Smoked chorizo is a popular delicacy made of minced pork shoulder mixed with different spices and smoked on low heat. This recipe is easy to make and takes about 2 hours to smoke.
I learned this homemade smoked chorizo recipe years ago in culinary school, and I’ve been smoking it ever since. You can enjoy this delicacy with different sides and eat it in several delicious ways. So, if you have pork shoulder and are looking for amazing ways to use it, read on as I show you how to prepare delicious sausage.
Before preparing homemade smoked chorizo sausage, you’ll need a meat grinder and hog casings. Once you get the grinder and casings ready, here are the ingredients you’ll need:
First, dice the pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes in a bowl. Next, place the bowl of diced pork in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cooling the meat makes it easier to process. Remove the pork cubes after 30 minutes and mince them using a meat grinder. I recommend using the large 8-mm blade to produce a slightly coarse texture.
In a small bowl, combine all the dry seasoning ingredients (except for the corn syrup) and mix. Then add 2 tablespoons of cold water and the corn syrup and mix until it forms a paste. Mix the paste into the minced meat until it is completely incorporated. Then, refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
While the meat mix is chilling in the fridge, thoroughly rinse the pork casings with water. Don't skip this step, or else your homemade chorizo may taste very salty. This is because the casings are typically preserved in salt, so rinsing them reduces the saltiness.
Next, fold the casings over the top of the sausage stuffer. Add the ground pork mix to the stuffer and run it at medium speed. Gently lead the sausages, but make sure they're fully stuffed. Finding the right tempo can be a bit of a challenge. The casings must be filled without air bubbles, but they must not be overfilled, or they will burst. After stuffing the casings with the minced meat, form uniform sausages using a horseshoe pattern and refrigerate the sausages until ready to smoke them.
Smoke the Spanish-style chorizo over indirect heat for about 2 hours at a low temperature of 200°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 °F. I recommend using apple wood chips in your smoker for a mild, fruity smoke flavor that complements pork. After smoking the chorizo, grill it on high heat until it develops a beautiful crispy char before you serve it! Make sure the internal temperature of the smoked chorizo sausage does not exceed 165°F.
Broiling chorizo in the oven is a simple way to expose the meat to high, direct heat while preserving its flavor.
If it's too cold to fire up your smoker, try pan-frying it in a pan for crispy and tasty chorizo.
Smoked chorizo sausage is a popular type of pork sausage in many countries. It's made with ground pork and different spices.
Some varieties of chorizo are sold smoked, while others are not. Smoked chorizo sausage has a stronger flavor and is typically used in burritos and tacos. Unsmoked chorizo, on the other hand, is commonly used in stews and sauces. Overall, chorizo is deliciously versatile and can enhance the flavors of any dish.
There are numerous chorizo varieties to choose from, but I'll discuss the two most popular chorizo varieties here: Spanish and Mexican chorizo.
I'll start with the chorizo we discussed in today's recipe. Spanish chorizo is a dried and cured pork sausage. It is mainly available in spicy and sweet flavors because of the sweet or spicy smoked paprika, the unique ingredient that gives the chorizo its distinctive red color. Unlike other sausages, this chorizo has a dense texture and can be used to add an intense flavor to stews and stir-fry recipes.
Mexican-style chorizo is a spicy type of sausage that is typically made of pork, but it can also be made with other meats such as beef. This type of chorizo is sold in a casing or loose. Mexican chorizo can be used in tacos, as a topping for nachos, as stuffing, and so on.
If you want to make your own chorizo, you must pay attention to the meat and fat you use. One of the benefits of making your own chorizo is knowing exactly what it is made of.
I recommend picking meat with about 25% fat and 75% lean meat. That's why pork shoulder is a great choice because of its fat-to-meat ratio and affordability. You can also use pork butt for your smoked chorizo sausage and get tasty results.
So, the choice is up to you. Also, pay attention to the color of the pork cut you're buying; the meat should appear bright pink with a silky white fat strip.
Homemade smoked chorizo can be frozen in the same way that other meats can. Place the chorizo in an airtight container or storage bag. Then, label the bag or container and store it in the freezer. The chorizo should last for a year before going bad.
If you prefer to preserve your chorizo links in the refrigerator instead, bear in mind that they will last for up to two weeks. All you have to do is place the sausage in a labeled, airtight container and place it in a fridge cooling at 40 degrees or lower.
In my experience, refreezing chorizo is generally a bad idea because of the spread of bacteria. For this reason, I strongly discourage refreezing chorizo sausage, or else you may get sick. Rather, try freezing it in portions.
That’s all there is to know about smoking chorizo sausage. Start by mincing your preferred meat and mixing it with the spices in this recipe. Then, stuff the minced meat and cook it at low heat. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients as you wish. My homemade smoked chorizo recipe is very versatile and can be enjoyed in numerous ways!
