Making your own chorizo—with smoky chipotle chiles balanced by lots of aromatic fresh cilantro—is the basis for myriad Southwestern and authentically Mexican dishes. And it’s really easy to make, too.
Medium hog sausage casings (optional)
11/2 pounds pork butt or boneless country ribs
1/2 pound pork fat
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. If using sausage casings, prepare them as directed.
2. Cut pork and pork fat into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in a mixing bowl, and toss with paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and oregano. Transfer cubes to a sheet of plastic wrap on a plate and freeze for 30 minutes, or until very firm.
3. Grind meat and fat through the coarse disk of a meat grinder, or in small batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade using the on-and-off pulse button. If using a food processor, do not process into a paste, but ingredients should be very finely chopped.
4. Combine ground meat, garlic, chiles, vinegar, and wine in a mixing bowl, and knead mixture until well blended. Add cilantro. Knead well again. Fry 1 tablespoon of mixture in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
5. Stuff mixture into casings as described, if using, and twist off into 5-inch links; prick air bubbles with a straight pin or skewer. If time permits, arrange links on a wire rack over a baking sheet and air-dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 day before cooking. Alternately, if keeping sausage in bulk, refrigerate mixture for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.
6. Cook sausages as directed to an internal temperature of 160°F when pierced with an instant-read thermometer or as directed in a specific recipe.
Note: Sausages can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months. Once cooked, they can be refrigerated up to 3 days.