Homemade Portuguese Chouriço

Instructions

Prepare the pork butt

Fill an extra-large bowl three-quarters full with ice and set a large stainless steel bowl inside it. Working in small batches, quickly cut the pork into 1/2- to 1-inch (13- to 25-mm) cubes and place in the bowl. Remove any sinew or gristle. Remove the gland as well, if possible, because it is bitter. You should have about 20% fat to 80% meat. Alternatively, you can have your butcher precut the meat to your specifications, using the extra-large grind on their machine. TESTER TIP: The gland Ana is referring to is the prescapular lymph gland. It can appear pink or greenish. Most markets and butchers carve it out before selling.

A day ahead

Place the pork butt in a large bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the garlic, paprika, and hot pepper paste. Add the wines and water and stir until combined. Pour over the processed meat and mix well. If needed, add more wine and water in equal parts so that the meat is wet but not swimming in liquid. Mix thoroughly and marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.

Prepare the casings

Soak the casings in cool water for 15 minutes. Then rinse them under cold running water: open one end and allow the water to flow through to the opposite end. Store casings in the refrigerator, covered with cold water, until ready to use.

Stuff the casings

If using, wrap your grinder and sausage attachments in plastic and prechill for several hours.

Just before stuffing the casings, remove the meat from your refrigerator and mix in the salt. Remove a small amount of meat and fry it until cooked through. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Stuff the casings by hand using a funnel that has a wide exit end or use the sausage attachment on a meat grinder without the cutting blade. Apply the readied casings, wetting the attachment nozzle with water so the casings slide easily onto the attachment.

Tie off the bottom end of the casing, leaving an 8-inch (20 cm) length of string.

Stuff, feeding the meat through the funnel or grinder. Gently squeeze the meat to the end of the casings, but do not overstuff. Pour a small amount of the marinade into the attachment from time to time to facilitate moving the meat along the casing.

Using a sterilized needle, prick any air bubbles that are created. Give the sausage a very gentle squeeze to close the space where there was an air pocket. The sausages should feel firm but have a slight give to allow for shrinkage of the casings during smoking. TESTER TIP: Prick your sausages outside to avoid a messy cleanup in your kitchen.

Using the string at the end of the casing, tie off the opposite end, leaving a 2-inch (5-cm) gap of string, and forming a loop. The gap of string will rest on the hanging rod. Continue with remaining meat.

Hang the sausage loops on a wooden dowel to let the casings air-dry in a cool room for 12 to 15 hours. The casings will darken somewhat as they dry. TESTER TIP: Place a bowl or piece of cardboard under the sausages to catch any drips as they dry.

Smoke the sausages

These smoking instructions are for use with an electric or gas smoker. Keep in mind that the directions for your smoker may differ.

Preheat the smoker to 100°F (38°C) to 110 °F (43°C).

Add the sausages, leave the damper open and the door slightly ajar, and maintain this temperature until the casings are dry to the touch, about 1 hour.

Close the smoker door, then increase the temperature setting to 130°F (54°C), building the temperature slowly. The sausages will not smoke properly if the exterior is still moist, if the heat is too hot too soon, or if the process is rushed; they are more likely to steam. Slow smoking makes a more tender sausage.

When the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 100°F (38°C), increase the temperature setting to 150°F (66°C), then close the damper halfway.

After the casings are brown, add a pan of dampened (not soaking) sawdust; close the damper so it is only one-quarter of the way open.

When the amount of smoke from the damper decreases, add another pan of dampened sawdust. Repeat two or three times more, for a total of four or five times. Remove the pan completely when the sausage color is dark.

If the sausages have not reached an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) at this point, adjust the temperature setting of the smoker to 160°F (71°C) to 165°F (74°C) and continue to smoke the sausages until they reach 125°F (52°C).

Continue to smoke the sausages until an internal temperature of 152°F (67°C) is reached. To reach the final internal temperature of the sausages, it may be necessary to fill the empty sawdust pan with boiling water and place it in the smoker.

Remove the sausages from the smoker. Rinse with cool water, reducing the internal temperature to 100°F (38°C). Hang the sausages on wooden dowels to dry for 20 to 25 minutes; the sausages will darken or bloom as they dry.

When completely cool, cover with wax paper and refrigerate. They will keep for up to 2 weeks, well wrapped. You can also place individually wrapped sausages in freezer bags and freeze until needed.

Mains