Chorizo Recipe

[Parson Snows]

For those interested
This recipe comes from The Professional Charcuterie Series by Marcel Cottenceau, Jean-Francios Deport and Jean-Pierre Odeau (As you can see somewhat French in content). This book is for a charcuterie course held at a major establishment (CEPROC: Centre European de Promotion de la Charcuterie)

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Chorizo

Equipment
Large bowl, scale, grinder or chopper, sausage stuffer, stainless steel hooks, knife, plastic scraper.

Ingredients
For 5 kg (11 lbs) of sausage

� 3 kg (6.6 lbs) pork belly
� 1 kg (2.2 lbs) lean pork shoulder (My note: assumed to have NO visible fat)
� 1 kg (2.2 lbs) lean beef (My note: assumed to be Sirloin heads and tails with No visible fat)

Seasonings
� 125 g (4 oz) fine salt
� 15 g (1/2 oz) saltpeter (My note: For comminuted products USDA standards would limit the amount of saltpeter to 0.30 oz (8 g) for the above quantity of sausage made. I would recommend adjusting the amount of saltpeter accordingly or substituting 12 g of Prague Powder #1 (containing 6 % nitrite) for the above saltpeter)
� 10 g (1/3 oz) freshly ground pepper
� 5 g (1/6 oz) ground nutmeg
� 5 g (1/6 oz) hot chili powder
� 150 g (1/3 lb) mild chili powder
� 20 g (2/3 oz) paprika
� 50 ml (scant � cup) olive oil

Preparing the ingredients

Thoroughly trim the meats and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes. The sausage will slice more neatly and will be more agreeable to eat if all the tendons are carefully trimmed. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or freeze partially (until cold and stiffened but not frozen). For easier blending, stir the seasonings into cold water (My note: Though no amount is given I would base it on 300 mL(11 fl. oz (Imp)) for the above 5.5 Kgs (11 lbs) of sausage) and stir to dissolve or add them directly to the ground meat in powdered form. Grind the meat in the grinder or chopper. The grain should be 5-6 mm (1/4 in).

Filling the Casings

Pork casings measuring 34-36 cm (1 3/8 in) are used to make chorizo. Soak and rinse them before filling. The casings are cut in 50 cm (20 in) lengths before filling which form attractive rings of sausage. (My note: It doesn�t say but once the casings are �tied off� these have the ends tied by butcher�s twine and then �butterflied� in the middle to allow passing the rod/bar through ready for drying) It is important to not stuff the casings too quickly so that the mixture is not packed too tightly which would cause a slight warming of the ingredients (smear or "farcissage"). This in turn causes the fat to melt out during cooking resulting in a dry product. Hang the finished sausages in the refrigerator to drain. (My Note: I would allow 20-30 minutes for this)

Pre-Drying (�etuvage�)
Air �dry the chorizo sausages at a temperature of 25 �C (77 F) maximum for about 6 hours. This shrinks the casings and prepares the sausage for the actual drying process.

Drying
To obtain a chorizo of high quality it is indispensable to closely follow the guidelines for drying. To avoid drying out the sausage too much the humidity must be kept at a constant level between 70 -80 %. A recipient of water can be placed in the drying chamber if necessary. The chamber should be well ventilated as well.

The temperature should be kept constant and should never exceed 15 �C (60 F). Rotate the sausages in the chamber so that they all dry evenly. The sausages remain in the drying chamber for 12 -18 days.

Unless these guidelines are followed the chorizo may become too dry.

Presentation
Unlike other dried sausages, chorizo are not left to develop powdery white mold or �bloom� like other dried sausages. The bright red color is an important feature and can be enhanced by rubbing the sausage with olive oil.

Storage
Chorizo will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. Cover in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.

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Hope that this helps you out
Kind Regards


Parson Snows