Re: [CH] Chorizo
Rich McCormack (macknet@pacbell.net)
Thu, 07 Sep 2000 09:47:28 -0700
Curtiss-OX-5 wrote:
> Bayless .. in "Authentic Mexican Regional..." on p.p. 55 speaks to drying
> and aging Chorizoas does Kennedy in "The Art of Mexican Cooking" on p.p.
> 264.
>
> Barry
With regard to making sausage, drying and aging generally requires
several weeks and usually goes hand-in-hand with curing, using
preservatives such as sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite to prevent
the growth of dangerous bacteria. The Tolucan-style chorizo in
the Bayless book contains no preservatives and is "aged" for only
about 36 hours. Spanish-style chorizo contains curing chemicals
and is aged for about 8 weeks. Such dried and aged sausage can
usually be eaten without being cooked and generally has a long
storage life. Fresh sausage, such as Mexican-style chorizo
(including the Bayless version of Tolucan chorizo), cannot be
eaten uncooked, must be kept refrigerated, and has a limited
refrigerator shelf life. There must be no confusion about this,
it could ruin one's day.
With all due respect to Rick Bayless, I wouldn't follow his
recipe and hang the sausage in a "cool, dry place" for 36 hours
unless cool meant 40 degrees fahrenheit or less. Ground meat
hanging around for a day-and-a-half in the temperature danger
zone -- 40 to 140 degrees fahrenheit -- is asking for trouble.
I'd "age" it in the fridge. And, I wouldn't use casings, I'd
wrap it in a couple layers of cheesecloth and suspend it over
a container to catch the excess liquid that drips off, much
like I'd make yogurt cheese.
I used to include the following recipe in my web pages but
I don't think it's there anymore. So, FWIW...
Rich's Tolucan-style Chorizo
Toluca lies at an elevation of about 9000 feet in central Mexico
between Mexico City and Taxco. I've never been there, but
descriptions I've read suggest the landscape is somewhat stark.
Recipes for Tolucan chorizo generally include cinnamon, cloves,
nutmeg and ginger. The addition of these spices make the sausage
pleasantly sweet with a little less of a chile-bite than my basic
recipe for Mexican-style chorizo. Perhaps the local Tolucan
sausages with their sweeter, more complex flavors help take the
edge off the barren landscape.
2.5 pounds - boneless pork shoulder, loin, or butt
3.0 - ancho chiles
2.0 - pasilla chiles
2.0 tablespoons - paprika
1.0 teaspoon - Mexican oregano, well crumbled
3.0 - garlic cloves
1.5 teaspoon - coarse salt
0.25 teaspoon - ground coriander
0.5 teaspoon - black pepper
0.25 teaspoon - ground nutmeg
0.25 teaspoon - ground cinnamon
0.25 teaspoon - ground cloves
0.25 teaspoon - ground ginger
0.5 teaspoon - ground cumin
0.25 cup - red wine vinegar
1.0 tablespoon - sherry
as needed - pork fat to accommodate desired meat to fat ratio
5 feet - hog casings (optional)
Cut the meat (and fat, if necessary) into chunks. Spread out on
a pie pan or cookie sheet and place in the freezer to chill (not
long enough to freeze, just long enough to become firm). Toast
the chiles and garlic on a comal. Remove the stems (and seeds if
desired) and soak the chiles in warm water until soft. Remove the
skin from the garlic cloves, finely dice, spinkle with coarse salt,
and crush with the back of a dinner fork. Place the chiles and
garlic in a blender, add the red wine vinegar and sherry, and then
whirl until smooth. Grind the meat and fat together twice, using
a coarse blade. Add the chile puree and spices to the meat and mix
well. Cover and refrigerate at least a couple of hours or, even
better, overnight.
After allowing the flavors to blend, the sausage can be stuffed
into prepared casings or formed into bulk portions of appropriate
size and refrigerated for up to 3 or 4 days before use, after
which any remaining should be used or frozen.
--
Rich McCormack (Poway, CA) macknet@pacbell.net
Who is Rich McCormack? Find out at...
http://home.pacbell.net/macknet/