The chorizo sausage originated from Spain and Portugal, but when Texans call something chorizo, it usually refers to Mexican-style chorizo. Chorizo is a raw sausage that needs cooking before being consumed. It is typically colored brick-red due to the dried chile peppers and paprika used in the mixture. The chorizo comes linked in natural casing, but they are usually broken open and fried as ground meat for ease of preparation.
Chorizo Trivia
- Spanish chorizo is ready-to-eat, just like other cured deli meats like salami!
- You can substitute any pork sausage for chorizo, add some paprika and ground red chiles to spice it up
- There is also a “Green” chorizo, or Chorizo Verde, which uses a lot of cilantro and green peppers.
Chorizo Buying Guide
The first thing you should check when buying chorizo would be to check the information panel. The chorizo should not contain any ingredients that you wouldn’t use in your own kitchen. If the ingredients are okay with you, the next step would be to check the packaging for any tears or damage, which might accelerate spoilage. After that, the production and expiry or best before dates should be checked so you can be sure that the meat you’re getting is as fresh as possible.
For artisanal chorizo or small-batch chorizo from a specialty producer, it is almost always made fresh. Just give it a good smell (since they’re rarely vacuum packed), and the smell should be very meaty with a very heavy pepper/spicy fragrance.
Chorizo Production & Farming in Texas
Commercially Produced Chorizo:
Chorizo, just like any other commercially produced sausages, have their meat sourced from every part of the pig that’s edible. These are mixed by bulk and seasoned heavily to extend their shelf life. Another common additive to commercially produced chorizo is red food coloring. Food coloring is used to reduce costs due to real paprika being expensive and may not be cost-effective in mass production. Preservatives are also added to the meat mixture to extend the shelf life.
Small Batch/Artisanal Chorizo Production:
Small Batch/Artisanal Chorizo is something of a norm in Texas. Almost every county has a local source of Mexican-style chorizo due to the popularity of this sausage in many Tex-Mex preparations. Small producers usually make use of humanely raised hogs that they have grown themselves or sourced from other growers. They will often utilize all of the edible parts of the pig but not to the point of scraping off parts that cannot be consumed without any treatment.
Artisanal or Traditional chorizo producers are fiercely proud of their traditional family recipes. They would rather go out of business then change their traditional recipes and embrace shortcuts and preservatives, as evidenced by some smaller traditional chorizo producers closing down shop. If we want to keep the tradition of chemical-free and traditionally made chorizo then we must step up to support our local producers. Not only are they tastier than store-bought brands, but they are chemical and preservative-free.
Preservatives and Chemicals:
If you take a closer look at commercially produced chorizo, you might notice the following chemicals and additives at the ingredient panel.
- Corn Syrup
- Pork Broth with natural flavorings
- Natural flavors
- Dextrose
- Paprika Oleoresin
- BHA
- Propyl Gallate
- Maltodextrin
- Sodium Erythorbate
- Sodium Nitrite
- Natural Smoke Flavor
In the list above, none of those are used for traditional chorizo making. Those ingredients are used to alter the flavor, make the product more shelf-stable, make it more eye-appealing, and to make it palatable. The additives listed are listed as safe for consumption but have also been linked to some health conditions, so it’s better to err of the side of safety.
Packaging:
Commercially packed raw chorizo are either vacuum packed or placed on rigid plastic trays and sealed with heavy-duty cling film.
For small-batch/specialty chorizo producers, they are usually just wrapped in wax paper or plastic trays with cling wrap.
Enjoying Chorizos
Mexican-style chorizo needs to be cooked thoroughly before being consumed as they are packaged raw and uncured.
Storage:
For store-bought commercial chorizo, check the manufacturer’s best before date and store according to the package instructions. Store-bought chorizo can also be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
Freshly made chorizo from small-batch producers are best consumed immediately, and they can be stored in the fridge for three to four days. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to two weeks, but there might be a loss in moisture and a change in texture.
Cooking:
There are a few ways to prepare Mexican-style chorizo.
- Skin off – This is the easiest way to cook chorizos. Simply take the meat from the casing and fry them up like you would any ground meat.
- Simmer then Fry – In a shallow pan, simmer the chorizo in a little bit of water till it is cooked through and through, or until all of the water evaporates. Add a little bit of oil once the water is gone to continue pan frying until browned on the outside.
- Grilled – The chorizo is also great for grilling as it enhances the smoky flavor of the paprika inside. Be sure to grill it at a low temperature as the spices can burn quickly on the exterior while leaving the center part raw and uncooked.
