Chorizo

Chorizo(/tʃəˈriːzoʊ,-soʊ/chə-REE-zoh, -⁠soh,Spanish:[tʃoˈɾiθo,tʃoˈɾiso]; Portuguese:chouriço[ʃo(w)ˈɾisu]; seebelow) is a type ofporksausageoriginating from theIberian Peninsula. It is made in many national and regional varieties in several countries on different continents. Some of these varieties are quite different from each other, occasionally leading to confusion or disagreements over the names and identities of the products in question.
InEurope,SpanishchorizoandPortuguesechouriçois afermented,cured,smokedsausage which gets its smokiness and deep red color fromdried, smoked, red peppers(pimentón/colorau); it may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or added as an ingredient to add flavor to other dishes. Elsewhere,chorizomay not be fermented or cured, and require cooking before eating. InMexicoit is made with chili peppers instead of paprika.
Iberianchorizois eaten sliced in asandwich,grilled,fried, orsimmeredin liquid, includingapple cideror strongalcoholic beveragessuch asaguardiente. It is also used as a partial replacement for ground (minced)beefor pork.
The wordchorizoprobably comes from theLate Latinsalsīcia'salted', and came into Spanish via thePortuguesesouriço; it is adoubletof the Spanish wordsalchicha'sausage', which was transmitted throughItaliansalsiccia.
In English,chorizois usually pronounced/tʃəˈriːzoʊ,-soʊ/chə-REE-zoh, -⁠soh,though sometimes theCastilian Spanish/θ/sound is used:/tʃəˈriːθoʊ/chə-REE-thoh.
Pronunciation and spelling vary slightly among theIberian languages:
According to theEUgeographical indications register,in 2023, there were 8 recognized varieties in Portugal:Chouriço de Ossosde Vinhais, Azedo de Vinhais, Mouro de Portalegre, Abóbora de Barroso-Montalegre, Portalegre, Carne de Estremoz, Estremoz e Borba, and do Baixo Alentejo. In Spain there are two varieties recognized: Chorizo Riojano, andChorizo de Cantimpalos.
Generally, Spanishchorizois made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with garlic,pimentón– a smokedpaprika– and salt. It can be classed as eitherpicante(spicy) ordulce(sweet), depending upon the type ofpimentónused. There are hundreds of regional varieties of Spanishchorizo, some smoked and some unsmoked, that are each made somewhat differently and may include herbs and other ingredients.For example,chorizo de Pamplonais a thicker sausage with the meat more finely ground. Among the varieties ischorizo Riojanofrom theLa Riojaregion, which hasPGIprotection within the EU.
Chorizois made in short or long and hard or soft varieties; leaner varieties are suited to being eaten at room temperature as an appetizer or tapas, whereas the fattier versions are generally used for cooking.A rule of thumb is that long, thinchorizosare sweet, and shortchorizosare spicy, although this is not always the case.
Spain produces many other pork specialties as well, such aslomo embuchadoandsalchichón, that are cured and air-dried in a similar way.Lomois a lean, cured meat, served in slices rather than for cooking, made by marinating and air-drying a pork tenderloin.Salchichónis another cured sausage without thepimentónseasoning ofchorizo, flavoured with black peppercorns instead.
Depending on the variety,chorizocan be eaten sliced without further cooking, for example in a sandwich, or can be grilled, fried, or baked alongside other foodstuffs, and is an ingredient in several dishes where it accompanies beans, such asfabadaorcocido montañésand can be served as a tapas, such as "Chorizo in Red Wine sauce".
Versions of these dishescon todos los sacramentos(with all the trimmings, literally "sacraments") include other preserved meats such astocino(cured bacon) andmorcilla(blood sausage) along with thechorizo.
Portuguesechouriçoorchouriça, the latter usually denoting a larger or thicker version, is distinct from Spanishchorizo. The base ingredients are pork, fat, paprika, garlic, and salt. Wine and hot peppers are also common in some regions. It is then stuffed into natural casings from pig or lamb and slowly dried over smoke.The many different varieties differ in color, shape, spices and taste. White pepper, piri-piri, cumin and cinnamon are used in some varieties. Many dishes ofPortugueseandBrazilian cuisinemake use ofchouriço, includingcozido à portuguesaandfeijoada.
