Hoggirl Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 I am going to make a Spanish bean (garbanzo) soup. It calls for chorizo sausage. The chorizo I have is in a 10 oz cylindrical package (not unlike regular breakfast sausage, only a smaller cylinder) and is raw. It is pork not beef. It seems pretty "squishy" in there. When I have eaten chorizo in dishes like paella it always seems to be in nice little circles. I cannot figure out how this is going to slice up very well once I open the package. How do I cook this??? Can I cook it whole and then slice it? Should I just crumble it and cook it? I am wondering if there is more than one kind of chorizo?? Any advice? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 I've always found chorizo ground and I brown/crumble it like hamburger or italian sausage. I've never used it in a soup before but that sounds really good. I've browned it and then poured scrambled eggs into it and made a breakfast type dish with it and serve breakfast potatoes w/it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 I tried to do it in little circles, but it just all fell apart. I think it is going to add some good flavor to my soup though. In the past, it has been a bit bland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I think the sausage you had before was not chorizo. Chorizo is pork sausage with lots of spices. The stuff you buy at the grocery store cooks down to almost nothing after to strain it (or so it seems) and is usually then added to eggs. It's one of DH's favorite dishes. If you can get chorizo that is made by the meat department (rather than the prepackaged kind), it is a bit firmer, less fatty, and tastes much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 (edited) In Spain, Chorizo is a firm, cured and smoked pork sausage spiced with paprika that slices into happy, little round pieces perfect for paella. In Mexico, Chorizo is a ground pork sausage spiced with chile and garlic. You crumble it up and add it to eggs (or whatever). OT, my personal favorite is the meatless version from Trader Joe's. Not Soyrizo, some other brand that I cannot find here in Denver :glare: At any rate, somewhat different things with the same name makes for confusion! Edited December 30, 2009 by Ailaena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Wow! Your soup is going to be spicy! Post the recipe;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 is the easiest. you can steam with water, but that will take some time (much like an italian sausage left whole). The steaming does allow for slicing, but usually, it is easier to ground and brown...I want that recipe too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 In Spain, Chorizo is a firm, cured and smoked pork sausage spiced with paprika that slices into happy, little round pieces perfect for paella. In Mexico, Chorizo is a ground pork sausage spiced with chile and garlic. You crumble it up and add it to eggs (or whatever). :iagree: Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo are totally different things. If you are making a Spanish recipe, I would substitute something like kielbasa or andouille sausage, or some other dry-cured or smoked sausage. That comes closer to Spanish chorizo; Mexican chorizo is more like a very greasy breakfast sausage. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I am pretty sure that is already cooked and you just heat it up. I would slice it in circles, myself. If the casing is thick, I would peel it off. It shouldn't fall apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I tried to do it in little circles, but it just all fell apart. I think it is going to add some good flavor to my soup though. In the past, it has been a bit bland. oh, ok, nix my post, then. lol It must need to be sauteed. I'd do that, then add to whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 In Spain, Chorizo is a firm, cured and smoked pork sausage spiced with paprika that slices into happy, little round pieces perfect for paella. At any rate, somewhat different things with the same name makes for confusion! That's exactly what I thought it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 The friend who gave it to me lives in Florida. Actually her recipe says "Polish sausage OR chorizo," but she told me that her mil puts in both so that is what I did. The recipe makes a VAT - you MUST have a REALLY BIG pot! Note that you must start the day before as the beans have to soak overnight. Spanish Bean Soup 2 lbs dried garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) 1.5 lbs pork stew meat (or just cut pork loin roast into 1" cubes) 1 lb Polish sausage, sliced into rounds 10 oz pork chorizo (as discussed in this thread, mine is Mexican and thus raw and "squishy") water 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp basil 1/2 tsp turmeric (or use a pinch of saffron if you are rich!) can of chicken broth 3 - 4 medium potatoes Soak beans overnight with water to cover by two inches. The next morning, drain and rinse. Set aside. Brown chorizo in skillet, crumbling while cooking. Drain thoroughly. I used a BUNCH of paper towels. I mean a BUNCH! Place pork meat in a LARGE soup pot with water barely covering it. Boil on high until dry, stirring occasionally. Right before it burns (the bottom of the pot will be brown), carry to sink and fill pot about halfway full with water. Thoroughly scrape all brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add garbanzo beans and bring to a boil. Skim foam. Add polish sausage, cooked chorizo, and all seasonings. Cook a looooong time, covered, at a nice simmer. Stir every once in awhile. I usually start this at lunchtime and cook all afternoon. One hour prior to serving, remove three or four ladles of beans and process in food processor. I put mine in a bowl and use my immersion blender. But don't put the immersion blender in the soup as you don't want to puree all of the beans - just some of them. Put the 3 - 4 ladles of now purreed beans back into the pot. Peel and chunk up the potatoes and add to the pot with the can of chicken broth. I also usually break apart the pork meat at this point. Check seasonings and adjust if necessary. Cook one more hour. If too thick when reheating leftovers, add more chicken broth. Hope you like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 In Spain, Chorizo is a firm, cured and smoked pork sausage spiced with paprika that slices into happy, little round pieces perfect for paella. In Mexico, Chorizo is a ground pork sausage spiced with chile and garlic. You crumble it up and add it to eggs (or whatever). OT, my personal favorite is the meatless version from Trader Joe's. Not Soyrizo, some other brand that I cannot find here in Denver :glare: At any rate, somewhat different things with the same name makes for confusion! Definitely, two different products... a bit like British vs American biscuits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Definitely, two different products... a bit like British vs American biscuits! I was just thinking the same thing. I never knew there was a Chorizo that was like polish sausage. It's like Chili v/s Chili. Around here the Chili is red or green. Everywhere else it's a dish made with meat and red beans. All the chorizo we eat is the kind the OP is talking about. We have a saying around our house. I love Chorizo, but it doesn't love me ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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