Easy Mexican Chorizo
Bold, spiced & flavorful. Here's an easy Mexican chorizo recipe that's quick to whip up without any sacrifice of flavor!
Chorizo is one of my favorite breakfast protein options and it finds it’s way into a nice amount of my recipes haha. I thought it’d be cool to show my go to way of making chorizo from scratch! No major time commitment and accessible ingredients.
If you need inspiration for what to use this Mexican chorizo in: Queso fundido, tacos, chilaquiles, chorizo and eggs, the list goes on!
The Ingredients
1 pound of 80/20 ground pork
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne powder
1 tablespoon of sweet paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon of cloves, ground
2 teaspoons of oregano, dried
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a bowl. In a medium or large bowl, combine the ground pork with the seasonings and apple cider vinegar. Use your hands to thoroughly incorporate the ingredients into the pork.
Make sausage logs. Once the seasonings are fully incorporated, form two equally sized balls of the seasoned ground pork. Using the palm of your hand, roll the balls back and forth on a flat surface. Take occasional breaks to check the shape of the sausage and adjust as needed. Once the log is formed, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or press-n-seal wrap.
Rest in the refrigerator. Place the newly formed chorizo in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least overnight. For optimal flavor, wait 1-2 days before cooking to allow the flavors to develop.
Ready for use. After resting overnight or longer, remove the chorizo from the fridge and heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until crispy.
Store the chorizo in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with freezer paper or plastic wrap before placing it in the freezer. It will keep for up to 3 months. While it can last longer, the flavor may begin to degrade after that time.
Notes
Experiment with different types of vinegar: One of my favorite things to do when making chorizo is experiment with the type of vinegar I use. While apple cider vinegar is a classic choice, I also love trying red wine vinegar for a slightly different twist. Both bring unique flavors to the sausage, so feel free to play around and find your own favorite!
Substitutions
Apple cider vinegar: I like to use apple cider vinegar because of its subtle sweetness but other vinegars can work like standard white vinegar, or you can get creative and use red wine vinegar.
Ancho chili powder: This chili powder comes from dried and roasted poblano peppers. If possible, do not substitute this with regular chili powder. There will be a major taste difference between the two chili powders.
Coriander: This spice offers a fresh and citrusy flavor to the chorizo. There really isn’t a 1:1 substitute for this spice so I highly recommend using it for the chorizo.
Cumin: This spice has an earthy and nutty flavor that pairs well with the arrangement of spices in our chorizo. It’s hard to suggest a true substitute for cumin, but coriander would be at the top of my list. In the case of my recipe, you would want to simply increase the overall amount of coriander by 1/2 teaspoon.
Did You Like This Recipe?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments! I always enjoy helping when I can and love hearing about any changes you made to the recipe.