A popular way to preparechouriçois slicing it part-way through and cooking it over an alcohol flame at the table (sometimes calledchouriço à bombeiro,but more commonly justchouriço assado) in purpose-made glazed earthenware burners.
InJohannesburg, South Africa, the many Portuguese immigrants in the 1960s from Portugal andMozambiquetended to settle in a suburb called La Rochelle (Little Portugal).Most of them either returned to Portugal or moved on to more affluent suburbs in the city, but restaurants in the area and the very well-supported annual "Lusitoland" fundraiser festival havechouriçoon the menu.
In the heavily Portuguese counties in the US states ofRhode Islandand southeasternMassachusetts,chouriçois often served with little neck clams and white beans.Chouriçosandwiches on grinder rolls, with sautéed green peppers and onions, are commonly available at local delis and convenience stores. Stuffedquahogs(also known as stuffies), a Rhode Island specialty, usually includechouriço.
In Portugal,chouriçocan be made with blood, similar toblood sausageorblack puddingand is calledchouriço de sangue(bloodchouriço) ormorcela. Other types ofchouriçoincludechouriço de vinho,chouriço de cebola,chouriço fumado,chouriço de ossos,chouriçãoandchouriça de vinha d’alho.
Based on the uncooked Spanishchorizo fresco(fresh chorizo), the Mexican versions ofchorizoare made not only from fatty pork, but alsobeef,venison,chicken, andturkey.Kosherandveganversions are also available. The meat is usually ground (minced) rather than chopped, and different seasonings are used. Due to the historically high cost of imported Spanishpaprika, Mexicanchorizois traditionally made with native cultivars ofthe same speciesofchili pepperused in Spain, making the Mexican version spicier than the Spanish one.Mexicanchorizoalso typically uses vinegar, instead of the white wine normally used in Spain.
This is the main type ofchorizoknown in Mexico and other parts of the Americas, including most of the United States, but is not frequently found in Europe.
The area aroundTolucaspecializes in "green"chorizo, made with some combination oftomatillo,cilantro,chili peppers, andgarlic. Most Mexicanchorizo, though, is a deep reddish color. It is often available in two varieties, fresh and dried, though fresh is much more common.Some of the cheapest commercialchorizosuseoffalstuffed in inedible plastic casing to resemble sausage links, rather than muscle meat.Before consumption, the casing is usually cut open and the sausage is fried in a pan and mashed with a fork until it resembles finely minced ground beef. Somechorizois made without any casings. Pork and beef are cured overnight in vinegar andchili powder. Served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it has the finely minced texture mentioned above, and is quite intense in flavor.
In Mexico, restaurants and food stands make tacos,queso fundido(orchoriqueso),burritos, andtortasusing cooked chorizo, and it is also a popularpizzatopping.Chorizo con huevosis a popular breakfast dish in Mexico and areas of the United States with Mexican populations. It is made by mixing friedchorizowithscrambled eggs.Chorizo con huevosis often used in breakfast burritos, tacos, andtaquitos. Another popular Mexican recipe is friedchorizocombined with pinto or blackrefried beans. This combination is often used intortasas a spread, or as a side dish where plain refried beans would normally be served. In Mexico and the southwestern United States chorizo is also used to makechorizo con queso(orchoriqueso), a popular appetizer consisting of small pieces ofchorizoserved with melted cheese and eaten with smallcorn tortillasor tortilla chips. In heavily Mexican parts of the United States, a popular filling for breakfast tacos ischorizo con papas, diced potatoes sautéed until soft withchorizomixed in.
InPuerto Rico,Panama, and theDominican Republic,chorizoandlonganizaare considered two different types of meat. Puerto Ricanchorizois a smoked, well-seasoned sausage nearly identical to the smoked versions in Spain. Puerto Rican and Dominicanlonganizashave a very different taste and appearance. The seasoned meat is stuffed into a pork casing and is formed very long by hand. It is then hung to air-dry.Longanizacan then be fried in oil or cooked with rice or beans. It is eaten with many different dishes.
Salvadoreanchorizois short, fresh (not dried) and tied in twins.
