CHORIZO. a spicy Spanish pork sausage.

Chorizo (Spanish: [toio]) is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula. Chorizo can be a fresh sausage, in which case it must be cooked before eating. In Europe, it is more frequently a fermented, cured, smoked sausage, in which case it is usually sliced and eaten without cooking. Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chourio get their distinctive smokiness and deep red color from dried smoked red peppers (pimentn). Due to culinary tradition, and the expense of imported Spanish smoked paprika, Mexican chorizo (and chorizo throughout Latin America) is usually made with chili peppers, which are used abundantly in Mexican cuisineIn Spain and Portugal, the sausages are usually encased in natural casings made from intestines, in a traditional method that has been used since Roman times. Chorizo can be eaten as is (sliced or in a sandwich), barbecued, fried, or simmered in apple cider or other strong alcoholic beverage such as aguardiente. It also can be used as a partial replacement for ground beef or pork. Spanish-style tapas bars that serve traditional-style chorizo have gained in popularity in recent years. Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with smoked pimentn (paprika) and salt. It is generally classed as either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of smoked paprika used. Hundreds of regional varieties of Spanish chorizo, both smoked and unsmoked, may contain garlic, herbs and other ingredients.

Chorizo comes in short, long, hard and soft varieties; the leaner varieties are suited to being eaten at room temperature as an appetizer or tapas, whereas the fattier versions are generally used for cooking. A general rule of thumb is that long, thin chorizos are sweet, and short chorizos are spicy, although this is not always the case. As well as chorizo, Spain also produces many other varieties of pork elaborations, such as lomo embuchado or salchichn, cured and air-dried in a similar way. Lomo is a lean, cured meat to slice, made from the loin of the pig, which is marinated and then airdried. Salchichn is another cured sausage without the pimentn seasoning of chorizo, but flavoured with black peppercorns instead. Depending on the variety, chorizo can be eaten directly, sliced in a sandwich, barbecued, or fried or baked alongside other foodstuffs, and is also an ingredient in several dishes where it accompanies beans, such as fabada or cocido madrileo. The version of these dishes con todos los sacramentos (with all the sacraments) adds to chorizo other preserved meats such as tocino (cured bacon) and morcilla (Spanish blood sausage). Chorizo is a pork sausage that has many different varieties and is eaten all over Spain. Most chorizo that you would buy in stores has been cured, but fresh chorizo, which is softer is also available. Chorizo is made by chopping or grinding the pork and marinating it in spices. Spanish paprika (sweet or spicey) is the spice which is gives chorizo its characteristic flavor and distinguishes it from other sausages. The casing of the chorizo is usually made from pork, if made at home. Chorizo may be sliced and eaten alone or with crusty French-style bread or can be fried. It is very common to use it as an ingredient in other dishes, such as stews and soups.