Q: First of all, how do you properly pronounce the word 'Chorizo '?
A: I hear such a lot of different pronunciations and spellings of this word - doubtless more than any other. The standard Castilian way would be 'choritho ' with a 'ch' from 'church' and a 'th' from think. For South American Spanish and some regional accents, substitute the 'th' for an 's'.
Q: Starting with the basics - what precisely is it?
A: It's basically a cured pork sausage seasoned with a few particular spices and herbs, most importantly 'pimenton ' (smoked Spanish paprika) giving it its characteristic flavor. If it is made with spicy pimenton then the result's manifestly a tasty chorizo.
Q: There seem to be so many sorts of chorizo, run us through the main variations.
A: There a quite a few variables to think about when buying chorizo: spicy or not, curation time, shape, quality, brand etc.
Q: What is the main consideration?
A: The most significant excellence is whether you would like it for cooking or swift cutting. For cutting, you need a absolutely cured sausage, that is to point out with 30 days or even more curation. For cooking, a softer fresher sausage is more appropriate. You should purchase them fully fresh in Spain, but most will have a small amount of curation, usually between 7 (probably referred to as fresh still) and 14 (frequently called 'semi-cured') days. This is simply to develop a good flavour before cooking.
Q: What about shape - is that vital?
A: Traditionally, chorizo is made in either hoops ('herradura') or strings of 5-10 tiny sausages ('achorizado ' or 'corra') - the latter is more common for cooking chorizo while the former is often utilised for cured sausages for cutting. You also see chorizo in larger, thicker sticks, frequently in deli counters (called 'cular ' or 'vela') - these are made mostly for slicing by machine and produce nice slices for sandwiches or appetizer plates.
Q: And quality and brand - isn't that a case of taste?
A: Yes and no. Obviously, people will like some brands over others, but it is vital to notice that brands are just that - the name of the maker. Importers regularly get asked for chorizo 'Revilla ' by buyers who have witnessed the name and assume that it refers back to the sort of product. Revilla is the name of a single (large) manufacturer - there are several others. Quality can again depend on brand, but most factories produce two distinct quality grades known as 'Extra ', the higher quality product made of prime cuts of pork, and 'Primera ', the lower quality variety made from 'less than prime ' cuts.
Q: Anything else worth knowing?
A: There are a small number of other points. Spanish Chorizo 'ahumado ' (smoked) is sometimes found, it should noted that ordinary chorizo is unquestionably NOT smoked (although the paprika used to make it is). Smoked chorizo has a much stronger flavor that you either love or hate. You may also see Chorizo Iberico on sale, which is made of the same black-footed pigs as Jamon Iberico, the connoisseur (and extremely costly) Spanish ham. This kind of chorizo has, again, a more robust flavour.
About the Author:
If you like Spain and what it must offer, maybe you will like the cuisine, Lola Espana imports Spanish food into the United Kingdom for sale to the general public, restaurants, hostels and to wholesalers. Take a look at our website here www.lolaespana.com We concentrate on renouned ingredients like Iberico and Serrano hams, visit www.lolaespana.com/hams as well as Spanish Chorizo, Olive Oil, Manchego Cheese and a lot more.
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