I was in the liquor store next door for a few things. I was looking to
get some sausage. Well, they only had Pork, and Beef Chorizo. On the
label it said to remove the casing before cooking. I didn't buy it. But
why do you have to remove the casing? What is the casing made from?

--
Here's a fun hobby of mine: When I get e-mail spam that includes an
800-number, I save the number for later. Then when one of the hundreds
of Nigerian scam e-mails hits my e-mail box, I reply enthusiastically
and give the 800-number of the spammer as my own. I feel that people
in the DNRC have a responsibility to introduce A-holes to each other.

To email me use my name and @cox.net.

rrb_091903 > wrote:
>I was in the liquor store next door for a few things. I was looking to
>get some sausage. Well, they only had Pork, and Beef Chorizo. On the
>label it said to remove the casing before cooking. I didn't buy it. But
>why do you have to remove the casing? What is the casing made from?

Dunno, probably plastic. Although some intestinal casings
will split and shrink and become stringy detritus in
your dish.

"Chorizo" covers a large number of sausages made with
paprika. The origin is Spain, but the best ones in my
opinion are Mexican-style and contain offal meats (read
the package for exactly what's in it; you might not like
small quantities of lymph and salivary glands mixed in
with your ground muscle meat, fat, and spices, and many
chorizos won't have them, but I think they give it a
better texture and improve the flavor).

--Blair
"Just keep telling yourself you love it."

>The origin is Spain, but the best ones in my
>opinion are Mexican-style and contain offal meats

Actually, the only palatable chorizos are the Spanish ones, which have been
unavailable in the U.S. until quite recently, and are still hard to find.
Central American and Mexico chorizos have a dry, acidic quality that isn't much
to recommend them.

As to the casing . . . don't expect an American chorizo to hold together
without it.

Neil

Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> rrb_091903 > wrote:
>
>>I was in the liquor store next door for a few things. I was looking to
>>get some sausage. Well, they only had Pork, and Beef Chorizo. On the
>>label it said to remove the casing before cooking. I didn't buy it. But
>>why do you have to remove the casing? What is the casing made from?
>
>
> Dunno, probably plastic. Although some intestinal casings
> will split and shrink and become stringy detritus in
> your dish.
>
> "Chorizo" covers a large number of sausages made with
> paprika. The origin is Spain, but the best ones in my
> opinion are Mexican-style and contain offal meats (read
> the package for exactly what's in it; you might not like
> small quantities of lymph and salivary glands mixed in
> with your ground muscle meat, fat, and spices, and many
> chorizos won't have them, but I think they give it a
> better texture and improve the flavor).


I don't know how small the quantities could have been, the top three
ingredients we pork salivary glands, lymph nodes, and fat. In looking
over the ingredient list I don't recall seeing anything I consider meat
or beef for that matter. I prefer at least some meat or beef in "Beef"
products. If that is the normal constitution of Chorizo I will pass on
it, and never buy it ever. Im sure glad I stopped eating Chorizo
burritos now. I stopped because of the fat, and grease.

rrb

you just have to read the labels. of course i'm in south texas and finding
good chorizo is relatively easy, there is a company that makes chorizo with
ground turkey, it's good. if you read the label you will find several that
are all meat and no salivary glands. my mother never bought those, they made
her ill. around here there is Garcia brand, that makes all kinds, the
salivary glands and all meat versions. they produce the turkey kind under
"Mama Garcia" brand, i've only found it at HEB and Albertson's stores but
that's about the only places i do shop. this one is very lean you don't get
much grease in it. there's also a brand called "chorizo Keilbasa" that if i
am not mistaken has all meat and is rather good a friend brought some to
work one day.

--
Paula Drennan
In Memory of, Tenzing the Kitty, May 4 - August 1, 2003
He lost his short battle for life, and is now in peace.
:
: I don't know how small the quantities could have been, the top three
: ingredients we pork salivary glands, lymph nodes, and fat. In looking
: over the ingredient list I don't recall seeing anything I consider meat
: or beef for that matter. I prefer at least some meat or beef in "Beef"
: products. If that is the normal constitution of Chorizo I will pass on
: it, and never buy it ever. Im sure glad I stopped eating Chorizo
: burritos now. I stopped because of the fat, and grease.
:
: rrb
:

rrb_091903 > wrote:
>I don't know how small the quantities could have been, the top three
>ingredients we pork salivary glands, lymph nodes, and fat. In looking

That's the serious stuff. It's very hard to cook with
because it just melts away if you overcook it, like
foie gras.

