Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Tips and tecniques on dryng drying, curing etc.

Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Kuma » Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:14 am

I have to assume that commercially bought fresh chorizo is precooked, due to length of shelf life. It also has a dense "set" texture and the colour varies from the raw fresh chorizo that I often make.
Can anyone set me straight on this please? And, if so, how is it best to achieve, sous vide at ?c degrees or blanched to a set temp then cold showered and vac packed or hot smoked?
Your advise would be much appreciated.
Kuma
Registered Member
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:52 am

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Swing Swang » Thu Jun 04, 2015 12:56 pm

The commercial Chorizo (chourico) that I buy in Portugal is never precooked, but does vary a lot depending on region, sub-type, etc.
User avatar
Swing Swang
Registered Member
 
Posts: 257
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:56 pm
Location: Cornwall, UK

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Kuma » Thu Jun 04, 2015 2:32 pm

Thanks Swing Swang.

The Brin**sa chorizo I particularly like has no cure and has a long bbd ie months. It has to be cooked, right?
Kuma
Registered Member
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:52 am

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Weoochaun » Sun Jun 07, 2015 4:13 pm

If you want to kill trich. You need to bring the internal temp to 140C momentarily. [Trichinella spiralis is killed in 47 minutes at 52° C (125.6° F), in 6 minutes at 55° C (131° F), and in < 1 minute at 60° C (140° F)]. As thermometers aren't always accurate I would aim for just above 140C. At this temp the trich will be dead in a couple of minutes. The other thing is that you may not want to melt the fat which will start at 160C. So keep your water under this temperature - maybe set it at 155C. At his temp you can be sure you're killing the badies and not ruining your sausage.
If they are gristly then a long cook of 3 hours or more will tender them up by denaturing the proteins in the hard bits like tendons.
Weoochaun
Registered Member
 
Posts: 66
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 4:31 pm
Location: Myanmar

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Weoochaun » Mon Jun 08, 2015 8:10 am

I can't get to the EDIT function for the above post.

My figures for temperature (apart from those in brackets) should all be F, not C
Weoochaun
Registered Member
 
Posts: 66
Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 4:31 pm
Location: Myanmar

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Kuma » Mon Jun 08, 2015 8:57 am

Thanks for the technical info Weoochaun. I think I will try a sous vide batch at 60c and see if it matches the commercial products I enjoy. If this nails it I will report back.
I would still be interested if anyone has experience of making cooking chorizo's that are precooked at low temps to give a long shelf life without the use of preservatives or drying.
Kuma
Registered Member
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:52 am

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby wheels » Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:23 pm

I've never heard of chorizo being cooked before sale. The stuff in the shops over here is an air-dried product. Its shelf stable due to its low pH and water activity.

Phil
User avatar
wheels
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 12890
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:29 pm
Location: Leicestershire, UK

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Kuma » Tue Jun 09, 2015 9:40 pm

Thanks Phil. I am based in the UK, I understand that many cooking (fresh) chorizo's have preservatives in them. However, the best I have had list only pork, salt, paprika and garlic as their ingredients, they also contain yeast so you may have hit on an idea with the ferment, which would give flavour and low ph. Would high acidity from fermentation alone (without weight loss from drying) be enough to give a shelf life of months under vacuum?
I was persuing the cooked idea because the texture and colour vary from a straight freshly made (from ingredients listed above) chorizo and a normal fermented and air dried chorizo.
I do think I need to get testing.
Kuma
Registered Member
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:52 am

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby wheels » Tue Jun 09, 2015 10:55 pm

The ones labelled as 'cooking' are a fresh product. The reason they keep so long is because they're "Packed in a protective atmosphere". It's something we can't do at home.
You can read more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modified_atmosphere

Hope this helps.
User avatar
wheels
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 12890
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:29 pm
Location: Leicestershire, UK

Re: Fresh chorizo - precooked?

Postby Kuma » Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:38 pm

Thanks Phil.
I need to try;
Cooking an unfermented batch sous vide upto 60 degrees (will give orange colour and firmness I like).
Fermenting a batch.
Fermenting and drying a batch to 85% hydration.
If I have any success I will report back.
Kuma
Registered Member
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:52 am


Return to Sausage Making Techniques

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests