Chorizo Spice Mix
Today I will be sharing one of my favorite Mexican recipes with you, Chorizo. When Europeans hear this word they think of a fermented cured red sausage (Spanish chorizo). But when North Americans hear chorizo they think of a spicy, crumbly meat, red sausage (Mexican chorizo). Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo are very different from each other in looks, texture and taste. Since the Spanish chorizo is cured it can just be sliced and eaten. Mexican chorizo must first be removed from its casings then cooked before eating. No matter what you may find on the Internet the two are not interchangeable. I love both types of chorizo but for very different reasons and to eat or cook with in different ways. This recipe is my own trusted recipe, one Ive been using for a long time, one I love so much that I included it in my cookbook. The key ingredient that gives Mexican chorizo its red color and spiciness is the Ancho chile powder. But depending on where you live Ancho chile may or may not be available. Below I have listed a way of substituting the Ancho chile with other chile powders. Using the substitute will yield a slightly different tasting chorizo but it will still be very close in taste and can be used just the same. Another great thing about this recipe is that it doesnt use sausage casings, you only need to cook it before enjoying it.
Today I will be sharing one of my favorite Mexican recipes with you, Chorizo. When Europeans hear this word they think of a fermented cured red sausage (Spanish chorizo). But when North Americans hear chorizo they think of a spicy, crumbly meat, red sausage (Mexican chorizo). Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo are very different from each other in looks, texture and taste. Since the Spanish chorizo is cured it can just be sliced and eaten. Mexican chorizo must first be removed from its casings then cooked before eating. No matter what you may find on the Internet the two are not interchangeable. I love both types of chorizo but for very different reasons and to eat or cook with in different ways. This recipe is my own trusted recipe, one Ive been using for a long time, one I love so much that I included it in my cookbook. The key ingredient that gives Mexican chorizo its red color and spiciness is the Ancho chile powder. But depending on where you live Ancho chile may or may not be available. Below I have listed a way of substituting the Ancho chile with other chile powders. Using the substitute will yield a slightly different tasting chorizo but it will still be very close in taste and can be used just the same. Another great thing about this recipe is that it doesnt use sausage casings, you only need to cook it before enjoying it.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1.1 pounds ground pork
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 5 whole cloves
- 2 each bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 5 whole peppercorns or 1/2 tsp ground
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar can substitute red wine vinegar
- Carbohydrate 12.2104356992068 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.71128010319509 g
- Fiber 5.16245723992248 g
- Protein 2.10187694003559 g
- Saturated Fat 0.584572539587141 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (156g)
- Sodium 496.483271425874 mg
- Sugar 7.04797845928436 g
- Trans Fat 0.656097621086093 g
- Calories 65 calories
Step-by-step
- Handling chili powders can cause burning to your hands. I highly advice to use plastic gloves for handling the chili and chorizo.
- In a mortar and pestle grind the cumin seed, coriander seed and cloves. Break up the bay leaves with your hands as much as possible and add them to the spices in mortar and pestle, grind until you have a fine powder. Next add the remaining spices to the mortar and pestle and grind/mix until everything is well combined.
- In a large glass bowl using your hands break up the the ground pork . Next you may want to put on some plastic gloves to prevent burning and staining to your hands. Pour in the vinegar and half the spices, spread them evenly on the pork, and start working it into the ground pork. Adding more of the spice mixture until it has all been used up. Keep working the meat until it turns red (from the chile) and all the spices have been well combined into the meat.
- It is best to let the chorizo sit overnight before cooking with it. This will allow all of the flavors to come together and make for a better tasting chorizo. Alternatively you can freeze the chorizo until you are ready to use it. Since this chorizo does not have casings you can form or shape sausages or patties and keep their form by wrapping them in plastic kitchen wrap. Another way to store the chorizo in the freezer is by portioning out amounts and storing it inside plastic bags. This way you defrost what you need or want without having to use the whole large batch.
- Now you are ready to use the chorizo in all of your favorite Mexican recipes like tacos, sopes, frijoles charros, chiles rellenos or any of your other favorite fusion recipes.
Scaling the Spice Blend and Pork
When doubling or tripling the batch, do not double whole spices like cloves and bay leaves linearly or the flavor will overwhelm the pork. Grind whole cumin seed, coriander seed, and cloves in a mortar and pestle until a fine powder forms, breaking up dried bay leaves manually beforehand. Apple cider vinegar at three tablespoons acts as the primary moisture vehicle; substitute red wine vinegar in a direct one-to-one ratio without altering the final acidity balance.Mixing and Marinating Technique
Wear plastic gloves to prevent capsaicin from the ancho chili powder from transferring to skin. Work half the spice mixture into the 1.1 pounds of ground pork thoroughly before adding the remainder, ensuring the pigment evenly dyes the meat. Let the mixture rest overnight in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours so the salt penetrates the muscle proteins and binds the spices.Judging Doneness Visually
Because this uncased sausage is crumbled directly into a skillet, visual cues replace meat thermometers entirely. Sauté over medium heat until the rendered fat turns bright red and the pork edges develop a dark, caramelized char. The meat is fully cooked once no pink remains and the individual crumbles achieve a slightly crisp exterior texture.
