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Home » Mexican Chorizo Recipe

Mexican Chorizo Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Oct 13, 2021 · 24 Comments

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Homemade Chorizo Recipe

This homemade Mexican chorizo recipe is easy to make for spicy chorizo sausage with lots of bold chili flavor, great for pork or beef chorizo.

Homemade Chorizo Recipe

We're making homemade Mexican Chorizo in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends, and it is fantastic! If you've never made homemade chorizo, it's time to start because I think you're going to love this recipe.

Mexican chorizo is a highly seasoned sausage used in many well known Mexican dishes. There are many different types of chorizo in the world, each varying from region to region. Spanish chorizo is well known, though different in preparation, as it is a cured sausage, where Mexican chorizo is more commonly served fresh, or uncured.

It's an incredibly versatile ingredients. You'll find it use to make tacos and burritos, breakfast tacos, mixed into scrambled eggs, topping for tostadas, and so much more.

You can find chorizo in many grocery stores in the Mexican aisle. Store bought chorizo is great, and there are many brands available for you to try. However, you'll fall in love with making your own as you can better control the overall flavor and texture of your chorizo.

When it comes to pork sausage, chorizo is king, and I can get enough of it.

Let's talk about how to make Mexican chorizo, shall we?

Homemade Mexican Chorizo in a pan

Mexican Chorizo Ingredients

  • Ground Pork. Pork is more traditionally used in most chorizo recipes. With Mexican chorizo, you can use other meats, like ground beef, chicken, turkey, even tofu, though pork remains the most popular.
  • Paprika. I like smoked paprika or hot paprika, though any paprika will work.
  • Cayenne
  • Ancho Powder. You can use rehydrated anchos, pureed, or freshly ground whole pods.
  • Guajillo Powder. You can use rehydrated guajillos, pureed, or freshly ground whole pods.
  • Garlic Powder. Fresh minced garlic is great, too.
  • Cumin. I prefer to toast and grind my own cumin seeds for more pronounced flavor.
  • Oregano
  • Coriander
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper

Homemade Mexican Chorizo ingredients

How to Make Mexican Chorizo - the Recipe Method

The Pork. Add the ground pork (or other grounds meats) to a large bowl.

The Seasonings. Add all of the seasonings and vinegar.

Homemade Mexican Chorizo ingredients in a bowl

Hand Mix. Hand mix the ingredients into the meat until uniformly mixed. 

Mike hand mixing Homemade Mexican Chorizo in a bowl

Boom! Done! Spicy Mexican chorizo is ready to go! At this point you can package and freeze it, or you can cook it up and get to making all sorts of wonderful spicy recipes. What are you making?

Cooking chorizo sausage in a pan

How to Cook Chorizo

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.

Scooping up Homemade Chorizo from the pan

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Best Pork for Chorizo. Fatty pork is best for delicious chorizo, like ground pork shoulder or pork leg, or a good 70/30 ground pork mixture. You can use leaner pork for a lower calorie version, though you may sacrifice flavor. Consider grinding your own pork to make your own special blend. 
  • Other Meats. You can use other meats to make Mexican chorizo. Beef is particular popular, and fattier parts are more flavorful, but you can also make chorizo with ground chicken, ground turkey, other meats and tofu.
  • Green Chorizo. Green chorizo is a version of Mexican chorizo made with tomatillos, cilantro, chili peppers and garlic. You can easily incorporate these ingredients to make your own.
  • Season to Taste. Chorizo is a highly seasoned Mexican sausage, so feel free to adjust the seasonings to your own preference. I've included a lot of seasonings with this recipe, but add in more if you'd like, or you can dial it back. Consider more cayenne for spicier chorizo, or even hotter chili peppers.
  • Other Seasonings. Recipes vary from cook to cook. Other popular ingredients I have seen in Mexican chorizo recipes include pork fat or lard, dried chiles, cinnamon, cloves, red peppercorns, onion, mustard powder, and others.

Homemade Chorizo in a pan, ready to serve

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my homemade Mexican chorizo recipe. Let me know if you make it and how you spiced it up. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. 

