Spanish Chorizo
Spanish chorizo is a boldly seasoned dry-cured sausage with a characteristic red color from Pimentón de la Vera. The combination of sweet and smoked paprika along with garlic makes chorizo unmistakable. It is cold smoked and ripened over several weeks.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Marinade & Preparation
12-24 hoursGrind meat, dice fat. Work in all spices, curing salt and wine and knead well. Let the mixture rest covered in the refrigerator at 4 °C for 12-24 hours. This intensifies the paprika color and flavor.
Filling & Color Curing
24-36 hoursFill the mixture into pork middle casings (Ø 40-50 mm) and twist or tie into 30-40 cm links. Hang at 20-22 °C and 80-85% humidity for 24-36 hours for color curing.
Cold Smoking
2-3 smoking sessions of 8 hours eachCold smoke with oak and beech at max. 18 °C. Oak wood is traditionally used with Spanish chorizo and complements the smoky paprika. Allow 24 hours rest between sessions.
Ripening & Drying
4-6 weeksRipen at 12-15 °C and 70-80% humidity. The chorizo is ready when it feels firm when pressed and has lost about 30% of its weight. The surface shows a deep red-orange color.
Pro Tip
Use at least half of the paprika as smoked Pimentón de la Vera. Regular paprika powder does not give the same flavor. Letting the meat rest overnight with the spices significantly intensifies the color.
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