Behold the secret ingredient to giving your Mexican dishes an authentic and incredibly amazing flavor! This homemade Mexican chorizo recipe is easy to make and the flavor is out of this world! This freezes well so you can conveniently have it on hand to grab and thaw as needed.
SALIVARY GLANDS AND LYMPH NODES. That’s what you’ll find in the list of ingredients of a lot of  store-bought chorizo. I bought some a while back, cooked with it, and it wasn’t until after we had eaten it that I saw the foreboding list of ingredients.  Yes, I felt a little ill.
The “daring” in Daring Gourmet isn’t referring to entertaining members of the lymphatic and exocrine families.
Since seeing that I haven’t been able to stomach the thought of ever eating store-bought chorizo again. Â I don’t trust it. Â That’s right, I have trust issues with chorizo. So, I make my own. I don’t bother using the sausage casings – no point since when cooking chorizo you remove it from the casing anyway. So I either grind my own pork or have the butcher do it for me. That way I know EXACTLY what’s in it! Â And, more importantly, what ISN’T!
What is Mexican Chorizo?
Chorizo is a heavily spiced sausage commonly used in Mexican dishes. Unlike Spanish chorizo which is a cured sausage, Mexican chorizo is raw and needs to be cooked before consuming. It’s crumbled and fried up with whatever other ingredients the dish calls for. It’s made with a variety of ingredients, including various ground chiles, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, vinegar, etc.
And as for my chronic trust issues with store-bought chorizo…I’m afraid it’s a hopeless case, a lost relationship. Â I don’t think I can ever learn to trust it again . I suppose we could seek counseling together, store-bought chorizo and I, but what’s the use? We never loved each other in the first place, have since lost the ability to communicate, and
“Now it’s too late, baby, now it’s too late…
Something inside has died and I can’t hide it,
and I just can’t fake it.”
Store-bought chorizo: Â We’re through.
(Thanks, Carole King, for those fitting lyrics.)
This homemade Mexican chorizo is super simple to make. Â I did the work in experimenting with the different spices and ratios – now all you have to do is combine the spices with the meat and you’re done! Â It’s really that simple. Â And this chorizo tastes good! Just grab some ready-made chorizo from the freezer whenever you need it.
How to Use Mexican Chorizo
Mexican chorizo is a flavorful and versatile ingredient that can add a rich, spicy, and slightly tangy taste to a variety of dishes. Here are a few ideas:
- Tacos and Burritos: Use it as a filling for tacos and burritos, along with your favorite toppings like chopped onions, cilantro, salsa, and cheese.
- Queso Fundido: Use this homemade chorizo to liven up your favorite queso fundido.
- Breakfast Burritos: Add cooked chorizo to scrambled eggs and wrap them in tortillas for a hearty breakfast burrito.
- Chorizo and Eggs: Sauté chorizo and scrambled eggs together and serve it with salsa and tortillas if you like.
- Chorizo Hash: Cook chorizo with diced potatoes, onions, and bell peppers.
- Chorizo Rice: Cook chorizo and mix it with cooked rice, along with diced tomatoes, onions, and spices.
- Chorizo Tamales: Incorporate cooked chorizo into the masa dough when making tamales.
- Chorizo and Bean Soup: Add cooked chorizo to a pot of beans or bean soup for added depth of flavor.
- Chorizo-Stuffed Peppers: Hollow out bell peppers and stuff them with a mixture of cooked chorizo, rice, beans, and cheese and bake until the peppers are tender.
- Chorizo Topping: Use cooked chorizo as a topping for pizza, loaded nachos, or baked potatoes.
Homemade Mexican Chorizo Recipe
Let’s get started!
Simply place the meat in a large bowl and all all remaining ingredients.Â
Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
Place the chorizo in a colander or sieve over a bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 days, daily squeezing out and discarding any liquid (this isn’t absolutely necessary but it will more closely resemble the texture of store-bought chorizo).
After 3 days, divide the meat up into 6 little 4 oz loaves, wrap each one in plastic wrap and place the loaves in a freezer bag.Â
Many recipes call for about 1/4 lb at a time, so I like to divide it up into 1/4 lb “sausages” and freeze them so they’re ready for use when I need them. That way you can grab one whenever you need it, let it thaw and use it!
Enjoy!
For more delicious adventures in homemade charcuterie be sure to try our:
- Italian Sausage Recipe
- Homemade Breakfast Sausage
- Homemade German Bratwurst
- Homemade British Bangers
- Smoked Ham Hocks
- How to Smoke a Ham
- Smoked Cheddar Sausages
- Italian Capicola
- How to Make Bacon
BEST Homemade Mexican Chorizo
Ingredients
- 1 lb coarsely ground lean pork
- 6 oz coarsely ground pork fat (ask your butcher)
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place the meat in a large bowl and all all remaining ingredients. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture. Place the chorizo in a colander or sieve over a bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 days, daily squeezing out and discarding any liquid (this isn't absolutely necessary but it will more closely resemble the texture of store-bought chorizo). After 3 days, divide the meat up into 6 little 4 oz loaves, wrap each one in plastic wrap and place the loaves in a freezer bag or wrap again in aluminum foil. You can also use wax or freezer paper.
