Chorizo (Hot Spanish Sausage)

[DebPenny]

1 large onion, minced
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons crushed oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 lbs ground pork, the pork shoulder I used last time worked very well

If you are going to use sausage casings, soak them overnight in the refrigerator.

Knead all ingredients together until well blended. Shape into patties or meat loaf or stuff into sausage casings. Make a large roll or tie off in 5 to 18-inch links with string. Refrigerate in airtight containers for 2 to 3 days to allow flavors to blend. If you plan to use the sausage immediately, the spices will not be as strong. You may substitute 3/4 lb ground beef for half the pork, or red wine for the vinegar. Do not use rice vinegar.

This sausage will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Or you can freeze it.

Contributor: Deborah Penny

Yield: 38 ounces

I got the original for this from a poster on the Yahoo Schwarzbein forum, but I have made substantial changes to make it my own. I hope you like it. You can adjust the cayenne to make it hotter or milder.

;-Deb

[Angeline]

Thanks for posting the recipe Deb.

A long time ago I bought this sausage making kit. It's simply plastic tubes with a tapered end. You put them against the end of the meat grinder and hold it with the metal ring. Before installing the tube you put the sausage casing inside the tube with the excess coming out the other end. As you crank the meat out, it fills the sausage casing and turns it into a real sausage !

I have actually yet to try them but this sounds like a good recipe to try. Now, the biggest challenge might be how to find sausage casing.

[PJ in Miam]

There's a product called SoyRizo in the soy section. Looks, cooks, and tastes exactly like chorizo. 2ecc per 2oz. Great stuff.

PJ

[norminbat7]

if this tastes as good as it sounds you may have just saved me. i'll be trying that real soon/ thank you.

[Darrelll]

have you ever looked at the ingredients of store bought Chorizo. Pork cheeks, snouts and other crunchy things...

I used to love Chorizo until I read the package... I think making my own sounds great!

[havetodoit]

I love pig snout!

[astrocreep]

Well Darrell those parts of the pig are considered delicacies in dif parts of the country and in other countries as well. Pork snouts are big southern thing. Pork cheeks are big in england I believe. You neglected to mention Pig Ears (or Orejas) which are very popular in spain as well as pig tail. On a dif subject...Have you ever had cow feet? They have the most incredible flavor! Add those to your beef stock and you'll be in heaven!

[LadyBelle]

I found a recipe on a regular non LC site for Huevos con Chorizo. I made it up and served it with la Tortilla and it was great. Although a tad spicy for me in the mornings I found after having left overs for breakfast. I also missed the draining part of the sausage.

I think all I did was brown the chorizo, then add in eggs. The eggs added bulk and took some of the bite out of the sausage spices. Then served it with sour c ream, cheese, and so forth like a regular breakfast burrito.

[Nancy LC]

I ordered casings from the internet.

One thing to be aware of, I wasn't... What a disaster.

You need to gather up the casings onto the tube before you start grinding. It is like putting on a stocking, you gather it all up and put your toe in, you don't start at the top like you're putting on pants!