When To Use Chorizo Vs Hot Sausage In Your Dishes

Sausages are beloved the world over, with myriad recipes and styles prepared on just about every continent. They are made from beef, pork, chicken, turkey, or more exotic game, and they can be dry cured or fresh, mild or spicy, and seasoned with a wide variety of spices and flavors. So when it comes to choosing the right sausage to use in our recipes, the possibilities are endless. 

Tasting Table chatted with Hunter Shoults, plant manager at Bear Creek Smokehouse, to ask for guidance on when to use spicy sausage or chorizo in cooking. "Deciding when to use hot sausage or chorizo in a dish will depend on your desired flavor profile and overall goal for the meal being prepared," says Shoults.

Hunter is in charge of the production of all meats at Bear Creek. He's the son of Robbie Shoults, celebrity chef, third-generation owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse, and owner of Marshall Mercantile and High Horse 1898. "Typically, a hot sausage is used in anything such as soups, gumbos, and even stands alone on a bed of seasoned orzo, whereas chorizo will give you south-of-the-border vibes," he adds. 

Not all hot sausages are created equal. Depending on the style and region in which they are made, the spices in sausages vary as do the recipes for which they are best suited. For Cajun and Creole dishes like sausage and seafood gumbo, red beans and rice, or jambalaya, a hot Andouille seasoned with cayenne pepper is traditional, while a spicy Italian sausage, flavored with fennel and crushed chile flakes, will add zing to a pasta recipe like this classic baked ziti. 

The same is true when it comes to chorizo. Although both can be made from pork, there is a difference in flavor and texture between Spanish and Mexican chorizo. Spanish chorizo is cured and dried, flavored with smoked pimentón (paprika), garlic, and wine. It can be sliced or cubed and eaten as a tapa, or added to paellas and soups for a meaty, smoky touch. Mexican chorizo is not cured and must be cooked before eating. Although some recipes also include paprika, the red color comes from dried chiles like guajillo and ancho. In general, it is milder than Italian sausage or spicy Andouille. "It's great in scrambled eggs but also good as an added meat in a tortilla soup!" says Shoults.

Lastly, both Mexican chorizo and hot sausages can be used for extra flavor in other recipes. Simply remove the casings and mix with ground meat to make extra tasty hamburgers and meatballs; add a kick to any stuffing, or spice up your sausage and cheese balls.