dry cured chorizo

[dvfrancaccio]

hello all:

i am new to the forum as well as sausage making. i just made a batch of spanish chorizo and want to learn if i did it correctly. this is what i did:

4lbs of coarse ground pork butt (about 20% fat)
7 tsp table salt
7 tsp smoked paprika
1 head of finely chopped garlic

i filled it into natural casings yesterday, poked a series of pin holes into the casings and was planning on hanging them in a cool place for several weeks until they harden.

can anyone please give me any input who has done this before the ensure that my process will be safe?

i thank you in advance,

george

[Mohalk]

I'd like to see some type of cure used to make sure it will be safe. InstaCure #2 or at lease a salt with naturally accruing nitrate if the meat was very clean and fresh.

Al

[onewheeler]

...and no fermentation step, quantity of salt very vague. I'd rescue them now and put them in the 'fridge or freezer for use as fresh chorizo-style sausage.

Martin/

[crustyo44]

Hi George,
I follow Martins advise and freeze them, at least you can enjoy them over an extended period.
When you want to dry sausages you will need cure #2 for safety. Make sure you weigh all ingredients correctly. The chorizo you made could be a health hazard, to put it bluntly, if dried and consumed.
On the forum there are plenty of good, tried and tested recipes or better still, just ask.
Make sure you always have both cures in the cupboard and use them if specified.
If you make chorizo again with fresh chopped garlic, try and stew the garlic first in a bit of water until soft and use the garlic and water. A less harsh taste is the result. I mix the cure with the garlic/water for a better distribution.
Good Luck,
Jan.

[tommix]

Here is a link to a thread that Brican posted, some good reading here.........
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9395