Spanish chorizo sausages with peppers and rosemary
Food - Drink
What Makes Spanish And Mexican Chorizo Different
By ERICA MARTINEZ
Red Spanish chorizo sausage with herbs and spices on wooden cutting board
Chorizo is a type of sausage found in both Spanish and Mexican cuisine. “Chorizo” is the Spanish word for “sausage,” which is why this name applies to two rather different foods.
Sliced Chorizo sausage, slices of dry cured pork with herbs and spices. Black background. Top view.
Both types of chorizo were invented when Spanish explorers brought pigs to the Americas. They combined pork with the new spices and chilis found in America to create chorizo.
Variety of dry cured Spanish pork chorizo sausages made with paprika and garlic.
Spanish chorizo is typically made from pork neck, loin, jowl, or belly, and many modern Spanish chorizos use smoked paprika to achieve the signature smoky flavor.
Slices and links of Spanish chorizo
The ingredients are stuffed into a casing and the links are fermented, smoked, and finally air-cured for up to three months. The sausage is then completely ready to eat.
Slices of tasty Spanish artisan sweet chorizo
With the texture of salami, Spanish chorizo is often sliced and eaten as a tapa along with cheese, bread, and wine. It also appears in soups, pasta, rice dishes, and sandwiches.
Mexican grilled BBQ meat variety on the platter . Different types of pork and beef meet sorted out and ready to be served. Outdoor grill setting.
Meanwhile, Mexican chorizo is made of ground pork flavored with chilis, vinegar, garlic, and other spices. It is never cured or smoked and must be cooked before being eaten.
Preparing Spicy Chorizo Tacos in Corn Tortillas with Red Onion, Cilantro and Cotija Cheese
The meat is usually removed from its casing, broken into pieces, and fried in a skillet like ground beef. It’s often added to breakfast dishes, beans, tacos, burritos, and tortas.
Potatoes with chorizo on a gray background. Traditional Mexican food
Mexican chorizo may have more of a spicy kick than Spanish chorizo, and the texture is completely different, so you might have a hard time substituting one for the other.