In contrast to Spanishchorizo, in the United States the term generally refers to a sausage that is never dried, has a fattier filling, and is very spicy. It is most popular in areas with large Cuban, Dominican, or Puerto Rican populations or near the Mexican border, especially in the Southwest nearChihuahua,Sonora, andNuevo León. It is also found further north in places likeAustin, TexasorSanta Fe, New Mexico, where its earliest evidence dates to well before theWild West.It is most commonly eaten for breakfast on its own, or mixed with a local version ofmigas.
In Louisiana, Creole andCajun cuisineboth feature a variant ofchorizocalledchaurice, which is frequently used in the Creole dish ofred beans and rice.As with its cousin to the west,smoking this variant is an acceptable practice in local cuisine.
InEcuador, many types of sausage have been directly adopted from European or North American cuisine. All sorts of salami, either raw or smoked, are known just as salami. Most commonly known are sorts from Spanishchorizo, Italianpepperoni, and wiener sausages; wieners are the most popular. Some local specialities includemorcilla,longaniza, andchorizo.Morcilla, as in most Spanish-speaking countries, is basically cooked pork blood encased in pork intestine casing (black puddingin English).Longanizais a thin sausage containing almost any mixture of meat, fat, or even cartilage, smoked rather than fresh.Chorizois a mixture of chopped pork meat, pork fat, salt, whole pepper grains, cinnamon,achiote, and other spices, which produce its characteristic deep red color. A traditional dish consists of fried egg, mashed potatoes, avocado, salad, and slices of friedchorizo.
In Argentina,Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, chorizo is the name for any coarse meat sausage. Spanish-stylechorizois also available, and is distinguished by the namechorizo español('Spanish chorizo'). Argentinechorizosare normally made of pork, and are not spicy hot. Some Argentinechorizosinclude other types of meat, typically beef.In Argentina, Bolivia,Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Peru, freshchorizo, cooked and served in a bread roll, is called achoripán. In Colombia,chorizois usually accompanied byarepa.
In Brazil,chouriçois the word used for what in the rest of Latin America ismorcilla; meat sausages similar to thechorizosof other Latin American countries are calledlinguiça. Many varieties of Portuguese-stylechouriçoandlinguiçaare used in many different types of dishes, such asfeijoada.
InBolivia,chorizosare made of pork, fried and served with salad (tomato, lettuce, onion, boiled carrots andquirquiña),mote, and a slice of bread soaked withchorizofat.Chorizosandwiches, withoutmote, are also eaten.
Chouriçois made inEast Timor. It was introduced by the Portuguese, with their colonization of East Timor.
InGoa, India, which was ruled by the Portuguese for 450 years and has a large percentage ofGoan Catholics,chouriçois made from pork that is marinated in a mixture of vinegar, red chilies, and spices such as garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, cloves, pepper, and cinnamon, and stuffed into casings.They can be raw (wet), smoked or cured through salting and air-drying. These are enjoyed either with the local Goan Portuguese-style crusty bread, or pearl onions, or both. The sausages are also used, cut into chunks, as the meat ingredient in ricepilaf.
Three kinds ofchouriçoare found in Goa: dry, wet, and skin. Drychouriçois aged in the sun for long periods (three months or more). Wetchouriçohas been aged for about a month or less. Skinchouriço, also aged, is rare and difficult to find. It consists primarily of minced pork skin along with some of its subcutaneous fat. All threechouriçosare made in variations such as hot, medium, and mild. Other variations exist, depending on the size of the links, which range from 1 to 6 inches (2.5–15 cm). Typically, the wet varieties tend to be longer than the dry ones.
Goanchouriçoshould be distinguished from "Goanfrankfurters", which look similar to equivalents in the United States, but have a predominantly peppercorn flavor.
Longaniza(Tagalog:longganisa;Visayan:chorizo,choriso,soriso) arePhilippinechorizosflavored with indigenous spices, and may be made of chicken, beef, or even tuna. While the termlonganizagenerally refers to fresh sausages, it is also used in the Philippines to refer to cured sausages. Philippinelongganisaare often dyed red withachueteseeds. There are dozens of variants from various regions in the Philippines.