It’s hard to resist the allure of homemade chorizo. Is it the taste or the knowledge that it takes several days to make them? There is an art to making traditional chorizos and the best way to master it, like anything, is to roll up your sleeves and start making some.

Chorizos originate from Spain and are made from pork meat. In many parts of the world, the meat is smoked or cured so it can be eaten without cooking it. However, chorizo is a versatile ingredient for cooking with and works well on pizzas, in casseroles, stir frys or simply stuffed into a hotdog bun.

Please Note: You’ll need a sausage stuffer to make these sausages. If you don’t already have one, visit my article which takes a close look at the best sausage stuffers on the market.

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 15 lbs. cubed trimmed pork shoulder (2 inch diameter)
  • 1/2 cup garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup salt
  • 6 cups white wine
  • 3 oz paprika
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 12 castings (this will vary a little depending on their size)

Method

  1. Add pork, garlic, salt, wine, paprika, pepper, red pepper to a large bowl and mix with your hands until well combined.
  2. Mix in the bay leaves ensuring they stay intact.
  3. Cover and place in fridge for 48 hours. Give the meat a mix every 12 hours to help distribute the flavors throughout the meat. At the half-way point, take a small portion of meat and cook it to test the flavors. It should be very strong because you’ll lose some of that intensity when you smoke the meat.
  4. Rinse the casings 2-3 times and tie off the end with twine.
  5. Remove the garlic and bay leaves from the meat then begin filling.
  6. Place your chorizos onto a stick and add to your smoker. Start the fire ensuring that it doesn’t reach the meat. Smoke the sausage on a low temperature for 24 hours, allowing the fire to go out.
  7. Flip over the chorizos and restart the fire. Repeat the process again.
  8. After 48 hours of smoking, the sausage should be checked to see if they;re ready. They may require an additional 24-48 hours depending on the heat of the fire.
  9. Allow sausages to dry indoors.

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