CAJUN ALLIGATOR AND SHRIMP SAUSAGE
Chopped alligator tail and shrimp are turned into a light Cajun sausage mixture, stuffed into small casings, then gently poached or steamed before being browned in butter.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I don't recommend vegetable oil to its flavor)
- 1 cup finely chopped alligator tail meat, about 5 ounces
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red or green bell peppers
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (chives, basil or parsley)
- 1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp
- 1 egg white
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 24-26 mm or 26-28mm sausage casings (around 6 feet of length)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add the bell pepper, celery and garlic. Cook between 3 and 5 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Add the garlic and the alligator meat to the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the alligator meat is fully cooked. Stir occasionally while cooking.
- Remove the vegetable and alligator mixture from the pan and place it on a paper towel to absorb any access moisture. Place it in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled. Keep in the refrigerator until step 7.
- Place the raw shrimp and egg white into a food processor or blender.
- Turn on the food processor or blender. While running, slowly pour in the heavy cream, kosher salt, and Cajun seasoning.
- Puree the shrimp mixture until it is smooth. Place the pureed shrimp into a medium bowl.
- Add the fresh herbs, along with the cooked and chilled alligator mixture to the bowl. Stir until fully combined using a spatula.
- Stuff the mixture into the sausage casings and twist into around 4-inch links.
- For best results, poach the links in water that is around 170 degrees F until you reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F. Or you can steam the links if you'd like.
- After the sausages are poached or steamed, I like to fry them in a cast iron pan with a little butter until the outside edges are lightly golden brown.
NOTES
- Chill the cooked alligator mix. After cooking the alligator with the vegetables, spread it out, blot off the extra moisture, and refrigerate it until fully cold before mixing it into the shrimp base.
- Blend the shrimp smooth. Puree the shrimp with the egg white, cold heavy cream, salt, and Cajun seasoning until the mixture is completely smooth before folding in the chilled alligator, vegetables, and herbs.
- Stuff small links. Fill 24-26 mm or 26-28 mm casings and twist them into roughly 4-inch links so they cook through evenly.
- Poach before browning. Gently poach or steam the sausages until they reach 135 F inside, then brown them in a pan with a little butter for color and texture.
- Use plastic wrap if needed. If you do not have casings, shape the mixture into tight cylinders in food-grade plastic wrap, tie the ends, and poach them instead.
- Store only briefly. Cooked sausages keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and uncooked filling keeps 1 day. Freezing is not a good fit here because the texture changes.
Nutrition
Calories: 1601kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 144g | Fat: 109g | Saturated Fat: 65g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 796mg | Sodium: 2030mg | Potassium: 1264mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 6581IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 387mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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