[USA] Chorizo

NorCal Kid · Post by **NorCal Kid** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 19:56

Having just completed my first smoke with the kielbasa, I still had about 15 lbs of pork butt to put to good use.

Chilled & cut for the grinder:

I decided to make Mexican-style chorizo- a favorite for breakfast, but I can't abide the greasy orange stuff they sell in the super markets. The local Carnicería y Mercado sells some decent stuff & that's what I'm trying to match.

Ingredients lined up for a 10 pound batch

Coarse grind on the pork:

The dried guajillo peppers had to be lightly roasted then soaked in water for about 30 minutes. Then put into a blender with the 15 cloves of fresh garlic and 1.5 onions. End result resembles catsup, but with a noticeable kick!

All mixed with the other spices & ready for stuffing.

For this smaller amount of sausage, I opted to try stuffing with the stuffing attachment for my cabela grinder. It worked fairly well, but even for this size load (10lbs), the big water-cannon stuffer is so much more efficient & easy for one person to operate.

Ten pounds of 4-5" links finished. I have a hank of 32mm hog casings that I've been using:

The best way to have chorizo, IMO, is pan-fried & scrambled with eggs & topped with fresh cilantro. Throw in some good hot sauce, fresh corn tortillas & cold cervezas-now we're talkin'!

Next time: With this recipe, I think I'd use a bit LESS of the cinnamon (a little goes a long way) and add more cayenne or New Mexico chile. The guajillos weren't as hot as they can be.

I may have take a sausage-making break THIS upcoming weekend as the freezer is getting full....

Kevin

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 00:03

Remarkable! Just plain remarkable!
Uhhh, kid! If you're running out of room in your freezer, uhhhh... how about using mine!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

P.S.
You said you needed a break from "fresh" sausage making. How about signing up for Project A in the tech section? We're going to make a fermented, dry-cured salami together. But there's only one more day to 'sign up'. Why not check out the dialogue? Right now it's in Hyde Park at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

toolmann · Post by **toolmann** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 21:51

dont u need to add vineger too ?????

i read some recepies that had vinegar for mexican chorizzo , i want to make them too , waiting for someones good recepie , lol

siggi

NorCal Kid · Post by **NorCal Kid** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 22:15

toolmann wrote:dont u need to add vineger too ?????

i read some recepies that had vinegar for mexican chorizzo , i want to make them too , waiting for someones good recepie , lol

siggi

Most mexican chorizos have vinegar as a key ingredient-the one I used had apple-cider vinegar (see top right of ingredients photo). You can also add chile powder (the hotness dependent upon your tastes).

toolmann · Post by **toolmann** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 15:28

oh i c , just can not see the forrest from the trees , sorry lol

ok got to try them to !!!!

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 22:27

Just a word of caution about something I learned some years back. Maybe it will save you the expense of a batch of sausage. Vinegar will unravel proteins like green neon nuclear molecular acid!

If you add vinegar, be sure to stick to the amount in the recipe. Lots of folks just slosh it in without measuring it, and then they wonder why the sausage will not stick together or make a primary bind. In the pan, the sausage just comes "unglued".
Shucks pards, once I looked at some through my microscope. I couldn't believe my eyes! There were little tiny Un-bound, Chorizo Mexicans starin' right back at me. They were all holding machine guns and switch blades... and they were all frowning and gnarling too!

Terrifying... just terrifying!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

NorCal Kid · Post by **NorCal Kid** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 23:24

Chuckwagon wrote:Just a word of caution about something I learned some years back. Maybe it will save you the expense of a batch of sausage. Vinegar will unravel proteins like green neon nuclear molecular acid! If you add vinegar, be sure to stick to the amount in the recipe. Lots of folks just slosh it in without measuring it, and then they wonder why the sausage will not stick together or make a primary bind. In the pan, the sausage just comes "unglued".

Good point about the vinegar, CW!
Another good reason to carefully measure the amount of vinegar is the STRONG flavor profile it adds. You want a bit of tang, not make a pickle....

