Chimayo Chorizo Sausage Spice

For homemade chorizo: mix 4 tablespoons of seasoning, 2 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water into 1 pound of ground pork. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, then pan fry the loose ground chorizo, or shape it into patties or links.

If you're using ground turkey instead of pork: add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the mix along with the vinegar and water. Turkey doesn't carry the fat pork does, and chorizo depends on that fat for its texture, so this makes up the difference rather than leaving you with something dry and crumbly.

Sweeties Sandwich Shop in Salida, CO layers smoky, spiced flavor into their sausage using our classic chorizo spice blend.

Shop all our Chef-Approved spices and blends.

This chorizo sausage spice blend is meant for homemade chorizo, or Mexican-style sausage. Mexican chorizo as we know it today was derived from the Spanish sausage of the same name, brought to the Americas by Spanish colonizers and adapted over generations using New World chiles in place of the smoked paprika used in Spain.

This version takes its name from Chimayo, New Mexico, a small town known for growing some of the most prized red chiles in the American Southwest, and it leans into that regional character rather than a straight Mexican-style profile.

Chimayo Chorizo Sausage Spice FAQ

What is the difference between Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo?

Spanish chorizo is a smoked, dry-cured sausage that's ready to eat as-is. Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage that needs to be fully cooked before eating.

What spices are usually in chorizo?

Chorizo spices typically include salt, pepper, garlic, chiles, cumin, and sugar. This blend also includes Mexican oregano.

Can I make chorizo with ground turkey or chicken instead of pork?

Yes, but add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the mix. Turkey or chicken are much leaner than pork, and without that added fat, the finished chorizo can turn out dry and crumbly instead of rich and cohesive.

Why does the recipe call for refrigerating the chorizo before cooking?

The rest period lets the vinegar and salt penetrate the meat rather than just sitting on the surface, which is what gives homemade chorizo its characteristic tangy depth instead of tasting like plain seasoned pork.