Homemade Fresh Chorizo Sausage is so delicious and simple to make, you’ll never buy the pre-made version again! Use in recipes for quick and easy meals. For added convenience, make up a big batch, separate into smaller portions, and store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
What is fresh chorizo sausage?
Fresh chorizo is a raw Mexican style pork sausage that can be used in a variety of quick and easy recipes. Sometimes I’ll stuff the fresh sausage mixture in casings when we want to grill them, but most of the time, I just leave the mixture loose and fry it in a pan to use in recipes.
By the way, these photos are of the chorizo sausage raw, not cooked. It’s easy to see how all the seasonings in Mexican chorizo contribute to it’s beautiful color and intense, delicious flavor.
What’s the difference between Mexican chorizo, Spanish chorizo, and Portuguese chouriço?
Mexican chorizo is fresh and uncooked ground pork (or sometimes beef) flavored with chilies, garlic, and paprika. The ground meat is available either loose or in a casing. Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço are both made with pork, garlic, and spices, but are cured in a casing. Spanish chorizo is made with white wine and heavy on smoked paprika and chourico is made with less parprika, more garlic, and a Portuguese red wine. Both of the sausages can be eaten as-is or lightly fried or grilled to just heat through.
Speaking of Portuguese chouriço, I am lucky enough to live close to an unbelievable Portuguese grocery store, Silva’s Mini Market. It’s owned and operated by the same family for over 30 years and they make their own chouriço sausage and carne de vinha d’alhos. Both are marinated in a wine, garlic, and paprika mixture and it’s seriously the best I’ve ever had.
Chorizo is perfect for quick and easy meals
We are getting ready to go camping again at Little River State Park in Vermont in the pimpin’ camper! This homemade fresh chorizo will definitely be coming with us on the trip. It’s perfect sautéed in a pan, then combined with eggs and potatoes for breakfast. Or put it into corn tortillas for a delicious lunch or dinner chorizo tacos (and for Taco Tuesday).
Quick and easy tasty meals is my thang when I’m camping and frying this chorizo up in a cast iron pan over a campfire is perfect. I think I could live out the rest of my life in my camper, traveling around the US, with a big batch (or two) of fresh chorizo.
Homemade sausage made the all-natural way
It may seem like making homemade fresh chorizo sausage is too time consuming, but it’s really not. It’s super easy to mix the cubed pork and spices together, then place in the refrigerator overnight to bind all the flavors together. The next day, just run it all through your meat grinder and store the ground mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use in recipes.
I’m going through a 3 week long sugar detox and eating a Paleo diet right now, so making my own sausage is important. I can control the quality of meat and leave out all those unnecessary ingredients in pre-made sausage, like sugar or nasty preservatives.
Try this easy Homemade Fresh Chorizo sausage and leave the processed stuff behind in the grocery store. PIN it for later to use it in this Beef and Chorizo Chili recipe too!
Homemade Fresh Chorizo sausage is so delicious and easy to make, you'll never buy the pre-made grocery store version again! For added convenience, make up a big batch, separate into smaller portions, and store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt cut into 1' cubes
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried coriander
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Place pork cubes in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together all spices (chili powder through cinnamon). Pour mixed spices and apple cider vinegar over the pork cubes, mixing well with your hands until all cubes are coated. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
After the 8 hours, set up a food grinder with a medium grind attachment and grind the chilled seasoned pork cubes. Store the ground pork mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Store the chorizo in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
I have never thought about making my own chorizo, but I didn’t think it would be this easy!
Thank you Dannii and it’s super easy
Yum, Karrie! I love chorizo and have never made before. Hubby and I bought a meat grinder over a year ago and, believe it or not, have not used yet! This recipe looks like the perfect place to start. Pinning! You made me hungry this morning talking about cooking chorizo in a skillet while camping and having with eggs. Sounds like you’re going o have a blast. We really enjoy camping too, though we haven’t in a looooong time. You’re going on a 3 week sugar detox? Whoa! Good luck girl! Have an awesome weekend! XO
You need to get out your meat grinder Girl! I love ours and use it to grind everything. I can’t wait to go camping and got the camper all ready this past weekend (even though we aren’t going for 5 weeks!). Yeah, I’m already off the sugar detox because I suck. lol!
I think most people need a vacation from their vacation… at least I know I always do! Maybe I should use that as my excuse as to why Boy and I haven’t taken a vacation in 5 years – because we don’t have time to take 2 vacays. Anyways, I’m glad you had fun in Vegas! Next time I’m going with you! And super glad you guys are going out on the road in the pimped out camper soon! It’s official – I’m going to vicariously live through you, #bestie! Anyways, chorizo! Hellllzzzz to the yes on this homemade fresh chorizo! This looks absolutely delicious and full of fabulous flavor! Store bought can’t hold a candle to TEA chorizo! Totally making a few pounds of this – some for now and some for the freezer! Pinned! Cheers, doll! xo
Hahaha! You need to go on vaca girl and relax with Boy! I’ll go with y’all too Thanks for your support too Bestie
Dude. You MADE chorizo? Why do I never think to use my meat grinder for fun and delicious things like this! I totally want to go pimped out camping with you in the New England mountains with a ton of this chorizo and cases of that beer! We won’t need a vacation from vacation because we’ll just stay on vacation! #chorizoandbeerforever
Yes, I made chorizo. lol! I would love to stay on vaca forever and drink beer and eat chorizo. Oh, a girl can dream…
I’m not a pork girl, although I do love wild boar – TOTALLY DIFFERENT in my eyes for some reason, lol – But I could easily make this with ground beef!