- The chorizo will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. Storing it longer doesn't really pose a safety concern, but the taste will suffer.Makes 1 1/2 pounds.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet April 28, 2018
Brittany says
Should I do less amounts of spices if I’m making one pound of pork and not adding 6 oz of fat?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Brittany, yes you can reduce the spices by a little bit.
Nancy says
Hi..thank you for sharing your recipe I can’t wait to try it however, do you think I could put them in casings to make sausages?
Thanks! :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Nancy, yes you can but the texture will not be like Spanish chorizo if that’s what you have in mind. Unlike Spanish chorizo, Mexican chorizo isn’t typically eaten in casings, it’s only sold in casings and then when you’re ready to use it you open the casings and crumble out the chorizo.
Andrea McDonald says
I made this but omitted the ground pork fat and didn’t do the draining part. It was still delicious and we loved it. The suggestion of the 4 oz. bundles was a great one and made them easy to store. Going to make more this week!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Andrea, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Debbie Senday says
Hi, I made your recipe twice and it is really delicious. Thank You!!!I had the same exact experience as you with the store bought chorizo. Its like I wrote it. Lol. After that I was totally grossed out and I found your recipe, had to buy a meat grinder. My question is about putting it in a Collander and letting it drip. First time I had no liquid. This time some is dripping. Why do we do this?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Debbie, I’m glad you enjoyed it! :) The amount of liquid in it will depend on the particular batch of meat. Draining it is not a must, but the process is to remove excess liquid to get that semi-crumbly texture that chorizo is known for.
Elsa says
Your mix looks great, however I don’t eat pork, will this work well with beef or chicken?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Elsa, sure, you can use either of those.
Jason says
In the recipe it says to cover tightly in the colander. I’m assuming you mean just the top portion of the colander. Correct?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jason, you’re right, I did word that rather strangely, didn’t I? Yes, just cover the top of the colander :)
Lisa says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Quick question! If I’m gonna use this Chorizo in a paella dish – as chopped sausage – how should I cook your homemade recipe? Would I chop the thawed ground pork mixture after three days, and then roast it in the oven, or sauce it on a pan?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lisa, Mexican chorizo cooks up like ground beef. If you’re using it in paella I would recommend first cooking it in a frying pan and then distributing it over your paella, and then cook your paella.
Jason Burton says
Do have to cover the entire colander or just the top?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jason, just the top of it is fine. Happy cooking!
daryl schulte says
i love it butchered today need some new sausage. one for the book thannk u
Ron says
I can’t wait to make this recipe.
Yesterday my wife bought me a
Half pound of butcher made chorizo
From a local large chain grocery
Store. I cooked it this morning. I’m
Glad that she only bought a half pound
It tasted like someone took a bunch of
Taco seasoning and dumped into some
Lean ground pork. It was unpleasant to
Say the least. Since I always eat my failures
I ate it, but will never buy it again. Your
Recipe looks simple enough that even I
Can do it. Thank for giving me hope for edible
Chorizo.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s great, Ron, please let us know what you think!
Donna Sessions says
I’ve made this about three times since I was given this recipe. My brother in law always gives the best most thoughtful Christmas gifts and this was one he gave our family. He had made them up ahead of time and broke them down like you did and froze them and put them in the bag of goodies he always does. This is the most flavorful chorizo not to mention no gristle or fillers you find at the grocery store. I have shared this recipe with numerous people. Thank you so much for this it’s simply amazing!!! I use 2 lbs of fresh ground pork and grab 1 lb of Hot breakfast sausage instead of the pork fat. And I double the seasonings.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Donna, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
WILLIAM COUSERT says
What’s wrong with salivary glands and lymph nodes? They sound gross, but they taste great.
Do you eat hot dogs? You do know what they’re made of, right? Everything. Why waste perfectly good food just because it sounds gross? Be bold and expand your palate.
Mike says
I used this recipe to make about 10 lbs of chorizo from what was left of a wild pig my son shot. The wild pig was extremely lean and I had less than 1/2 of the pork fat the recipe required on hand. I live in southwest and there is a lot of good Mexican food around, but this is probably the best chorizo I we have ever had.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Mike, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it, thank you!
Lisa says
Would you make any changes if you wanted to stuff this Chorizo into sausages?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lisa, you can stuff this recipe as is. Just FYI as some people confuse the two: This is Mexican chorizo which is meant to be used by opening the casings and crumbling it into the frying pan, unlike Spanish chorizo which is a firm, cured sausage that is served sliced.
Sue K says
I too want to case the chorizo. We have friends that are Mexican and they grill their chorizo and they sometimes cut open the casing and use the bulk. Gonna try it tonight with the recipe as written. Planning on leaving out the colander and sieve portion because the meat needs to be juicy to go through the stuffer okay. Hope it turns out alright. Suggestions welcome.
Anonymous says
I do not eat pork, but can I substitute turkey meat for pork ? If I do will it still have the chorizo flavor?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes you can substitute turkey. It won’t taste the same but it will still taste good.