Making homemade chorizo is one of those rituals that’s disappearing. Before, in every house with a backyard, when they slaughtered a pig, they made chorizos. Everyone helped: the elders added the spices, the younger ones ground the meat, and the kids stuffed while laughing.
Today you don’t need to slaughter a pig. You go to the butcher, buy the meat, and in two hours you have homemade chorizos that blow your mind. They don’t compare to the supermarket ones. You know exactly what goes in them, how much fat, which spices. And the flavor is DIFFERENT. Authentic.
Is it work? Yes. Do you mess up the kitchen? Also yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. When you eat that chorizo you made with your own hands, you understand why the effort is worth it.
Real time: 90 minutes (+ 12-24 hours curing in fridge) Yields: 20-22 grilled chorizos (about 6.6 lbs / 3kg) Difficulty level: Advanced - you need some tools and technique
What You Need
The Meats
- 4.4 lbs (2kg) pork shoulder or boneless rib
- 2.2 lbs (1kg) pork fat (belly, back fat or kidney fat)
- Key proportion: 65% meat, 35% fat
Watch out: Don’t use lean meat without fat. Chorizo NEEDS fat to be juicy. If you use fat-free meat, it ends up dry as a shoe sole. Ask your butcher for “meat for chorizos,” they know.
The Spices (traditional Argentine blend)
- 1.4 oz (40g) coarse salt (4 heaping tablespoons)
- 0.5 oz (15g) sweet paprika (3 tablespoons)
- 0.2 oz (5g) smoked paprika (1 tablespoon)
- 0.4 oz (10g) ground chili pepper (2 teaspoons, or more if you like spicy)
- 0.3 oz (8g) dried oregano (2 tablespoons)
- 0.2 oz (5g) ground cumin (1 tablespoon)
- 0.2 oz (5g) grated nutmeg (1 teaspoon)
- 6 finely chopped or crushed garlic cloves
- 0.4 oz (10g) freshly ground black pepper (2 teaspoons)
Important: Fresh spices make the difference. If you have 2-year-old paprika in the cupboard, it has no flavor. Buy new spices.
Liquids
- 2/3 cup (150ml) red wine (Malbec, whatever)
- 3 tablespoons (50ml) white wine vinegar or alcohol
Why these liquids: The wine gives flavor and helps the spices integrate. The vinegar helps preserve and gives that characteristic acidic touch.
Casings for Stuffing
- Pork casings 32-35mm caliber (buy at specialized butcher shops or online)
- You need about 13-16 feet (4-5 meters) for 6.6 lbs (3kg) of mixture
Watch out: Casings come salted. You have to soak them in warm water 30 minutes before using and rinse them well. If not, the chorizo ends up super salty.
Necessary Equipment
- Meat grinder (manual or electric) with coarse disc
- Stuffer (can be grinder attachment or large syringe)
- Large bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Cotton string or twine
- Large needle or toothpick for pricking
If you don’t have a grinder: You can ask the butcher to grind the meat. Tell them “coarse disc for chorizo.” Some do it free, others charge a bit. But it’s easier than buying a grinder.
How to Do It (with time and patience)
Step 1: Prepare the Casings
Do this first because it takes time.
Take the casings out of the package. They come rolled and salted.
Put them in a bowl with warm water for 30 minutes. This rehydrates them and removes excess salt.
Rinse them well under running water. Open one end of the casing, put the faucet inside, and let water run through the entire interior. This ensures there’s no salt inside.
Leave them in clean water until you need them. This keeps them flexible.
Trick: Taste a casing after rinsing. If it’s still salty, rinse more. It should be almost tasteless.
Step 2: Prepare the Meat
This is where you build the base of the chorizo.
Cut the pork into 1-1.5 inch cubes. Don’t need to be perfect, but roughly the same size.
Cut the fat also into similar cubes.
Mix meat and fat in a bowl.
Put EVERYTHING in the freezer for 30-40 minutes. You want the meat to be very cold but NOT frozen. This is key so the grinder doesn’t jam and the meat doesn’t turn to mush.
Why cold: Cold fat grinds better. If it’s at room temperature, it melts and you get paste. You want the fat to keep its structure.
Step 3: Prepare the Spice Mixture
While the meat cools:
In a small bowl, mix all the dry spices: salt, paprikas, ground chili, oregano, cumin, nutmeg, pepper.
Add the chopped or crushed garlic.
Pour in the red wine and vinegar.
Mix everything until a paste forms. The spices hydrate with the wine and vinegar.