Cookbook Recommendations

If you love traditional Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended.

  • Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
  • Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)

Homemade Chorizo on a spoon

My Favorite Chorizo Recipes

  • Queso Fundido
  • Chorizo Tacos
  • Chorizo con Huevos (Mexican Chorizo and Eggs)
  • Papas con Chorizo
  • Chorizo Stuffed Peppers
  • Mexican Rice with Chorizo
  • Charro Beans
  • Migas
  • Chilaquiles
  • Turkey-Chorizo Burgers

Try Some of My Other Popular Mexican Recipes

  • Rajas Poblanas
  • Mexican Picadillo
  • Beef Enchiladas
  • Sofritas
  • See all of my Mexican Recipes

Mike serving up Mexican chorizo tacos

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Homemade Chorizo Recipe
Print

Homemade Mexican Chorizo Recipe

This homemade Mexican chorizo recipe is easy to make for spicy chorizo sausage with lots of bold chili flavor, great for pork or beef chorizo.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: ancho, cayenne, chorizo, guajillo, paprika
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Calories: 369kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 6
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 4 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds ground pork fatty is best, or use ground beef or other ground meats
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon ancho powder
  • 1 tablespoon guajillo powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the ground pork (or other grounds meats) to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add all of the seasonings and vinegar. Hand mix the ingredients into the meat until uniformly mixed.
  • Store until ready to use or cook immediately.

Notes

Nutritional information will vary based on the pork or other meat being used.
How to Cook Chorizo. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan to medium heat. Add chorizo and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 369kcal   Carbohydrates: 4g   Protein: 18g   Fat: 31g   Saturated Fat: 10g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g   Monounsaturated Fat: 14g   Trans Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 82mg   Sodium: 769mg   Potassium: 432mg   Fiber: 2g   Sugar: 1g   Vitamin A: 2383IU   Vitamin C: 2mg   Calcium: 36mg   Iron: 3mg
Homemade Chorizo Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Categories: Cayenne Recipes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Kris says

    April 24, 2022 at 3:20 am

    Hi Mike, Can you tell me how Arbol chile powder compares to Cayenne? I found a good deal on a three pack of Guajillo, Ancho and Arbol and I just wondered if I could use the Arbol in place of the Cayenne for this recipe or if I needed to grab some Cayenne as well. Thanks so much.

    Cheers,
    Kris

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 05, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      Kris, there are similarities, so you can use arbol powder. Go for it! It would be a great addition for some heat.

      Reply
  2. Kris says

    April 23, 2022 at 10:46 pm

    Hi Mike,

    How does Arbol powder compare to Cayenne? I tried to find it in your types of peppers but didn't find it. I want to order it from Amazon and I found a trio of Guajillo, Ancho and Arbol and wondered if I could substitute the Arbol for the Cayenne. I'm looking forward to making my own Chorizo.

    Thanks,
    Kris

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 24, 2022 at 9:05 am

      Kris, they're fairly comparable in het, so either would work. I tend to use arbols a lot because I can grind them myself.

      Reply
  3. Charlie says

    January 31, 2022 at 2:30 pm

    Hey Mike, Another Great recipe, Love your spicy food recipes. How about a Spicy Breakfast patty sausage recipe?

    Thanks for considering.
    Charlie.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      January 31, 2022 at 2:34 pm

      Thanks, Charlie! Yes, great idea! I actually make it now and then, spicy, of course. Maybe on the site one day!

      Reply
  4. Rita says

    January 16, 2022 at 1:10 pm

    5 stars
    I used your recipe as a guide to make my own. I didn’t have guajillo powder but I had chile de arbol & chiles nuevo Mexico mix that I had prev made. I used half smoked paprika & sweet paprika for balance. I ran out of cayenne so the other half I used Aleppo peppers. It came out chingon!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      January 18, 2022 at 7:08 am

      Awesomeness! I love it, Rita. Glad to help and glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  5. Brent says

    January 03, 2022 at 8:02 pm

    Thanks Mike,turned out excellent my wives new fave for taco's. Will have to double the batch next time. On the hunt for guaillo peppers

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      January 03, 2022 at 10:28 pm

      Thanks, Brent! Glad your wife enjoyed it! A favorite here for sure! Good luck with the guajillos.