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 23:29

Hi,
Have you tried to smoke these sausages or do you like them fresh and fried. I am a keen consumer of light and heavy smoked sausages but realise that I have to add Cure #1.
Can you list the ingredients for say a 10 lbs or 4.5 kg block of meat if possible.
Being a new member and a novice, I hate to stuff it up.
Best Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

NorCal Kid · Post by **NorCal Kid** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 01:08

crustyo44 wrote:Hi,
Have you tried to smoke these sausages or do you like them fresh and fried. I am a keen consumer of light and heavy smoked sausages but realise that I have to add Cure #1.
Can you list the ingredients for say a 10 lbs or 4.5 kg block of meat if possible.
Being a new member and a novice, I hate to stuff it up.
Best Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

Hi Jan

The recipe I have is for 5 pounds (2.25kg), so just double it if you must.
This is for fresh, not smoked (no cure):

Mexican chorizo
Makes 5 pounds

Ingredients:
5 pound (2.25kg) of ground pork
15 dried guajillos (or New Mexico, Pasilla, Ancho) peppers
1-1/4 (.3l) cup apple cider vinegar
1-1/4 medium onion, diced
15 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon (next time I would use less, about half this amount)
2-1/2 teaspoons cumin
2-1/2 teaspoons Paprika (sweet, not smoked)
2-1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more; depending upon how hot you like it!)
3 -1/4 tablespoons salt

Rinse the dried guajillos, and then remove the stem and seeds. Heat the chiles for a couple of minutes on each side in a cast-iron skillet on high heat. Let soak for half an hour in water.

After chiles are moist, drain the water and place the chiles and vinegar in a blender, also adding the diced onion and chopped garlic. Puree until a smooth, bright red paste is formed (can add a splash of water if it's too dry to blend). It will look like ketchup.

Add the chile puree to the ground pork, along with the rest of the spices. Mix well. To test the flavors, pinch off a small piece and fry it up in a skillet for a minute or so. Taste it and add more spices if needed.

You can let it sit for a few hours so the flavors will blend. Will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and it freezes nicely. You can wrap it in small bulk packages, or make sausage links. I made the links but end up skinning & breaking them up to mix with eggs, potatoes, etc.

Hope this makes sense!

-Kevin

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 04:47

Hi Crustyo44,
Pardon me for horning in guys. I just wanted to make sure that you knew Australian cures are stronger than those used in America. If I`m not mistaken, in Australia, Cure #1 (used in cooked sausages) is known as Glow #1. It contains a whopping 7.8% sodium nitrite. It is added to meat at the rate of 1.6 grams of cure per one kilogram of meat OR one level metric teaspoon (5.6 grams) per 3.5 kilograms of meat. Whenever you folks "down under" read an American recipe, please - please make sure you are measuring correctly. I`d just hate to see the ends of your moustache curl up and fall off!

Here's a link to read about cures varying from country to country.
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=66#66

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 22:43

Hi Chuckwagon,
Thank you for all this Cure #1 and 2 information. I was advised by a wise gentleman from the USA on another forum that the limit for cure in Australia/New Zealand is 125 ppm for nitrite and 500 ppm for nitrate.
My cures are bought locally but are imported from the US.
I was advised on how to calculate the correct amount to use US Cure #1 but at 125 ppm to suit our regulation

The US regulation for #1 is 156 ppm or 6.25% Is this still correct? Luckily I have no moustache.
Best Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 22:48

Hello Crusty,
Yup, 156 ppm @ 6.25% is spot on!
And shucks pard, try growing a moustache... it's a "babe magnet"!

Even at my age, the chicks just won't leave me alone!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 23:50

Gooday Chuchwagon,
Forget about moustaches, I am man enough without one. Although I used to have one for awhile many years ago.
An employee of mine used to also call it a babe magnet but I cant write down any other information he so freely shared with all of us.
I am supposed to be an well brought up gentleman and polite as well.
That's all. No more said.
Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:04

Good Evening Chuckwagon,
I have just received a fact sheet for "additives in meat & meat products" by our State Government and was informed that it is applicable country wide. Cure #1 is 125mg/kg
PM me you email address and I will forward it on to you.
I just don't have the time to sit down and read it all.
Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 22:44

Hi Crusty,
Place your cursor over anyones name in their avatar box at the left of these messages. Click on their name and it will take you directly to their personal information. It also give email address and PM addresses of each member, along with number of posts and other information.

You can also click on memberlist at the top of the page, then click on any letter in the alphabet to see member's information including email addresses.

On the index page, you'll be surprised where the cursor click will take you. Try clicking on either logo at the top of the page and be sure to check out all the photos.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon