Chorizos (Mexican Sausage)
Submitted by coolmom62
Authentic Mexican chorizo made with pork, toasted ancho and pasilla chilies, whole spices, and vinegar. Cure it for 3 days and the flavor deepens into something store-bought can never touch.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
10 minREADY
3 daysThis is the real deal, the kind of chorizo you’d find at a carniceria in Oaxaca, not a supermarket shelf.
Toasted ancho and pasilla chilies get ground with whole coriander, peppercorns, cumin, and cloves, then rubbed into coarsely chopped pork with generous splashes of vinegar, crushed garlic, and sweet paprika.
The mixture cures in the fridge for three days. Each day you give it a good stir, and each day the spices sink deeper into the meat. By day three, one sniff tells you it’s ready.
Stuff it into casings if you want to get traditional, or just scoop it straight from the bowl into a hot skillet. Both ways are correct.
Chef Tips
- Toast the dried chilies until pliable but not burnt. You want smoky depth, not bitterness. Keep them moving in the pan.
- Grind spices fresh right before mixing. Pre-ground spices have nothing on the aroma of freshly cracked peppercorns and toasted coriander.
- Fry a small test patty before curing. This lets you adjust salt and heat before committing to the full batch.
- Freeze in portions for easy weeknight cooking. It keeps for months and thaws quickly.
Variations
- Green chorizo: Replace dried chilies with roasted poblanos and extra cilantro for a tangy, herby version.
- Chorizo con papas: Fry crumbled chorizo with cubed potatoes for a classic taco filling.
- Breakfast sopes: Top fried masa cups with scrambled chorizo, crema, and pickled onions.
Ingredients
Directions
Chop the meat roughly, (or purchase ground pork), together with the fat.
Toast the chilies well, turning them from time to time so they do not burn.
While they are still warm and flexible, slit them open and remove the seeds and veins.
As they cool off they will become crisp.
Grind the spices together withe the chilies.
Mix the ground spices and chilies with the rest of the ingredients and rub them well into the meat with your hands.
Cover the mixture and set it aside in the refrigerator to season for 3 days, stirring it well each day.
(Before using, fry a little of the meat and taste to see if it has enough salt and seasoning.)
Normally the meat would be put into sausage casings, however, I just use it straight from the bowl.
If you don’t want to stuff the meat into casings at all, leave it to mature for about a week.
Store it in containers in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.
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