1Setup & Prepare
About This Recipe
Fresh Mexican-style chorizo using lean javelina meat with pork fat, dried chiles, and spices—versatile, flavorful sausage.
Cultural Context
(145 words) Mexican chorizo—fresh, uncooked sausage heavily spiced with chiles and vinegar—represents Mexican butchery at its finest. Unlike Spanish chorizo (dry-cured), Mexican chorizo is fresh, crumbly, and explosively flavorful. Javelina's lean meat makes exceptional chorizo when supplemented with pork fat for proper texture and moisture. Southwestern hunters have embraced chorizo-making as ideal use for trim and less tender cuts, creating vibrant red sausage that brings authentic Mexican flavor to breakfast burritos, tacos, and queso fundido. The grinding process eliminates concerns about toughness while the bold seasoning celebrates javelina's natural flavor. This preparation has become staple at hunting camps across Texas and Arizona, where fresh chorizo sizzles in cast iron pans for hearty breakfasts. It's practical preservation method that yields restaurant-quality results, proving javelina excels in traditional Mexican preparations.
2Ingredients
Shopping List
3Cooking Instructions
- Toast dried chiles in dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant. Cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes until softened.
- Drain chiles and blend with garlic, vinegar, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cloves until smooth paste forms. Add water if needed to blend.
- Cut javelina meat and pork fat into 1-inch cubes. Freeze for 30 minutes until very cold but not frozen—essential for clean grinding.
- Grind meat and fat through medium plate (ÂĽ-inch) of meat grinder, or pulse in food processor until coarse-ground texture.
- Add chile paste to ground meat and mix thoroughly with hands or stand mixer with paddle attachment until paste is evenly distributed throughout meat.
- Fry small patty to test seasoning. Adjust salt, vinegar, or spices as desired.
- Form into patties or leave loose for crumbling. Refrigerate overnight for flavors to develop.
- To cook: crumble chorizo into hot skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up with spoon, for 8-10 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Serve with scrambled eggs, warm tortillas, refried beans, and crumbled queso fresco for authentic Mexican breakfast.
4Chef's Notes & Pairings
Chef's Notes
- The pork fat is essential—don't skip it or chorizo will be dry and crumbly.
- Meat must be very cold when grinding to prevent smearing and ensure clean texture.
- Overnight aging dramatically improves flavor as spices marry with meat.
- Toast whole dried chiles rather than using chile powder for superior flavor.
- Chorizo can be used in countless dishes: tacos, quesadillas, pasta, pizza, queso fundido.
Wine Pairing
Mexican Hot Chocolate or Michelada – Traditional pairing is Mexican hot chocolate, or try beer-based michelada for brunch.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving) Calories: 285 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Carbohydrates: 4g | Iron: 3.8mg
