Smoke map · Not a fifth pillar. Still American smoke.
Louisiana
Louisiana is not usually ranked with Texas, Carolina, Memphis, and KC. It still smokes. The pantry is cayenne, garlic, thyme, paprika. The sausage is coarse and hot. Southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana share a border and a lot of cooks — that crossover is real. This book treats it as American smoke, not a novelty.
| Meat | Andouille-spirited sausage, boudin-adjacent rice links, pork ribs, chicken. Beef is the Texas crossover, not the default. |
| Wood | Pecan and fruit. Oak if that is the pile. Hickory in small doses. |
| Sauce | Spicy acid mops. Cayenne, garlic, vinegar, a little fat. Not a sweet red. |
| Plate | Sliced hot links, coarse grind showing, mustard, pickled okra, a cup of mop. |
The link
Coarse pork, cayenne, garlic, paprika, thyme. Pecan wood. 160–165°F (71–74°C) internal. Rest 10 minutes.
The mop
Vinegar, hot sauce, crushed garlic, a knob of fat. Paint poultry and ribs. Do not drown beef brisket in it.
Texas–Cajun border
You will see brisket next to boudin. That is geography, not confusion. Cook each in its own logic.
Sides
Mustard · Pickled okra · Rice · Hot sauce on the table · French bread if you have it
Cooks in this book
- Pecan-Cased Hot Links — advanced
- Cayenne-Splash Yard Birds — beginner