What Is Chorizo?

There are two main types of Chorizo, Mexican or Spanish. Both are made from ground pork and can be sweet or spicy, the Spanish version is usually dry-cured where the Mexican is usually either fresh. Chorizo can be made from leaner portions of pork all the way to 50/50 fat to lean ratio. The seasonings will normally give you a finished product that is reddish in color. Our version will be a Mexican style and made from Untrimmed Pork Butts. An important addition to the Mexican Chorizo is vinegar, you should aim for a 50-grain vinegar.

Meat Block

25 lb of 70/30 Beef Trim or 25 lb of Untrimmed Pork Butts or 18 lb Venison and 7 lb. Pork Fat

Additives

1 bag of Excalibur Chorizo Seasoning
8 oz. (0.5 lb) 50 grain vinegar
32-35mm Hog Casings or Collagen Casings or Meat Bags

Process

Grind all of your meat twice through a 3/16th inch plate. Make sure your plates and knives are sharp and lubricated before grinding to give you a nice clean cut and to prevent any smearing. You can also remove your grinder head assembly and let is sit in the freezer overnight before grinding to get it as cold as possible.

Meat Mixing

We do not need protein extraction since we are not smoking this, so just mix in your seasoning and vinegar into the meat and mix until all seasoning is dissolved.

Sausage Stuffing

You can stuff your sausage into either 32-35mm Hog Casings or Collagen Casings. If you are using natural hog casings make sure you soak and flush them first. Avoid creating air pockets when you load your sausage stuffer, a good way to do this is to load your first level at an angle so the meat covers the bottom and then slopes slightly from one side to the other, add the next layer and leave an angle sloped in the opposite direction, make sure you are packing it down between loads. Stuff casings until they are smooth and full and then twist into links or cut into desired lengths

Stuffing Into Meat Bags

Use your largest stuffing tube to make this as easy as possible. Place the bag over of the stuffing tube and fill to the desired amount. Close bag with a Meat Bag Tape Machine or Hog Ring Pliers.

Wrap up

Making a Mexican Chorizo is really not much harder than making any other Fresh Sausage or Bratwurst, you just need to use the correct vinegar and seasoning.

Additional Tips

• If you cannot find something listed as 50 grain then look for one with an acidity between 5-10%.
• Make sure you lubricate your plates and knives with White Oil before you start your grinder
• Since most often Mexican Chorizo is going to be used in its ground form stuffing it into meat bags might be the better idea with this one. However, it is also delicious if enjoyed as a regular sausage in a casing.

Other Notes

You can make leaner Chorizo, it will not have as strong of a taste but is still delicious

Watch WaltonsTV: How To Make Chorizo

Shop waltonsinc.com for Pork Sausage Meat Bags

Shop waltonsinc.com for Natural Hog Casings

Shop waltonsinc.com for Collagen Casings

Shop waltonsinc.com for Walton’s Sausage Stuffers

Shop waltonsinc.com for Ethnic Sausage Seasonings