Semidried (Semicurado) Spanish Chorizo

Great Leftovers, Freezes Well

There are many types of Spanish chorizo, from hard, cured, air-dried sausages meant to be eaten as is to much softer and only partially dried (semicurado) versions, like the one here, that are used to add flavor to many dishes such as paella, bean dishes, and stews. Making semidried chorizo is simple, and the sausages can be frozen in small batches to be used whenever you have a hankering for Spanish-inspired recipes calling for semicurado chorizo. Do not use Mexican chorizo as a substitute for Spanish chorizo and vice versa. If you wish to dry these links for longer than 3 days or smoke them, you must add the Insta Cure for safety.

Makes about 3 pounds

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds boneless Boston butt (pork shoulder butt), cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ pound pork fatback (see Cook’s Notes), cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon Insta Cure No. 1
• ¼ cup cold water (if using Insta Cure No. 1)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup sweet Hungarian paprika or California chile powder
• 2 tablespoons Spanish paprika ( pimentón de la Vera; see Sources)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Medium hog casings

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Using a meat grinder fitted with a ⅜-inch plate, coarsely grind the pork into alarge bowl or coarsely chop in batches in a food processor in batches. Change to an ⅜-inch plate and grind the fatback through or chop in the food processor into about ⅜- inch pieces.
2. If using the Insta Cure No. 1 (see Cook’s Note), stir it into the cold water and pour over the pork mixture. Add 4 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, and the remaining ingredients (except the casings; see Cook’s Note). Using clean hands, knead and squeeze the mixture to blend thoroughly. Cook a small patty in a small skillet and taste for salt, pepper, and other seasonings; adjust as necessary.
3. Stuff the mixture into casings and twist into 6-inch links.
4. To partially dry the sausage, hang them over a stick at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place the links directly on a refrigerator shelf, so that air can circulate all around them. (If your refrigerator has glass shelves, suspend the links from a shelf.) Hang for 3 days or up to 8 days before using. After the drying period, the sausages can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen, in small batches, for up to 3 months.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Boneless country-style ribs, boneless country-style ribs from pork shoulder butt, or boneless blade-end pork loin.

COOK’S NOTE:

• You can also smoke these links for 2 to 3 hours, depending on how smoky you want them.