Mexican Chorizo Recipe - How to Make Chorizo Recipe | Hank Shaw (2024)

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5 from 28 votes

By Hank Shaw

January 05, 2019 | Updated March 13, 2021

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Mexican chorizo is very different from its Spanish cousin. Mexican chorizo is softer, spicier and more floral than Spanish chorizo.

Here’s how to make homemade chorizo with pork, beef or pretty much any wild game animal.

Mexican Chorizo Recipe - How to Make Chorizo Recipe | Hank Shaw (2)

Making authentic Mexican chorizo is tricky if you don’t have some of the ingredients, but even if you leave some out, it’ll still be good. You should also know that there is no “One True” chorizo recipe– each cook has his or her own variation.

Many store-bought chorizo recipes use a combination of beef and pork, but I find it easier to use just one meat. I’ve done this with domestic pork, wild boar, venison and even bear meat. All work well.

If you can’t find all of the ingredients, know that only a few are critical to a good Mexican chorizo: Achiote paste, which is available at any Mexican market, or you can buy achioteonline. And sometimes you can find annatto seed, which is the primary ingredient in achiote. If you can find that, grind the seeds in a sturdy spice grinder.

All is not lost if you can’t get your hands on achiote paste or ground annatto seeds. I’ve seen versions of Mexican chorizo from Baja California and Sonora that don’t use it. A great substitution is to rehydrate guajillo chiles, which are bright red and not too picante, then puree them. For this recipe you’d want maybe 3 guajillos, seeded and stemmed, rehydrated and pureed with about 1 cup of water.

Mexican Chorizo Recipe - How to Make Chorizo Recipe | Hank Shaw (3)

Another tip is that Mexican oregano is different from Mediterranean oregano. They taste different, but either works. Chipotle and ancho powders rock, but are not 100 percent necessary.

You do need cayenne and some other chile powder, but these are easily available in Latin markets — or you can grind dried chiles yourself, which is what I do, using a spice grinder.

Hog casings are available at any butcher shop or large supermarket (you’ll need to ask for them there), or you can buy hog casingsonline.

Mexican Chorizo Recipe - How to Make Chorizo Recipe | Hank Shaw (4)

Mostly you will use Mexican chorizo uncased, however, and mostly I make large batches of this sausage and vacuum seal them. Chorizo has endless uses: In chilaquiles, as an empanada filling, in a burrito, on a taco, as a base for chili, etc.

Also know that there are versions of chorizo from outside Mexico, notably an Argentine version that is great as a sandwich. Mexico also has a green chorizo, from the city of Toluca, and a thinner sausage that is similar to chorizo called longaniza.

How to Use Your Chorizo

Mostly we eat Mexican chorizo uncased and mixed with eggs in breakfast burritos. This is a fine use. Other options would be in Mexican empanadas, in chilaquiles, mixed in with beans, in tacos, as a base for chili, or hell, top a big ole’ plate of nachos with it!

5 from 28 votes

Mexican Chorizo Recipe

You need not case this sausage. I often make it loose, as most Mexican recipes call for uncased chorizo anyway. In this case, there is no need to let the finished sausage rest overnight.Many Mexican chorizo recipes use vinegar, too, but this damages the sausage's ability to bind to itself. Use vinegar (any kind) instead of ice water, if you are not casing your links.

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Course: Cured Meat

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 20

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds pork, wild pig or bear
  • 1 pound pork fat
  • 35 grams kosher salt, about 3 tablespoons
  • 15 grams sugar, about 1 tablespoon
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 grams Mexican oregano, about 2 tablespoons
  • 5 grams ground cumin, about 2 teaspoons
  • 3 grams chipotle powder (1 tsp) (optional)
  • 5 grams cayenne, 1 tablespoon
  • 28 grams pasilla or ancho chile powder , about 3 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons achiote paste (annato)
  • 1/2 cup ice water (See headnotes)
  • hog casings

Instructions

  • Cut the meat and fat into chunks that will fit into your meat grinder. Combine the salt, sugar and all the dry spices (except for the achiote paste) with the meat and fat, mix well with your hands and chill it until it's almost frozen by putting it in the freezer for an hour or so.

  • Take out some hog casings and set in a bowl of very warm water. Mix the ice water with the achiote paste and chill it in the fridge.

  • Grind the meat mixture through your meat grinder (you can use a food processor in a pinch, but you will not get a fine texture), using the fine die, about 4.5 mm. If your room is warm, set the bowl for the ground meat into another bowl of ice to keep it cold. Make sure the meat mixture is very cold before moving on to the next step: You want it between 27°F and 35°F.

  • Add the water-achiote mixture and mix thoroughly either using a Kitchenaid on low for 60 to 90 seconds or with your (very clean) hands. This is important to get the sausage to bind properly. Once it is mixed well, put it back in the fridge and clean up.

  • Stuff the sausage into the casings all at once. Twist off links by pinching the sausage down and twisting it around several times; do every other link and you will only have to twist in one direction. Or you could tie them off with butcher's string.