Yeah, isn’t wild boar just a wild pig? Which would mean it’s pork…but that’s okay if you want to see it differently. hahahaha. I think ground beef is a fine substitute!
I’m definitely going to try this Karrie. I got a meat grinder not too long ago and I’m always on the lookout for delicious recipes to make with it. We’ll be going camping a lot this summer, too and this will be perfect for breakfast! Have fun on your adventures
Thank you Connie. Meat grinders are so great! Love mine. I hope you write about your summer camping trips because I’d love to see where you guys go
Okay… but we missed you. Like, for real. However, I’m so happy to hear that you went on vacation girlie! Especially if it entails you getting to enjoy New England. Woot woot! How as Vegas? I saw a couple fun-lookin’ photos on IG. And omg… y’all did an awesome job on the camper makeover. Love the aqua tones. How soothing is that? I can just imagine the perfect lunch being had with camper in tow. Lol. Also, did I tell you? My sister is a HUGE camper! She would be all over this right now.
Great recipe–as always, happy to see your kitchen genius at work. Happy camping!
Thanks Demeter. Vegas was awesome. It was a girls trip so we had lots of fun. Thanks on the camper reno. I love that thing so much. We got it ready this weekend and I just sat it in for awhile. I could def live in that thing and travel all around. No, you didn’t tell me your sister is a huge camper! Does she live in California? I’d love to know where she camps too.
Karrie this sounds fabulous! I love the idea of stocking the freezer. This is so versatile it’s nice to have on hand. And I’m so jealous of your upcoming trip! I can’t wait to hear about it.
Thanks Jenny! I have a bunch of this chorizo in the freezer right now and it’s awesome bringing it out whenever I need it.
WooHoo to camping season! My husband will love this recipe. He loves making his own sausage and loves chorizo! Have fun camping!
WOOOHOOOOOO to camping season is right Kathy! If you and the Hubby try this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you
I had idea making Chorizo could be so easy!!!! I can’t wait to try to make it. I am so jealous of your upcoming pumpkin trailer camping trip!!! I can’t wait to hear all about it!
It’s super easy Katie! I can’t wait to go camping and I’ll def write about it in a post
We missed you but I hope you had an absolute blast in Vegas! Chorizo is one of those things I have always wanted to make at home but have never gotten around to. I might just have to try it now! Your recipe looks amazing girl.
Thank you Ashlyn and I had a wonderful time in Vegas! Hope you do try this recipe and let me know what you think
You are SO cool, Karrie…making your own chorizo – you RULE! I love this idea as store-bought sausage just has so many unknowns in it. I love incorporate chorizo into dishes too, so this is definitely a recipe I can see myself using very soon!
P.S. Did you eat at any Vegas buffets?? Hope you had fun!
Thanks Beeta and I am cool, aren’t I? hahahahahahaha! Just kiddin
We missed you here, Karrie. Hope you had amazing time at Vegas. And your camping trip sounds WOW! Making own chorizo sounds like an awesome idea, Karrie. Can’t wait to give it a go!
Aww, thanks Anu! Vegas was amazing but camping will probably be even more fun (and relaxing, which is always a good thing)
Welcome back Karrie and I hope you had a wonderful time on vacation I know Vegas is beautiful and full of surprises You know, in my country it’s a tradition for many families to make their own sausages and of course the homemade food are definitely more tasty and healthy and everything from the processed products And you make it sound very easy and enjoyable
Thanks Simona. I love families that get together and make their own sausages. Wish more people would do it
I love chorizo and the amazing flavor it brings to pretty much any dish (totally with you on having it for breakfast, lunch or dinner) but I do NOT love being unsure of what’s really lurking in those store-bought varieties. It always weirds me out a little that you just can’t be sure of what’s in their mixture. Worry no more – I can make my own! This is so freakin’ awesome – not sure who will be happier, me or the hubby?! Pinning!
Store bought stuff is always scary Kathryn. Yikes!
Oh my goodness, I had no idea I could make chorizo myself!! I have absolutely got to try this – I adore chorizo!
If you try it, please let me know how you like it Rachel
Darn chorizo is pretty simple to make! I didn’t know. This looks so delicious and great photos btw. Thank you for posting! Pinned
Thanks Keto!
Wow, what a treat the fresh stuff must be. It never even crossed my mind to do anything other than walk down to the store for chorizo! I hope you have many wonderful adventures on your camping trip!
Thank you Rahul and I can’t wait to go camping
I keep telling my hubby we need to make sausage from scratch… He would love this! I would love this! And such a perfect addition to your camping trip! Wooohooo!
Do it Annie! Thanks and the camping trip is just around the corner! Woooooohooooo
Karrie–OMG I am totaly drooling!! I am making this asap!! Love your spice and flavors!
Thank you Mahy
My family loves chorizo! I never thought of making my own, but I really want to make some now! I especially love the idea that you can have the same great taste without all the unwanted ingredients of packaged chorizo. Returning to real life after a vacation is always a downer, but a summer full of camper living and the great outdoors is definitely something to look forward to! Have fun!!
Real life, especially after a vacation, is a total bummer Thao. Thanks for visiting and hope you are well xoxo