The natural gut of the pig is used to stuff the chorizo, which is made of chopped pork meat and fat, seasoned with paprika and garlic. The special paprika is known as “pimento” gives chorizo its distinctive red colour. Spanish chorizo differs from other sausages around the world due to this characteristic. In modern times, pork guts, including the large or small intestine (for example), are used as edible skin made from non-animal sources. A natural product with high protein content, high biological value, and unique organoleptic properties is created by combining the right amount of bacon with the right amount of pork meat in the right proportion.
The history of chorizo
The chorizo has a primitive origin as it is closely linked to the “slaughter of the pig,” one of the gastronomic traditions, festive, cultural and even religious traditions in most rural villages in Spain. Most families were supplied with storage of meat for the entire year.
Preservation methods
Salt: We can’t discuss chorizo until the salt stops showing up and stops being used. Salt first appears in 3000 BC during the reign of Simer, a time when spicy foods (such as meat and fish) and foods were traded. The meat was better preserved in ancient times by being cut into thin strips and allowed to dry in the sun. The Fire: After the discovery of fire, possibilities for conservation and the use of smoke as a method of meat preservation increased.
First mentions of sausages
It appears that the “morcilla,” or blood sausage, is where the tale starts. Homer mentions the stomach being filled with blood and fat that can be roasted in fire in the Odyssey, which was written in the ninth century BC. It is the very first time a sausage has been mentioned.
Literature from the time demonstrates that there were various sausages in Greece and Rome. Ham, bacon, and sausages are mentioned in some classical Greek literary works. As in an Aristophanes comedy where the lead character first appeared carrying a jar of sausages. The Romanesque Calendar, November (the month of the killing or Sanmartino) and the painted image of a man holding a pig that will be sacrificed are reflections of San Isidoro (XII century).
The Romans and sausages
By the way, Romans referred to certain sausages as “botulus” or “botellos,” which are now more commonly referred to as “botillos” and are popular in Galicia, Asturias, and Leon. The Romans weren’t particularly fond of sausages. We are aware that they had a wide variety of sausages, and one of those was the “botulus,” which was sold on the streets.
Evolution of the chorizo
Outside of the cities, cattle were bred in the fifteenth century, and when they died, their parts were sold to butchers. But it was different with the pigs. The family made chorizo out of the pig that had been killed in the street after it had grown up in the village. In some villages, this tradition of “the slaughter of the pig” is still practised.
The development of meat products, which is closely linked to the advancement of industrialization, which gave greater freedom to trade and movement of goods, did not occur until the nineteenth century.
The Royal Academy of Language’s definition of the chorizo as “a short piece of gut, filled with meat, regularly pork, chopped and seasoned, usually cured by the smoke” in the Dictionary of Authorities, published in 1726, is likely the earliest of all Spanish sausages. The use of paprika in Spanish charcuterie at that time was not very common.
Origin of the chorizo
As previously stated, paprika, or “pimenton,” is what gives Spanish chorizo its red colour. It wasn’t until the sixteenth century from America that this ingredient reached Spain. Sausages were either white or black in Europe prior to the discovery of America if they were made with blood. Originally handmade before being sold in all markets, pepper also originated in America. In one tale, King Charles IV and chorizo are involved. A chorizo maker approached the king while he was out hunting and offered him chorizo. He was named the royal chorizo provider because the king loved it. This fact was depicted in a tapestry by Bayeu, Goya’s brother, titled “The Choricero Jose Rico, Candelario.”
How to make traditional chorizo
Pork meat, pork bacon, paprika, garlic, and salt make up the majority of the ingredients.
However, there are as many recipes as kinds of chorizo. The species used can range greatly. The flavour of the chorizo comes from a combination of the flavours of garlic, pepper, cumin, bay leaf, thyme, onion, paprika, and oregano rather than just one species.
It can be difficult to tell if someone has a little more of this or a little less of that.
There are many different possible recipes. The creation of chorizo has always been largely a family affair, with each family having its own recipe. Let’s now go over the process’ four main pillars. The traditional method of making chorizo consists of a few easy steps and is very straightforward:
– Cut up the bacon and meat.
– Blending it with all of the species.
– 24-hour period of rest
– Use natural pork gut to make the sausage.
– To cure, the product is tied and left out in the open, with suitable locations selected based on their temperature and humidity levels. The traditional method has always been in enclosed spaces filled with smoke and fire to keep insects away.
– During the maturation period, the natural flavours develop while the product dries and acquires texture. The chorizos are cured for around 50 days in a cool dry place. The sausages are frequently smoked over oak wood before being allowed to dry in a cool environment.
