Spanish Homemade Chorizos (Sausages)

Instructions

Clean the casings, rinse well with water, then pour the vinegar through them. Set aside.

Buy pork with a good layer of fat and have it ground once by the butcher, then grind all the ingredients together in a food chopper. Fill the sausage casings with the mixture. If you don’t have the casings, form into firm sausage shapes. Wrap the sausages and store in the coldest portion of the refrigerator. When ready to use, cook the sausages over very low heat until cooked through.

Round the World Meat Cookbook

Author's Comments

Chorizo is a sausage that has many different varieties and is eaten all over Spain. Most chorizo that you would buy in stores has been cured, but “fresh” chorizo, which is softer is also available. Chorizo is made by chopping or grinding the pork and “marinating” it in spices. Spanish paprika (sweet or spicey) is the spice which is gives chorizo its characteristic flavor and distinguishes it from other sausages. The casing of the chorizo is usually made from pork, if made at home.

Chorizo may be sliced and eaten alone or with crusty French-style bread or can be fried. It is very common to use it as an ingredient in other dishes, such as stews and soups.

Here in the USA, many people are familiar with the Mexican or Caribbean chorizo, both of which are very different from the Spanish sausage in both taste and appearance.