A Savory Exploration: Chorizo Terrine, Explained

Chorizo is a highly seasoned, chopped or ground pork sausage used in Spanish and Mexican cuisine. It is made in many national and regional varieties in several countries on different continents. In Europe, Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço are fermented, cured, and smoked sausages. Elsewhere, chorizo may not be fermented or cured and requires cooking before eating. In Mexico, chorizo is made with chili peppers and vinegar instead of paprika. A chorizo terrine is a type of meat terrine that uses chorizo as an ingredient.

Chorizo's origins

Chorizo is a type of pork sausage that originated on the Iberian Peninsula. The word 'chorizo' probably comes from the Late Latin 'salsīcia' ('salted') and came into Spanish via the Portuguese 'souriço'.

The first written evidence of sausage-making dates back to Ancient Greece, but the practice of curing meat is thought to be millennia old. In Spain, the production of chorizo was closely associated with the agricultural calendar. In October, farmers would feed the pigs they had reared over the summer to fatten them up, before slaughtering them in November. St Martin's Day on 11 November was traditionally when the matanza ('slaughter') would occur, and every part of the pig would be butchered, prepared and preserved. As there were cold months ahead and not much fresh produce, most of the pig would be cured. Blood would be made into morcilla, whole legs would be cured and made into hams, and all the trimmings and off-cuts would be finely chopped down into mince to become sausages – some of which became chorizo.

The first Spanish sausage to be mentioned in the Real Academia de la Lengua (Spain’s answer to the Oxford English Dictionary) was a chorizo, described as 'a short piece of gut, filled with chopped, seasoned meat, normally pork, that is usually smoke-cured'. However, these early chorizos would be unrecognisable to modern eyes and palates. That's because pimentón (smoked paprika) was only introduced to Europe after its discovery in the New World in the 16th century. It took several decades for this spice to find its way into Spanish chorizo, but when it did, it gave the sausage its distinctive red colour and flavour.

While chorizo was originally prepared by peasant farmers, it was considered a luxury item consumed by the wealthy, especially once exotic pimentón and pepper were introduced into the recipes. However, this changed in the 19th century when industrialisation meant food production increased massively, and chorizo became a more common foodstuff.

Today, there are hundreds of regional varieties of Spanish chorizo, some smoked and some unsmoked, that are each made differently and may include herbs and other ingredients. For example, chorizo de Pamplona is a thicker sausage with more finely ground meat.

The Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire (1519-1525) brought chorizo to Mexico, where it evolved into something quite different. Mexican chorizo is generally softer and fresher than its Spanish counterpart, and is made with chilli peppers instead of paprika. It is also usually cooked before consumption.

Chorizo is also popular in Portugal, where it is known as 'chouriço' or 'chouriça', and in several other countries that were once colonised by the Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin America to Goa in India.

Mexican vs Spanish chorizo

Chorizo is a type of sausage with origins in the Iberian Peninsula, which is now Spain and Portugal. It is common in its many versions across most of Latin America, including Spanish and Mexican varieties. While Mexican and Spanish chorizo share a name, they have several differences.

Mexican Chorizo

Mexican chorizo is almost always made with ground fresh, raw pork. Additional pork fat is often added to the meat, along with herbs, spices, and chile peppers (for both flavour and colour). It is also typically made with vinegar, instead of the white wine used in Spanish chorizo. The finished product is usually stuffed into short links in edible or inedible casings and “aged” by air-drying for anywhere from one day to a week.

Mexican chorizo must be cooked before eating. It is often removed from its casing and fried in a pan, with a fork used to separate the chunks of meat. Any excess grease is poured off before the meat is eaten.

Mexican chorizo can be used in a variety of dishes, including tacos, fajitas, tostadas, burritos, nachos, chilaquiles, and more. It is also commonly served for breakfast, scrambled with eggs.

Spanish Chorizo

Spanish chorizo is commonly made with pork, though beef is also used. Its ingredients usually include smoked paprika, herbs, garlic, and white wine. The sausage is then fermented, slowly smoked, and air-cured for several weeks.

Spanish chorizo, having been cured or smoked, does not need to be cooked before consumption. Many varieties have a texture that is perfect for slicing and eating as a snack or appetizer (as in “tapas”). Softer, fattier kinds of Iberian sausage are perfect for adding flavour and texture to soups, stews, and other cooked dishes.

Spanish chorizo can be added to a cheese plate or crisped up in a pan and used as a topping for a salad or cheesy dish.

