Spain is home to amazing wines, beautiful fresh produce, incredible pork and fantastic seafood. But if you ask most people to name the one Spanish ingredient they love above all, most would choose chorizo. This cured sausage has the ability to transform almost any dish, whether it’s the star of the recipe or is used as a supporting act to fish, vegetables or other meats. The rich flavour of pork is cut through with the sweet, smoky, heady scent of paprika (or pimentón) which doesn’t just taste great – it has the ability to lend its dark red colour to anything it touches.
As a general rule, Spanish chorizo must contain pork, paprika, garlic and salt – but there are hundreds of different varieties found across Spain which riff on the original recipe and come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and textures. Some can be eaten straight away while others need to be cooked; some are spicy and others sweet. And if you know the differences between them, you’re in a much better position to use the right type of chorizo in your cooking.
The one ingredient that makes the most difference to a chorizo’s flavour is the paprika used. It can be smoked, unsmoked, sweet or hot, and every region of Spain has its preferences. Chorizo producers will also sometimes add wine, peppercorns, herbs or even a little cumin to their sausages for a slightly different flavour profile.