Chorizo Recipe

START THE DAY BEFORE; 1 HOUR

4 small red pimento peppers or 2 extra tablespoons paprika.

6 fat Garlic Cloves

1 tablespoon dried oregano or marjoram

1/4 cup salt

2 tablespoons vinegar

4 pounds lean pork

8 pounds pork fat ( kidney fat is best) or 4 pounds clarified lard

2 tablespoons paprika ( the sweet variety,not the hot)

2 lemons

METHOD

you will need a pestle and mortar, a bowl, a deep frying pan, and an earthenware pot. Open the peppers and remove the seeds( they will be too fiery if included). Tear the shells of the peppers into small pieces, peel the garlic, and pound the peppers, garlic, Oregon or marjoram, and salt together with the vinegar. Cut the lemons into thick wedges.

chop the pork into 1-inch cubes, put it into a roomy bowl, and turn it with the chopped lemons and the vinegar-and-spice mixture until well impregnated. Leave overnight to marinate.

The following morning cube the pork fat and put it, adding a few pieces at a time, to render slowly in its own grease in a frying pan. Gently does it: the fat itself must not brown but remain pure white and clear. Remove and drain the crisp golden -fried solids. They make delicious tidbits, lightly salted.

Meanwhile, brush the marinade off the cubed pork. Fry the pork gently in the rendered pork fat or clarified lard for 25 to 30 minutes. It should be very thoroughly cooked. At the end of the cooking time, when the meat is all browned, take the pan off the stove and stir in the paprika. Pour all, meat and bright-orange fat, into an earthenware pot and allow to cool.

Make sure all the pieces are submerged, and store the pot in a cool place – the refrigerator is best of all. The pork will keep for a long time, although care must be taken if you do keep it for more than a week or two, when you want to remove some of the meat, melt all down so that the rest of the meat remains sealed.

ENJOY