Homemade Mexican Chorizo

I had a discussion regarding Chorizo with several members of Gather.com. Some are lucky enough to find good quality chorizo in their respective areas. Occasionally, I can find decent chorizo at Meijers, but I usually have to settle for the "paprika" kind, as Ted H. calls it.

But not anymore! I searched until I found a few recipes that sounded really tasty, and leaner than the stuff in the squeeze tube. I combined the best of all of them.

The best part of making it yourself is you can adjust the heat to your own personal taste. As many of you know, my motto is "the hotta, the betta!"

1/2 pound boned pork loin
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 t. cayenne
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Trim fat from pork. Combine pork and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until well-blended. Place mixture in a zip-top bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

If cooking, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork mixture; cook 5 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble.

If freezing, seal in tubes with a vacuum sealer of high quality freezer bags.

Variations: Use ancho chili powder in place of the regular. Add thyme.

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