  • Hang the sausages in a cool place for up to overnight (the colder it is, the longer you can hang them). If it is warm out, hang for just one hour. Once they have dried a bit, put in the fridge until needed. They will keep for at least a week in the fridge. If you are freezing the sausages, wait a day before doing so. This will tighten up the sausages and help them keep their shape in the deep-freeze.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 756mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Charcuterie, How-To (DIY stuff), Mexican, Recipe

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Mexican Chorizo Recipe - How to Make Chorizo Recipe | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

How to cook chorizo step by step? ›

How to cook crispy chorizo sausage
  1. Place the chorizo on a cutting board.
  2. Slice the chorizo diagonally, 5mm thick.
  3. Heat a frying pan on a medium heat.
  4. Cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chorizo is crisp on the outside.
  5. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel.

What is authentic Mexican chorizo made of? ›

Pork is traditional for chorizo, but you can substitute ground beef if you like. Higher fat content will yield a juicier, richer mixture, while leaner beef mixtures will be drier. Adjust the spices to meet your desired level of spice—more chile powder for spice lovers, less for milder chorizo.

What's the difference between Mexican chorizo and chorizo? ›

Mexican chorizo is generally a fresh sausage and is usually cooked like ground meat or other sausage links. Spanish chorizo, on the other hand, is a dried cured sausage with a completely different texture.

How to make Johnsonville chorizo? ›

How To - Oven
  1. Thaw product prior to cooking.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  3. Place sausage on a shallow baking pan coated with cooking spray.
  4. Bake for 19-21 minutes until sausage is browned and the internal temperature is 160°F, turning links once.

How to pan fry chorizo? ›

Cut the sausages into 5mm slices; cook the sausage slices in a large heated pan, preferably non-stick, stirring until crisp; drain on absorbent paper. Discard the fat from pan and wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper towelling.

What are the rules for chorizo? ›

To be considered as chorizo, it needs to:
  • Be made with garlic and paprika.
  • Be cured in the open air or smoked.
  • Contain minced pork as the main base.
  • Be marinated with spices such as paprika, which gives it its typical red colour.

Why is Mexican chorizo different? ›

Spanish chorizo is a dry cured sausage usually flavored with smoked paprika, it's ready to eat. Mexican chorizo is spiced raw meat, usually pork or beef. It is meant to be cooked before eating.

Why is Mexican chorizo so good? ›

The annatto seed is what often gives the sausage its red color, but in most Mexican varieties, it is local chiles that color the chorizo. It also gives it its distinguished spice. Vinegar is often added to many Mexican chorizos in order to achieve a tinge of tang and bright flavor.

How long does it take to cook chorizo? ›

Cover and cook: Put a lid over the pan and allow the chorizo links to cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning them frequently. Remove cover and keep cooking: Take off the lid and continue cooking the chorizo for an additional five to seven minutes or until golden brown.

What is Texas style chorizo? ›

Both types are made with pork, vinegar, and spices such as paprika, oregano, and garlic. But Spanish chorizo is traditionally air-dried, fermented, and sliced, while Tex-Mex-style chorizo is sold fresh, uncooked and packaged in natural hog casings.

Do Mexicans use pork or beef chorizo? ›

Traditional Mexican chorizo is made with pork. And while it's not uncommon to find chorizo made with beef or even chicken, pork chorizo is the best choice if you want to taste authentic Mexican-style chorizo.

How do Spanish people eat chorizo? ›

- Chorizo Galician

It comes in strings-style sausage and can be eaten raw, cooked, fried and roasted. It is essential accompaniment to many dishes such as pork shoulder with turnip greens. There are different varieties such as the "ceboleiro" to which we add onion and other seasonings.

Why is vinegar used in chorizo? ›

The vinegar softens the casing and makes it more transparent, resulting in a better-looking finished sausage. Leave the casing in the vinegar-water solution until you are ready to stuff it. Grind the meat mixture through the medium disk of a meat grinder into a chilled bowl.

How is traditional chorizo made? ›

Most Spanish chorizos feature three common ingredients: pork, smoked paprika and garlic. The pork is coarsely chopped and mixed with bits of pork fat and seasonings, which vary based on the region. The mixture is then stuffed into natural casings, and the chorizos are left to cure and dry.

What makes chorizo tough? ›

There is also a salami style of chorizo that doesn't need cooking before it is eaten. This type of chorizo will tend to become hard as it cooks, as it is cured and so has less moisture than the fresh type of salami. It will also let out less oil as it cooks.

How do you cook pre packaged chorizo? ›

Place sausage in a skillet. Add 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until heated through, turning once.

How to cook chorizo meat on stove? ›

In a medium-sized skillet, slowly cook chorizo for 10 minutes, breaking it apart until fully cooked (about 10 minutes). Drain off excess fat if necessary.

How do you prepare and eat chorizo? ›

Cured chorizo doesn't require any cooking at all: Simply slice and eat! For raw and semi-cured chorizo varieties, you'll generally want to remove the casing (if there is any) and fry in a hot, dry pan until the chorizo is cooked through and the fat has rendered out.

Do you cook chorizo with oil or butter? ›

If using Spanish chorizo, finely chop, then cook in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. If using Mexican chorizo, remove from casings and cook (without oil) in skillet, stirring and breaking up meat, until bubbling and completely separated, 4 to 5 minutes.

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