Homemade Chorizo

Whether chorizo is paired with another meat to add a depth of flavor or is the star of a recipe, this sausage takes dinners to over the top delicious. Flavorful Mexican Style Homemade Chorizo is incredibly easy to make with these simple steps.

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Growing up in San Diego, Baja Cuisine has had a heavy influence on my style of cooking and you will see this reflected often in my recipes.

So what exactly is Baja Cuisine?

It is a style of cooking that heavily mirrors the cooking methods from Western Mexico. However, it is also has a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian Cuisine. The reason it is called Baja Cuisine is because you will find this style most predominately in Baja California and my home town of San Diego.

Additionally, Baja Cuisine is generally very fresh and is always highly flavorful. You will see that reflected in this Homemade Chorizo. It very much overlaps with Mexican Chorizo and also has a bit of the elements of  Spanish Style Chorizo.

I need to warn you though, inevitably someone will come along and not read this section and they will very passionately express their disdain for this not being “authentic”. How do I know this? Because I have been down this road many times. If reading those types of comments are entertaining for you, then you will enjoy this Facebook post from my Simple Healthy Guacamole. For more Baja type recipes check out my Baja Chicken Bowl, Shrimp Mango Salsa and Guacamole Chickpea Sandwich.

Chorizo Spices

The spices in this Homemade Chorizo recipe are reflective of both Mexican and Spanish style chorizos. Here is a break down of the type of spices, options to buy and a few alternatives.

• Smoked Paprika- This is my favorite brand, however this brand is more affordable.
• Cayenne Pepper- An alternative that is more traditional to Spanish Style Chorizo is Hot Spanish Paprika.
• Chile Powder- Pure ground chilies with no other spices. This brand is more mild and this one is a little spicier.
• Oregano- Either the Mexican or Mediterranean version may be used.
• Cumin- My favorite brand.
• Ground Ceylon Cinnamon– Did you know that Ceylon Cinnamon is actually the “true cinnamon” and that it is the safer choice over what most grocery stores carry.
• Ground Cloves
• Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt

Pro Tip: For those who are more sensitive to spicy heat, make sure to use a mild chili powder and eliminate the cayenne pepper. To make the best chorizo for you and your family please adjust spice levels to personal preferences. 

Cooking Chorizo

To cook this Homemade chorizo heat a large frying pan over medium/high heat. Add chorizo and cook, breaking the sausage apart into small crumbles.

How to know when chorizo is done.

Fully cooked chorizo will go from bright red in raw form to a light to darker brown when cooked. The cooking process will take approximately 5-6 mins.

Ground Pork

Depending on how well stocked your grocery store of choice is, finding ground pork is generally a bit of a challenge. My first recommendation, purchase the highest quality you can afford which is organic pasture raised pork. However, this can be a rather significant investment.

Another option would be to grind your own from a pork shoulder (aka pork butt) that was raised without antibiotics. Nevertheless, the easiest way I have found to purchase ground pork is through Butcher Box. Their ground pork tastes amazing, is high quality and comes in convent 1 lb packages. Additionally, I am in love with their other meat options like wild caught salmon, grass-fed rib eye steaks, pork chops, bacon and flat iron steak. It has been such a super convenient way of eating high quality meat in a very simple way.

Can high quality neat be delivered right to your doorstep? Absolutely! Butcher Box is a meat delivery service that delivers your choice of grass-fed beef, heritage pork, free-range chicken and wild caught salmon to your doorstep. Shipping is always free and you can cancel at anytime.

If you enjoyed this Homemade Chorizo recipe please let me know by leaving a comment and review below. Doing so helps to encourage others to make the recipe also. Thank you!