The main difference between the two types of chorizo is that Mexican chorizo is fresh and must be cooked before consumption, while Spanish chorizo is dried and cured. Mexican chorizo is also typically spicier than Spanish chorizo.

How to cook chorizo

Chorizo is a highly seasoned pork sausage that is very popular in both Mexican and Spanish cooking. There are two main types: Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo.

Mexican Chorizo

Mexican chorizo is made from fresh (raw, uncooked) pork. It is typically seasoned with vinegar and chile peppers. Before cooking, the casing must be removed. It will then crumble and can be cooked similarly to ground beef. Mexican chorizo can be cooked on its own or with other ingredients like peppers, onions, and rice.

Spanish Chorizo

Spanish chorizo is usually smoked and can be eaten without cooking. It is made with garlic and pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika, either sweet or hot), which gives it a deep red colour and smoky flavour. The casing is edible, and Spanish chorizo can be added to soups and stews. It is also popular on tapas platters.

Cooking Tips

• Chorizo can be grilled, fried, or baked.
• In Europe, Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço are often sliced and grilled, fried, or simmered in liquid, including apple cider or strong alcoholic beverages.
• In the US, Spanish chorizo is available in two forms: fully cooked and dry (to be sliced like salami/pepperoni), and fully cooked and soft (semi-cured).
• Mexican and Spanish chorizo impart very different flavours and behave differently, so they are not interchangeable in recipes.
• Remember to remove the outer wrapper before cooking chorizo.
• Chorizo will last for two weeks in the refrigerator. Once sliced, it is only good for another week.

What chorizo goes well with

Chorizo is a highly seasoned pork sausage that is very popular in both Mexican and Spanish cooking. It can be used as a side or as the star of the dish. Here are some foods that go well with chorizo:

Eggs

Eggs are a great base to soak up some of the fat of the chorizo. They can be cooked any way you prefer, but it is most common to use scrambled or fried eggs. You can also cook the eggs in the chorizo's rendered fat to amplify the chorizo flavour even more.

Bell Peppers

The sweetness of bell peppers compliments the heat of chorizo perfectly. You can add bell peppers to a chorizo and egg breakfast wrap, or sauté them with the chorizo and serve in a sandwich roll.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges and limes cut through the fat and heat of chorizo and fit into most Mexican or Spanish dishes. You can eat fried chorizo with an orange or grapefruit, or add lemon zest to dishes such as chorizo and potato casseroles, burritos, or red sauce pasta dishes.

Seafood

Chorizo pairs well with seafood, especially salmon and codfish, due to their neutral, low-fat flavour. You can also add citrus zest to these dishes to split the flavours.

Chicken

Chorizo goes well with chicken as the chicken takes on some of the flavours of the chorizo. You can smoke or grill the meats together, or cook the chicken in the grease from frying the chorizo.

Potato Skins

Chorizo can be used as a replacement for the bacon that traditionally adorns potato skins. The smokier, spicier taste of the chorizo complements the cheese well and provides a more complex flavour profile.

How to make a chorizo terrine

A chorizo terrine is a great dish to prepare in advance and can be served with bread and salad. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to make a delicious chorizo terrine.

Ingredients:

• 250g smoked bacon, thinly sliced
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 350g pork shoulder
• 50g fat of pork belly, diced
• 1 egg
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• Chilli flakes
• 2-3 tbsp port wine
• 2-3 tbsp brandy
• 400g chorizo, finely chopped

Method:

First, finely chop the shallots and garlic and fry them in a little oil until they are soft and translucent. Next, layer the bacon slices into a terrine dish, letting them hang over the edges. Then, put the pork shoulder through a meat grinder and mix all the ingredients together, including the diced pork belly fat, egg, herbs, spices, wine, and brandy.

Now it's time to assemble the terrine. Spoon the mixture into the terrine dish and fold the overlapping bacon slices over it. Put the lid on the dish and bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius. Place the dish in a larger roasting dish and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the terrine dish. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes to allow the bacon to brown.

Remove the terrine from the oven and hot water, and strain off any excess liquid. Allow the terrine to cool completely, then cover it with foil and weigh it down with some cans. After a couple of hours, remove the weights, cover, and chill the terrine overnight.

Finally, serve your delicious chorizo terrine with some fresh, homemade bread, salad, and your choice of condiments.

Enjoy your homemade chorizo terrine!

Frequently asked questions