Cooking With Mexican-Style Chorizo: How to Cook It and Build Big Flavor
Mexican-style chorizo is a highly seasoned fresh sausage that can bring chile, garlic, spice and richness to an entire dish. Unlike the firm cured chorizo associated with Spain, fresh Mexican-style chorizo is cooked before eating and usually crumbled from its casing as it cooks.
This guide explains how Mexican-style chorizo differs from cured chorizo, how to cook it properly, how to use its rendered fat, and why it works so well with eggs, potatoes, beans, soups, tacos and pasta.
What Is Mexican-Style Chorizo?
Mexican-style chorizo is typically made from ground pork seasoned with dried chiles, garlic, vinegar and spices. Recipes and commercial brands vary widely, so one chorizo may be mild and earthy while another is noticeably hot, tangy or smoky.
Common seasonings can include ancho or guajillo chile, paprika, Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and clove. The exact mixture is not standardized, which is why tasting the cooked sausage before adding additional salt or chile to a dish is useful.
Mexican Chorizo vs. Spanish Chorizo
The most important difference for the home cook is that Mexican-style chorizo is generally sold as a fresh sausage that requires cooking, while many Spanish-style chorizos are cured and ready to eat. Do not assume that every product labeled chorizo can be handled the same way; check the package for cooking and storage instructions.
For a broader look at cured meats and how they behave in recipes, see Cooking With Cured Meats: How to Balance Salt, Fat, and Big Flavor.
How to Cook Mexican-Style Chorizo
If the sausage is in a casing, remove the casing when the recipe calls for loose chorizo. Place the meat in a skillet and break it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Moderate heat gives the sausage time to cook through while allowing some of its fat to render without scorching the spices.
Because fresh sausage formulations vary, follow the package directions and cook it thoroughly. When you need to verify doneness, an instant-read thermometer is more dependable than judging the meat only by color.
The rendered fat carries much of the sausage’s seasoning and can become part of the flavor base for the rest of the dish.
Should You Drain Chorizo Fat?
Not automatically. The rendered fat contains flavor, and a small amount can be useful for cooking potatoes, onions, peppers, beans or eggs in the same pan. If the sausage releases more fat than the dish needs, spoon off the excess rather than removing all of it.
Wait until the chorizo has cooked before deciding. A leaner sausage may release relatively little fat, while another may produce considerably more.
Cooking Chorizo With Potatoes
Potatoes are one of the best partners for chorizo because their mild starchiness absorbs the seasoned fat and balances the sausage’s intensity. Cook the potatoes until tender and browned, then combine them with cooked chorizo, or use rendered chorizo fat as part of the cooking fat.
Chorizo for Breakfast
Eggs soften and spread chorizo’s concentrated seasoning, which is one reason the combination is so useful at breakfast. Cook the chorizo first, then add eggs or incorporate the cooked sausage into a frittata. Try Instant Pot Mexican Chorizo & Cheddar Cheese Frittata.
Chorizo in Soups and Beans
A relatively small amount of chorizo can season a pot of beans or soup. Brown the sausage first when appropriate, then build the rest of the dish around the rendered fat and browned bits. Taste before adding much extra salt because sausage can already be well seasoned.
Chorizo for Tacos and Dinner
For tacos, chorizo benefits from ingredients that add contrast: potatoes, beans, fresh salsa, avocado, cabbage, onion and citrus can all temper its richness. Chorizo Potato Tacos use the classic chorizo-and-potato pairing in a tortilla.
It can also season pasta and vegetable dishes. Try Orecchiette with Chorizo and Chickpeas or Mexican Squash Pasta with Chorizo Meat Sauce.
How to Balance Chorizo’s Flavor
Chorizo already brings fat, salt, chile and spice, so build around it rather than seasoning the rest of the dish as though the sausage were plain ground pork. Potatoes, rice, beans and eggs absorb and spread its flavor. Tomatoes, lime, vinegar and fresh salsa add acidity. Fresh herbs, cabbage and avocado provide contrast and freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need oil to cook Mexican chorizo?
Often you need little or none because pork chorizo usually renders its own fat. A very lean product or a pan prone to sticking may benefit from a small amount of oil at the start.
Can I eat Mexican-style chorizo without cooking it?
Fresh Mexican-style chorizo is intended to be cooked. Follow the label on the product you purchase rather than assuming it is ready to eat because it is called chorizo.
Why is my chorizo greasy?
Chorizo formulations differ in fat content. Let the sausage cook and render, then remove only the excess fat the finished dish does not need. Keeping some of it can provide valuable flavor.
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