer of the beans.
Over that layer diced leftover duck, pork, lamb and roast beef, in fairly small half inch dice.
Layer another layer of beans
layer another layer of leftover meat.
Layer beans. Final layer of beans.
Pour in cooking liquid to the top of the beans.
Top with about an inch of breadcrumbs, I cheat and use the premade panko.
Top with slices of andouille sausage or keilbasa if you must go with something a bit more mass market and confit of duck chicken or goose leg, or in a pinch raw chicken duck or goose with the skin on bone in.
[Confit of <poultry part> is made by slowly and gently cooking poultry parts in their own rendered fat. It drives out the water and preserves the critter part.]
Cover, cook gently at 250 degrees fahrenheit for about 3 hours. Every hour or so poke a skewer in to check to see that there is cooking liquid present. Add some reserved cooking liquid if the beans are getting too dry before they cook. After about 3 hours you should let any remaining cooking liquid start absorbing in and not add more.
Here’s another cassoulet recipe, from the NY Times awhile back.
Slow-Cooker Cassoulet
Time: At least 5 hours
1/2 pound small white beans, like pea or navy
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, plus 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium-large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes, with their juice (canned are fine)
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 pound slab bacon or salt pork, in 1 piece
4 sweet Italian sausages, about 3/8 pound
1 pound boneless pork shoulder
2 duck legs
Chicken, beef or vegetable stock, or water, or a mixture, as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup plain bread crumbs, optional
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
-
Combine beans, crushed garlic, onion, carrots, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves and meats in a slow cooker, and turn heat to high. (If you like, brown sausage and duck legs in a skillet before adding.) Add stock or water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and cook until beans and meats are tender, 5 hours on high heat, 7 hours or more on low.
-
When done, add salt and pepper to taste, along with minced garlic. If you like, remove cassoulet from slow cooker, and place in a deep casserole; cover with bread crumbs and roast at 400 degrees until bread crumbs brown, about 15 minutes. Garnish and serve.
Mine’s like this: gently sautee a couple cupfuls of mirepoix, garlic and some smoked pork (neck or back) in goose fat/butter. Transfer to a casserole dish (like aruvqan, I like Le Creuset), cover with a layer of cooked/canned haricots blanc, then a layer of meat (confit, pre-sautéed andouille, kielbasa, cooked chipolatas or bangers, smoked pork, cooked guinea fowl or other gamebird, cooked duck, other cooked game meat like springbok or kudu, cooked ostrich - I usually use ostrich and sauté in olive oil/butter, andouille and duck confit), then beans, then meat,until all used. Season each layer as you go (salt, pepper, dried oreganum.) Make a broth in the sauté pan by first deglacing with sherry or port, then add red wine, stock, herbs, some butter, tomato paste, simmer to reduce by half. Add to casserole dish, should be enough to cover, top up with stock if it isn’t. Put in oven for 2-3 hours. Gratinate with a toasted breadcrumb & cheese (I use cheddar, but whatever) crust. Serve.
I don’t have numbers, because I always cook this by feel, and it’s dependent on seasonal ingredients and number of guests. I’ve used cider instead of wine in the stock, especially for more pork-rich versions, that’s good. You could deglace with brandy or calvados.
Really an apples & oranges type question. While both may originate in Louisana, they are not very similar.
Boudin is typically eaten as it is while Andouille is typically sliced/chopped and used as an ingredient in gumbo or other cajun dishes. While it is a smoked sausage, it is rarely eaten as a primary item.
Both originate in France, actually.
OK, my next poll will be: ‘Apples, or Oranges?’ 
I’m having lunch with friend(s) today, and I think we’ll walk down to Pike Place. And wouldn’t you know it? I’m all out of andouille and boudin as of last Sunday. Looks like a trip to Uli’s is in order.
Boudin, but only because I can’t get it here and andouille is available. We used to get ours from a nice little grocery in Lafayette. But it’s not an either/or type of question.
Never had them. Are they any good?
I’m surprised Andouille is in the lead in the poll. I prefer it, but most people around here (Texas gulf coast) seem to have a strong preference for Boudin.
I wouldn’t turn down either type, but given an either/or I like the andouille better. Maybe because the little Cajun place in my hometown growing up served an awsome red beans & rice with andouille.