Chorizo Chuquisaqueño
Ingredients
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- 10 feet hog casings – soaked and rinsed
- 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder – cut into 1-inch pieces and well chilled (~3.5 n/a pork shoulders)
- 3/4 pounds pork back fat – cut into 1-inch pieces and well chilled
- 8 cloves garlic – finely minced
- 1/4 cups ají colorado powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano – crumbled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cups chicha (corn beer) – well chilled
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil – for oiling grill grates
- 1 each red onion – thinly sliced
- 2 each tomatoes – thinly sliced
- 1 each locoto (Bolivian pepper) or jalapeño – thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro – chopped
- 1 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- marraqueta rolls – for serving
- llajwa – for serving
Instructions
1. Soak the hog casings in cool water for 30 minutes, then flush water through each length to clean; keep submerged and refrigerated until ready to stuff.
2. Chill all equipment (mixing bowl, grinder parts, and stuffer) for at least 30 minutes. Cut the pork shoulder and pork back fat into 1-inch pieces and keep very cold.
3. Grind the chilled pork shoulder and pork back fat through a medium (1/4-inch) plate into a cold bowl. Work over ice or in a cold area to keep the mixture under 40°F.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the minced garlic cloves, ají colorado powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, kosher salt, and chicha (corn beer). Stir to form a loose paste.
5. Add the seasoning paste to the ground meat. Mix by hand until the sausage binds and turns tacky, 3–4 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours to hydrate the spices and develop flavor.
6. Slide a length of hog casing onto the stuffer nozzle, leaving a 6-inch tail. Stuff the sausage firmly but without bursting, then twist into 5–6-inch links. Prick any visible air pockets with a pin. Refrigerate links uncovered 4–6 hours to dry the casings.
7. Make the sarza while the sausages rest: toss the red onion, tomatoes, and locoto (Bolivian pepper) or jalapeño with the fresh cilantro, white wine vinegar, and fine salt. Let stand 10–15 minutes to lightly pickle and soften the onions.
8. Preheat a grill to medium heat (about 375°F/190°C). Oil the grates with the vegetable oil.
9. Grill the sausages over medium heat, turning every 3–4 minutes, until evenly browned and cooked through, 15–20 minutes. They are done when an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F/71°C and juices run clear.
10. Split and warm the marraqueta rolls on the grill for 1–2 minutes. Serve each sausage tucked into a roll with a generous spoonful of sarza and llajwa alongside.
Chorizo chuquisaqueño is a vibrant, juicy fresh sausage from Sucre that shines with the deep brick-red color and mellow heat of ají colorado. The meat is coarse-ground and well-marbled so it grills up snappy on the outside and succulent within. A gentle bath of chicha adds aroma and tenderness, and the finished links are typically paired with a bright onion-tomato sarza and spoonfuls of llajwa for a clean, peppery bite.
Rooted in the Chuquisaca region, this chorizo is a beloved mid-morning and market staple, famously served hot off the grill in marraqueta rolls. Vendors and home cooks alike have preserved the profile for generations: pork seasoned with ají colorado, garlic, cumin, and oregano, hydrated with local chicha, and cooked over live fire. The sandwich-style serving with sarza and llajwa reflects Bolivian street-food culture, where simple accompaniments highlight the sausage’s spice and smoke.