Let rest 10 minutes so the flavors integrate.
Pro tip: If you want spicier chorizo, add more ground chili or a bit of hot paprika. Taste the mixture with your fingertip BEFORE adding to the meat. This way you know if it needs salt or spices.
Step 4: Grind the Meat
This is where the texture of the chorizo is defined.
Set up the grinder with the coarse disc (8-10mm holes). The fine disc leaves the chorizo like paste, you want texture.
Take the meat out of the freezer. It should be cold but you can stick a knife in without problems.
Grind all the meat and fat, letting it fall into a large bowl.
Alternate: one chunk of meat, one chunk of fat. This mixes as you grind.
Common errors:
- Using fine disc: You get chorizo with sausage texture, not chorizo
- Grinding warm meat: It turns to mush and fat melts
- Grinding too fast: The grinder heats up and melts the fat
Trick: If the grinder starts to jam or fat melts, stop. Put everything back in the freezer 10 minutes, clean the grinder, and continue.
Step 5: Mix Meat and Spices (most important)
This is where the ground meat transforms into chorizo.
Pour the spice mixture over the ground meat in the large bowl.
Mix with your hands. There’s no other way. Put your hands in and knead like bread dough.
Mix for 3-5 minutes, making sure the spices distribute evenly. Every gram of meat needs to have spices.
Do the test: Grab a handful and squeeze. If it stays compact and sticky, it’s good. If it crumbles, it needs more mixing or more liquid.
Cooking test (KEY): Make a walnut-sized ball, flatten it like a burger, and cook in a pan 2 minutes per side. Taste it. This way you know if it needs salt, spice, or whatever. THIS is the moment to correct, not after stuffing.
Pro tip: If it came out bland, add more salt (little by little). If you overdid the salt, there’s no going back. That’s why the cooking test is fundamental.
Step 6: Stuff the Chorizos (the artisanal part)
This is where you need patience and skill.
Prepare the stuffer:
Put the tube of the stuffer (the cylindrical attachment where the meat comes out).
Thread the casing onto the tube. It’s like putting on a stocking: you slide it until all the casing is on the tube, leaving 2 inches hanging at the end.
Tie the end of the casing with a double knot. Make sure it’s well closed.
Stuff:
Load the mixture into the stuffer.
Start pushing the meat (with the crank if manual, with the motor if electric).
The casing fills up. Important: DON’T fill it to the max. Leave a bit of space or it bursts when you tie the chorizos. It should be firm but not about to explode.
Control the rhythm: Push slowly and with constant pressure. If you go too fast, air bubbles form. If you go too slow, the chorizo is loose.
When the casing is almost full, leave 2 inches without meat and tie with a knot.
Common errors:
- Filling casing to the max: It bursts when tying
- Leaving air bubbles: The chorizo rots there
- Stuffing too loose: The chorizo is soft and falls apart
Trick: If you see an air bubble, prick with a needle or toothpick. Air comes out and you continue.
Step 7: Tie the Chorizos
Here you give individual shape to each chorizo.
With the chorizo strip already stuffed, put it on the counter.
Every 5-6 inches, make a complete twist of the chorizo on itself (like twisting it). This separates one chorizo from another.
Alternate the direction: One chorizo you turn right, the next left. This way they don’t unwind on their own.
If you want more security, tie each chorizo with cotton thread at the point where you twisted.
Traditional technique: Some tie with thread every 2 chorizos, others tie them all. Depends on your patience.
Step 8: Prick and Cure
Almost ready, just final details.
Prick:
With a large needle or toothpick, prick ALL the chorizos. Make about 4-5 pricks per chorizo.
Why: This releases trapped air and allows chorizos to “breathe” while curing.
Cure (key step):
Hang the chorizos in a cool, dry place with air circulation. If you have a shaded patio, perfect. If not, in the fridge.
Let them hang 12-24 hours. During this time, the spices integrate, the chorizo loses some moisture, and the casing sticks well to the meat.
In the fridge: Put them on a rack over a tray (so air circulates below). WITHOUT covering. The fridge dries them a bit and cures them.
Important: Don’t skip this step. Freshly stuffed chorizos don’t have good flavor. They need that curing time for the spices to do their work.
Step 9: Store or Cook
After curing:
To store:
- Fridge: 5-7 days in tupperware or bag. After that, they start to dry out.
- Freezer: Wrap each strip in film, and to the freezer. Last up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge the day before cooking.