>over the ingredient list I don't recall seeing anything I consider meat
>or beef for that matter. I prefer at least some meat or beef in "Beef"
>products. If that is the normal constitution of Chorizo I will pass on
>it, and never buy it ever. Im sure glad I stopped eating Chorizo
>burritos now. I stopped because of the fat, and grease.

"Chorizo" is a style of chili-flavored sausage (paprika
counts as a chili) as the main seasoning, and you can make
your own with any meat you wish.

I buy the chorizo seasoning from the Mexican food aisle
(usually more extensively stocked in Arizona than in,
say, Boston) and mix it with lean ground pork and a little
vinegar to make the meat that I put in chorizo-cheese dip.
I prefer pork to beef in this case. Then I fry it and break
it up until it's all nice little brown spicy crumbles.

I wouldn't use the offal-containing sausage, because it
would add too much fat, and I'd get puddles of orange grease
in my dip.

--Blair
"I may knock some out tonight."

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
...
> rrb_091903 > wrote:
> >I don't know how small the quantities could have been, the top three
> >ingredients we pork salivary glands, lymph nodes, and fat. In looking
>
> That's the serious stuff. It's very hard to cook with
> because it just melts away if you overcook it, like
> foie gras.

blech!
>
> >over the ingredient list I don't recall seeing anything I consider meat
> >or beef for that matter. I prefer at least some meat or beef in "Beef"
> >products. If that is the normal constitution of Chorizo I will pass on
> >it, and never buy it ever. Im sure glad I stopped eating Chorizo
> >burritos now. I stopped because of the fat, and grease.
>
> "Chorizo" is a style of chili-flavored sausage (paprika
> counts as a chili) as the main seasoning, and you can make
> your own with any meat you wish.
>
> I buy the chorizo seasoning from the Mexican food aisle
> (usually more extensively stocked in Arizona than in,
> say, Boston) and mix it with lean ground pork and a little
> vinegar to make the meat that I put in chorizo-cheese dip.
> I prefer pork to beef in this case. Then I fry it and break
> it up until it's all nice little brown spicy crumbles.

hee hee!! but in boston you can grab a couple of Gaspar's Portuguese
'chourico' that's really meat meat meat.
>
> I wouldn't use the offal-containing sausage, because it
> would add too much fat, and I'd get puddles of orange grease
> in my dip.

I gotta see some of this 'offal-containing sausage'. I'm not gonna eat it,
just wanna see it.

Jack Wurst

"Jack Schidt®" > wrote in message
. ..
> hee hee!! but in boston you can grab a couple of Gaspar's Portuguese
> 'chourico' that's really meat meat meat.
> >
> > I wouldn't use the offal-containing sausage, because it
> > would add too much fat, and I'd get puddles of orange grease
> > in my dip.
>
> I gotta see some of this 'offal-containing sausage'. I'm not gonna eat
it,
> just wanna see it.
>
> Jack Wurst

Jack, if you're eating Gaspar's 'chourico', you're eating 'offal-containing
sausage'.
Trust me.

Stace (a New Englander who loves Gaspar's chourico as long as she doesn't
think about what's *in* it while she's eating it)

Jack Schidt® > wrote:
>I gotta see some of this 'offal-containing sausage'. I'm not gonna eat it,
>just wanna see it.

Not much to see. It looks like sausage. When you cut it
open, it's a little fattier looking, and when you cook it
too far, it goes from sizzling sausage to a puddle of oil.

But if you cook it right, it's great stuff.

--Blair
"Toss me some if you do."

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 00:33:07 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

>"Chorizo" is a style of chili-flavored sausage (paprika
>counts as a chili) as the main seasoning, and you can make
>your own with any meat you wish.
>
>I buy the chorizo seasoning from the Mexican food aisle
>(usually more extensively stocked in Arizona than in,
>say, Boston) and mix it with lean ground pork and a little
>vinegar to make the meat that I put in chorizo-cheese dip.
>I prefer pork to beef in this case. Then I fry it and break
>it up until it's all nice little brown spicy crumbles.
>
>I wouldn't use the offal-containing sausage, because it
>would add too much fat, and I'd get puddles of orange grease
>in my dip.

Oh, but the orange grease kind is soo tasty. :-)

I also make my own imitation from time to time -- 1/2 ground pork and
1/2 ground beef; garlic, ground chile, vinegar, and a couple other
things. Great for tacos and tostadas (in the sense of flat tacos).