OT: How do you cook Chorizo?

Botch

I used to love this stuff with my Huevos Rancheros when I lived in Albuturkey and hit Little Anita's for breakfast.  I visited a local hispanic market and found chorizo here in Utard, it comes in a flexible tube like breakfast sausage.

Anyway, I tried frying some up molded into a pattie this morning to go with my own HR, but the stuff fell completely apart.  It also shrunk down to less than half the original volume (it did leave lots of delicious, red grease to fry my corn tortilla in).

I was able to lift most of the meat out with a spatula, but it was pretty messy and I'm sure glad I didn't try cooking chorizo patties on my Egg!  So, how do you guys cook this stuff (it was delicious, just messy).  

 

 

(I also just noticed that smilies aren't available on New Topics....? )

MrCookingNurse

I love this stuff. Saw some at the store the other day. I was thinking of buying it for pizzas.

Village Idiot

As for me, I pan fry them like ground beef, then drain the grease off.  I usually put them in scrambled eggs and add bell pepper, onions, jalapenos to make migas.

Hinpeck

In a skillet, crumble and mash it up with a spatchula.  Cook to well done and serve w/ eggs, cheese and tortillas...or whatever you like.

fishlessman

i find it in sausage form near the bacon and keilbasa, its the portuguese version chourico. slice in half the long way and fry til black and sticky or sliced for soups and pizza

dgv

Thats correct. It is supposed to crumble. A little chorizo will go long ways, a lot of flavor. Very popular with eggs for breakfast and in tacos with melted cheese as appetizer..

Chubbs

we hosted a mexican themed party at our house in May and we fried some up and put it in a crock pot of queso dip. So good.

That is the only way I have cooked it.

Village Idiot

fishlessman said:

i find it in sausage form near the bacon and keilbasa, its the portuguese version chourico. slice in half the long way and fry til black and sticky or sliced for soups and pizza

I believe Botch is talking about Mexican chorizo.  "Chorizo", in Spanish, simply means "sausage", so any chorizo from Spain or Portugal will look and taste nothing like Mexican chorizo.

fishlessman

Village Idiot said:

fishlessman said:

i find it in sausage form near the bacon and keilbasa, its the portuguese version chourico. slice in half the long way and fry til black and sticky or sliced for soups and pizza

I believe Botch is talking about Mexican chorizo.  "Chorizo", in Spanish, simply means "sausage", so any chorizo from Spain or Portugal will look and taste nothing like Mexican chorizo.

probably right as i havent had it down there, ours is either found fresh or hung and dried, it does put out the red/orange grease in the pan though and it can be spicey hot

michigan_jason

Just cook it like you would ground beef for spaghetti, or sausage. Same thing.

dgv

10:29AMfishlessman said:i find it in sausage form near the bacon and keilbasa, its the portuguese version chourico. slice in half the long way and fry til black and sticky or sliced for soups and pizza
I believe Botch is talking about Mexican chorizo.  "Chorizo", in Spanish, simply means "sausage", so any chorizo from Spain or Portugal will look and taste nothing like Mexican chorizo.

Agree. Mexican Chorizo is very different than Chorizo from Spain. Even in Mexico you can find different kinds depending the area. However, In mexico sausage translates to "salchicha", chorizo is chorizo...

nolaegghead

Chorizo varies based on where it's from, but basically it's sausage seasoned predominantly with chili peppers.  It's used almost as a seasoning.

Skiddymarker

OK, as I am from Canuckistan, I know nothing about real Chorizo, but we do get it at Safeway, looks like a breakfast sausage, tubed casing. 

I butterfly them, 50% finish on the egg, then use them in ATBs. 

Never thought of using them with eggs - sounds good. 

SoCal_Griller

I fry it up in a frying pan like ground beef, great on pizza with some jalepenos.  I have bought some chorizo where it was more like a regular sausage and could be cooked on the grill, but I consider that to be a lower grade.  Funny, thats how I buy it in Mexico, it's the Corona brand chorizo.

Austin Egghead

Botch, actually most chorizo sold in the grocery store is really not great. I make my own. Here is a link to the homesick Texan recipe....very similar to mine, same ingredients, different proportions. If you don't have a meat grinder have the butcher grind it. After you add all the ingredients let it sit a couple hours to meld all the flavors and then shape into patties or cook loose your preference. I like it fresh so I only make enough for one meal. http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-my-own-mexican-chorizo.html?m=1

Botch

Thanks for the advice, guys!  I fried up the rest of it like loose hamburger this morning.  It spatters and the stove will require some cleaning in a bit, and I got burned on the back of my hand.  I couldn't pour the grease off holding the lid askew on the frying pan like I do hamburger; the chorizo is so fine it just clogged the crack and wouldn't allow the grease to drain.  So I again tried pulling it out with my spatula, again a big mess.

I think it will remain a restaurant-only treat for me.  Austin EH, thanks for posting that recipe, I will give that a try!  

nolaegghead

Botch, use a colander.  If it's spattering bad, turn down the heat - it's from water in the food explosively boiling in the grease.

jigawatt

I have a great chili recipe that uses chorizo. Brown a pound each of ground beef, chorizo, and sliced andouille sausage till they're done. Add chopped onion and bell pepper and cook for a little while. Drain, reserving the liquid. Put the meats and veggies back in the pot and add your spices (I like to use cajun seasoning along with the chili powder, cumin etc). Also add some of the reserved liquid as you like, but keep tasting as the chorizo-infused drippings will give you back lots of spice.

jigawatt

A couple edits to the chili recipe - see the whole thing here: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1147191/cajun-andouille-chili

Little Steven

jigawatt said:

I have a great chili recipe that uses chorizo. Brown a pound each of ground beef, chorizo, and sliced andouille sausage till they're done. Add chopped onion and bell pepper and cook for a little while. Drain, reserving the liquid. Put the meats and veggies back in the pot and add your spices (I like to use cajun seasoning along with the chili powder, cumin etc). Also add some of the reserved liquid as you like, but keep tasting as the chorizo-infused drippings will give you back lots of spice.

True. I picked up a splatter screen and it works well for really fatty stuff. Chaurice is a totaly different sausage tha chorizo. The grind is different and there are wonderful veins of peri peri in the chaurice. I don't think it is ground but rather chopped. Chorizo is ground and has different spice blend. Right fish?

nolaegghead

Generally it's ground.  It doesn't have to be - Some of the Spanish versions are chunky and cured.

I look at chorizo as a flavor base like tasso.  Meat spice.  Good stuff.

FlyingTivo

The best way I like it is a Queso Flameado!

Its a melted Oaxaca Style cheese(looks like string cheese wrapped into a ball)

Fresh Corn or Flour Tortillas, nothing else needed, well maybe Avocado!

Felipe

Little Steven

nolaegghead said:

Generally it's ground.  It doesn't have to be - Some of the Spanish versions are chunky and cured.

I look at chorizo as a flavor base like tasso.  Meat spice.  Good stuff.

The Portuguese stuff is really chunky

Eggcelsior

I like to make Queso Fundido with it in the traditional way with warm tortillas, or I use American cheese to make it more of a dip when serving to a crowd.