To cook: Same as any chorizo. Grill with coals, 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Or on griddle, or in oven.
The difference: These chorizos have MORE flavor than any store-bought. They’re yours.
Homemade Chorizo Variations
Spicy Chorizo
- Add 0.4 oz (10g) more ground chili
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Finely chopped jalapeños (optional)
Smoked Chorizo
- After stuffing, hang in homemade smoker 2-3 hours
- Or add 0.4 oz (10g) extra smoked paprika
- They have that wood flavor
White Wine Chorizo
- Replace red wine with white wine
- Gives a softer, less intense flavor
- Perfect if you don’t like red wine taste
Sweet Chorizo (sweet-savory)
- Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Chopped raisins (optional)
- Sounds weird but is traditional in some areas
The Errors That Ruin Chorizo
Error 1: Too little fat Lean chorizo = dry chorizo. Fat is what makes it juicy. Minimum 30% fat, ideal 35%. Non-negotiable.
Error 2: Expired spices If the paprika is 3 years old, it has no flavor. Fresh spices or don’t make chorizo.
Error 3: Not doing cooking test If you don’t taste the mixture before stuffing, you might realize it’s bland AFTER making 20 chorizos. There’s no going back then.
Error 4: Stuffing with warm meat Fat melts, everything turns to mush. Cold meat, always.
Error 5: Not curing the chorizos If you cook them as soon as you stuff them, they have no flavor. Curing is key.
Error 6: Poorly washed casings If you don’t rinse casings well, chorizo ends up super salty. Wash them until they have no salty taste.
Questions Everyone Asks
Where do I buy casings? At specialized butcher shops, supplies stores for butchers, or online (MercadoLibre, etc). A casing package for 11 lbs (5kg) of chorizo costs $3,000-5,000 ARS (~$3-5 USD).
Can I do it without a stuffer? Technically yes, with a large syringe or pastry bag. But it’s a headache. If you’re going to make chorizos regularly, buy a manual stuffer (starting at $15,000 ARS / ~$15 USD).
How much does it cost to make homemade chorizo?
6.6 lbs (3kg) meat and fat: $18,000-24,000 ARS ($18-24 USD)
Spices: $3,000 ARS ($3 USD)
Casings: $1,000 ARS ($1 USD)
Total: $22,000-28,000 ARS ($22-28 USD) for 20 chorizos.
About $1,100-1,400 ARS ($1.10-1.40 USD) per chorizo.
At the artisan butcher they charge $2,500-3,500 ARS ($2.50-3.50 USD) each. You save almost 50%.
Is it healthier than store-bought? YES. You know exactly what it has. No preservatives, no colorants, no junk. Only meat, fat, and spices.
Can I use beef instead of pork? You can, but it won’t taste like chorizo. Argentine chorizo is pork. If you use beef, make yourself grilled sausage or longaniza, which are different recipes.
Do I have to use wine? Not mandatory, but wine gives flavor and helps spices integrate better. If you don’t drink alcohol or don’t want to, you can use tomato juice or vegetable broth.
Can I cook them immediately after stuffing? You can, but they won’t have good flavor. The 12-24 hour curing is what makes spices integrate and chorizo develop flavor.
What do I do if a casing breaks while stuffing? Tie the broken end, cut, and continue with another section of casing. It’s normal for some to break, casings are delicate.
Why did my chorizo come out dry? Options:
- Too little fat in mixture
- Cooked too long or with too high heat
- Cured too many days (dried too much)
Can I add other seasonings? YES. Some add thyme, rosemary, cilantro, or even chili powder. The base recipe is this, but you can experiment. Always do cooking test before stuffing everything.
The Final Truth
Making homemade chorizo is one of those things that seems impossible until you do it. The first time it’ll take you 2 hours and you’ll curse a bit. The stuffer will jam, some casing will break, you’ll stain your hands with spices.
Doesn’t matter.
When you cook those chorizos, when the smell of spices fills the grill, when you take that first bite and understand that THAT is the real flavor of chorizo, you’ll forget all the mess.
And the second time you’ll be more relaxed. The third you’ll already be an artisan. And by the fifth you’ll be tuning the recipe with your own secret spices.
This is what our grandparents did. It’s a ritual, a tradition, a labor of love. And when you invite friends and tell them “I made the chorizos,” they look at you with respect. Because making homemade chorizo is for those who really know how to cook.
Come on. Mess up the kitchen. Get your hands dirty. And then tell me if it’s not the best chorizo you’ve eaten in your life.
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