      Reply
  6. Brent says

    December 21, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Hi Mike, I live in Canada & guaillo peppars are hard to find here. Did find dried ancho peppars,have fresh Serrano & Fresno peppars available. what do think would work best for the chorizo

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      December 22, 2021 at 7:04 am

      Hi, Brent. Powders are ideal for making homemade chorizo, but you can grind the dried anchos to a powder. Or, rehydrate them and mix with the ground pork. It will taste slightly different without the guajillo (assuming you are using the other seasonings also). Feel free to add in chopped fresh peppers for some extra flavor/texture. Let me know how it turns out for you.

      Reply
  7. Cheryl Hill says

    December 05, 2021 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    Tastes great! Made my own ground pork using your recipe, and it made a difference, though I'll add a bit more fat (lard, maybe?) since pork is so lean these days. Flavors blend nicely. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      December 06, 2021 at 7:20 am

      Thanks, Cheryl. Yes, one of the keys is getting that fattiness to the chorizo. Glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  8. Cheryl Hill says

    October 15, 2021 at 4:38 pm

    This sounds amazing, Mike. I was going to just grind my dried anchos and guajillos to make the powders, but I notice you mentioned re-hydrating them. Do you have any insights about either/both, especially measurements to use if I re-hydrate. (Or, of course, I could just experiment as I usually do, but this recipe looks too good to screw up.) Also, thanks for the idea about briefly freezing before grinding meat. I usually make a big mess with my manual grinder. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 17, 2021 at 8:03 am

      Cheryl, you can use freshly ground. I actually updated the post to make the clear. Either way works great. Let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  9. Rick Hyder says

    October 13, 2021 at 9:33 pm

    Hi Mike. I have been hoping to find a good Chorizo recipe for a long time. That search looks now to be ended (thanks!). However, I do have one opinion based question for you. The Chorizo I tend to like most also includes the cinnamon and/or clove spices. Those flavors are also what seems missing, for my taste, in many of the versions I have tried in my area. So I hope to be taking your recipe and adding these spices as well. However, since I have never made this, do you have an approximation of how much cinnamon and/or clove I should add to the recipe you gave above? I realize everyone's tastes are different, just looking for a good starting point with them. Thanks for all the great recipes.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 13, 2021 at 9:55 pm

      Hey, Rick. Thanks. Yes, cinnamon and clove are common ingredients, and I mentioned that in the notes section. I personally would add in 1/8 teaspoon each, maybe a BIT more cinnamon, then adjust from there. Take notes! After you cook it, see what you think, then add more/less as your taste buds dictate. Let me know how it turns out for you.

      Reply
  10. Andra Yoshioka says

    October 13, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    Hey Mike, All the years I've been cooking Mexican & Tex/Mex, I have never thought to make my own choriso. Thanks for opening my eyes! Those tacos sure look delicious.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 13, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      Thanks, Andra. I greatly appreciate it. I think this will open some new things up for you! You might become the next chorizo maestro!

      Reply
  11. Ronald Igo says

    October 13, 2021 at 12:57 pm

    5 stars
    Mike, just a comment as we live in Southern Sonora MX in San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas. Masa harina is a fine grind (flour fine) corn product such as is used in tamales. It can also be ground from hominy. It is mostly white in color but can be yellow and of course blue. Wheat flour appears the same grind, very fine but is known as masa de trigo, wheat flour. White flour tortillas are tortillas de trigo, corn tortillas are masa de maiz. Confusing, I can do it, LOL. I really enjoy your site! Ron

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 13, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      Thanks, Ron!

      Reply
  12. col says

    October 13, 2021 at 11:26 am

    5 stars
    interesting. i have never seen chorizo done in a non-sausage form. does make things rather versatile.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 13, 2021 at 11:30 am

      Thanks, Col. Yes, I LOVE this stuff. So good!

      Reply

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