Chorizo, when done right, is a rapid-transit experience for your tastebuds — from spicy to sweet to savory. Not in that order, necessarily. While the spice list is extensive here, it’s worth the effort and investment to include all, as this sausage is truly something special if you enjoy Mexican cuisine.
A note on using alcohol for sausage: While yes, we are using tequila here, we are using a small amount and diluting it with ice water. High-proof alcohol and vinegar can break the protein-fat bind in sausage, which can lead to dry, crumbly sausage. All to say: Don’t get too nuts with the tequila in your sausage mix. Try to follow ratios here.
If you’re new to sausage making, watch a few videos. There are some key steps you don’t want to miss, one of the biggest being keeping your meat ice-cold throughout the process. If the meat warms and fat smears, protein extraction will fail. Your fat will leak out while cooking and — same as too much high-proof alcohol — leave you with dry, flavorless sausage.
All ingredients are listed in percentages so you can adapt to any amount of meat. For equipment, you will want a grinder and a dry goods scale, potentially a larger meat scale and a meat mixer, as well as a sausage stuffer/press if you plan on making sausage links.
Ingredients (makes 12 approximately 6-ounce sausages):
- 3 pounds venison (60%)
- 2 pounds pork back fat (40%)
- 2,268 grams total meat
- 34 grams kosher salt (1.5%)
- 17 grams chipotle powder (0.75%)
- 11 grams chili powder (0.5%)
- 11 grams guajillo powder (0.5%)
- 11 grams ground black pepper (0.5%)
- 8 grams paprika (0.35%)
- 8 grams cumin (0.35%)
- 8 grams coriander (0.35%)
- 8 grams granulated garlic (0.35%)
- 4 grams oregano (0.18%)
- 4 grams ground thyme (0.18%)
- 4 grams onion powder (0.18%)
- 2 grams ground all-spice (0.09%)
- 2 grams ground cinnamon (0.09%)
Additives:
- 10 grams C-Bind per 5 pounds
- 1/4 cup ice-cold tequila, 3/4 cup ice water per 5 pounds
- 113 to 227 grams high-temp pepper jack cubes (5% to 10%)
Suggested sausage casings:
- LEM Pre-Tubed Natural Hog
- Casings 32-35mm
Optional:
- Queso fresco for topping
- Roasted poblanos for side
Spicy mayo drizzle:
- 1/4 cup of chipotle puree (chipotle peppers in adobo sauce pureed in food processor or blender)
- 1/4 cup honey
DIRECTIONS:
Make sure your total meat mixture is 60:40 venison to pork back fat. Convert your total amount of meat to grams. Use a dry goods scale set to metric and properly measure out ingredients based on percentages. (Make sure to divide percentage numbers above by 100 to properly multiple. Example: 1.5% will show up as 0.015 in the calculator. Multiply that by your total amount of meat for amount of kosher salt you need to add.)
Make absolutely sure meat stays ice-cold from grind to mixing. (Grinding partially frozen meat is an option here.) Grind meat once through coarse grinding plate, then add spice mix and coat meat. Grind a second time. If meat ever gets above 35 degrees Fahrenheit, add to the freezer until it’s ice-cold again.
Using either a meat mixer or your hands, mix meat for 3 minutes. Make sure it stays ice-cold. During this time, add ice-cold tequila and ice water. Mix for another minute, then add C-Bind (carrot fiber). Mix in, then add desired amount of pepper jack cheese.
Either keep as loose sausage or stuff into casings. If stuffing, turning into links, prick any air bubbles, allow links to hang in cool, dry place with ample airflow to bloom for 1-2 hours.
Either vacuum seal or cook fresh. To cook, heat an oven to 300 degrees. Add sausage links to an oven-safe skillet. Cook for 20 minutes then flip. Cook for 10 more minutes then allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Mix spicy mayo drizzle while sausage cooks and drizzle over top when serving with queso fresco and roasted poblanos.
Enjoy! Reach out to me on Instagram (@WildGameJack) with any questions or comments.
Check out these other recipes by Jack Hennessy: