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I think this sausage made from what can only be described as faecal flavoured intestine, is a mighty test of one’s gag reflex. Faecal is a far too genteel description of this bangers aroma and taste.
Let’s be straight, if you get within 50 metres of a free range andouillete , you are overwhelmed by the stench of fresh shite…
This does not change when you attempt to temper its dirty lavatorial qualities by the heat of a 200F oven .
In short I have tackled Boddingtons Bitter which had a hydrogen sulphide whiff, but still tasted in top form.
No such luck with AdT.
My assessment of this porcine delicacy, was confirmed by my 19 stone ex-tight head trencherman mate who refused to even enter the kitchen never mind open the oven.
He remarked “I didn’t know the French had an organic warfare department” , shall we go for a brisk walk to the Blue Anchor !!
You could try limbering up with some fresh Durian first, next time.
I’m glad it’s not just me and there are other foodies that struggle. I like the odd bit of offal but never acquired the taste for these things. Blech.
Odd… I’ve had Andouille in Brittany - typically its a BIG (5cm dia) preserved sausage smoked to black, then served cooked & sliced into 1cm rounds with galettes (Breton savoury buckwheat pancake) and apple. Oh… and a bowl of cider. The Andouille you don’t need a lot of - the smoked flavour is powerful. But I have to say it’s very enjoyable every so often.
Perhaps the mistake you made was buying the un-smoked variety, and serving it in big portions (cooked English Banger styley) instead of using it as a ‘highlight’ to add deep earthy flavours to a more bland dish?
Regarding Durian - I love it - when in Singapore. But definitely best eaten outdoors in the evening (you cant take it on public transport in anyway).
Agreed about Durians - I found the first couple of times I had it I had to suppress the gag reflex. But once you had done that, it is genuinely delicious.
On andouillettes, there is a similar sausage in Portugal, though it has always turned up in mixed stew-type dishes. I’ve no idea what it is called, but those who can’t stand andouillettes probably need to be aware of it.
Each to their own as far as taste is concerned, but if you like the smell and taste of andouillete please don’t stand next to me at any WS get together, and I also have the details of a good nose and throat consultant…
I think you have the wrong idea about AdT…highlights they aren’t and I never seen smoked ones ( not that I have ever searched them out ) 
Just a word in defence of the andouillette. For me a visit to France isn’t complete without one and I don’t find the smell/taste - which I think some here have exaggerated - objectionable.
There is an association which awards certificates to high quality andouillette. Make sure you get one of those.
Yep I’m a fan too. For a reasonably priced, fairly punchy version closer to home, I can recommend Brasserie Zedel in Piccadilly. Yum.
There are many types of of andouilletes in France but the true AdT does indeed smell of faeces.
My older son and I tried it once at a good restaurant in Troyes and it was indeed a challenge…
However, I thoroughly enjoyed it but strangely enough, my eight year old son was not convinced.
I think you hit the nail on the head. Pointing out there are several variations, some a lot more faecal than others.
The pig that produced the intestine for my sausage must have been given a large dose of syrup of figs just before it met its fate …
Seeing you neither smelled or tasted mine…I can honestly say there was no exaggeration. But each to his own 
All Andouilletes should include small intestine and colon, it is the colon that is responsible for the faecal smell. Apparently the colon extracts water and salt leaving solid waste to be dealt with by the large intestine before passing out of the body.
Andouille are made from chitterlings (small intestines) , colon is not used in the recipe.
I think if the sausage makers stuck to ‘original’ ingredients Andouille wouldn’t have the faecal smell or taste, but Andouilletes should smell at least of an old village ‘pissoir’.
This my understanding of differences between the two types of sausage. But butchers in different regions may have their own ideas what the ingredient list should be.
Remember if the sausage smells and/or tastes of excrement it probably is andouillete .
Give me a brace of fat Toulouse or black peppery Cumberland any day …
Who would have guessed that a French sausage could have caused so much grief?
Well - anyway - I wouldn’t want anyone to let that put them off visiting Troyes. Andouillettes are no more in evidence there than anywhere else, and the city has a wonderful old medieval centre. It is truly well worth visiting.
The local wine is, of course, Champagne. I doubt if andouillettes go too well with that, but fortunately another local product - Chaource cheese - does go very well indeed.
I can honestly say that andouillette is the only meat/offal product that I’ve tried that truly repels me. I can take or leave tripe, and enjoy most others, but I gave up on andouillette a long time ago. @onlyawino sums it up pretty well above.
Me too - sort of. For me it was actually a Spanish “dish” that consisted of intestine wrapped round a wooden skewer to resemble a ball made from rubber bands. It had the texture of said rubber-band ball, and the smell of poo.
It is the only food I can remember that I refused to continue to eat, but otherwise I am fine with offal, from brains to testicles and beyond.
Ah, there was also a tripe stew thing in Porto I was not too keen on, but I did eat (most of) it. I suspect some of the “tripe” in that may have been intestine, and there were also strange gelatinous gobs of something. Actually, as I write I feel a bit sick.
I feel sick as I read!
Sounds like a pub bet that went wrong lol.