Posts Tagged ‘Chorizo’
Quijote Brand Chorizo Review
Quijote Brand Chorizo
There are many varieties of chorizo sausage in the world. I prefer the Spanish version, which is an ‘eating’ sausage, fermented, dried, smoked, ready for slicing.
It’s made from pork, fat, and a heavy dose of smoky paprika, along with a few other spices. It’s much milder than “Mexican chorizo” which incorporates chili peppers and is removed from the casing before frying in a skillet, being mashed, and taking on the appearance of finely ground beef.
I don’t see the Spanish variety in stores very often, so when I do, I pick it up. Driving across the Deep South last week, I stumbled onto a display of product in a grocery store, made by Elore Enterprises Inc., a Miami company located near MIA and five miles west of Biscayne Bay (pic below).
It’s very smoky and has the requisite firmness. These particular sausages are about three inches long and 3/4 inch in diameter. “Fun size” my daughter would say.
If you want a change of pace in a nice, firm, slightly spicy, slicing “salami” – you should give this style a try.
Miami Plant Location
Quijote Brand Chorizo Review
Quijote Brand Chorizo Review
StoneRidge Meats Chorizo Review
Chorizo is a type of sausage that originated in the Iberian peninsula (Spain/Portugal), made up of pork, spices, and smoked pimento peppers, which gives it a bright red color. It’s available in a smoked/cured version for eating or including in dishes, and raw, to be used as a cooking ingredient. There are variations of chorizo one finds as they travel the globe, in Portugal it’s called chourico, in Mexico, the item is closer to the Spanish raw version, and is used in tacos and other Mexican treats.
The Portuguese version, which is also called linguica, is a popular item in Hawaii, and is even available in sliced medallions served with scrambled eggs and rice at McDonald’s!
If you’ve traveled to Louisiana, the Cajun and Creoles have their own version of Chorizo, called “Chaurice,” which is found in local favorites like red beans and rice, and some gumbos.
StoneRidge has taken the wonderfully complex global flavors of Chorizo, and packed them into a natural casing pork bratwurst style sausage, perfect for grilling or sauteed on the stove top. Enjoy them on a bun, as a dinner entree, or incorporated into your special recipes.
Personally, I like slightly spicy sausages for breakfast, and it’s my habit to par boil them, (tho this is not needed) before slicing and pan frying to serve along side of eggs,instead of the usual pork breakfast meats.
I LOVE this product. It’s undoubtedly one of the most flavorful sausages I have had in a long time. When it’s too cold to grill outside, I do my sausage in a cast iron skillet, put a little char on it. This morning I had it with cheese scamble with Cajun seasoning (pictured below). Yum.
Should you prefer to use StoneRidge’s Chorizo as an ingredient, to spice up a casserole, hot dish, scrambled eggs or stews, simply slice the casing open and saute the ground pork to your preference before adding to your recipe.
StoneRidge makes over 40 varieties of pork and chicken bratwursts, as well as specialty cheeses and if you don’t see them at your grocery, order direct from the smokehouse in Central Wisconsin, where they are carefully crafted using old world recipes.
One other thing that impresses me about StoneRidge is their value proposition. You’re going to pay 20-30% less for StoneRidge than comparable product from the “big brands.”
If you want to carry some of the dozens of StoneRidge sausages or specialty cheeses in your market or deli, whether under their label or your own, or to purchase bulk quantities for your event, contact the StoneRidge wholesale department for pricing. Check out some recipe ideas from StoneRidge by following them on Pinterest.
Should you find yourself traveling in Central Wisconsin, stop in at the StoneRidge Market, open 7AM – 9 PM daily, at 975 E. Main St., Wautoma, WI 54982. Wautoma is just 30 minutes west of Oshkosh, if you’re visiting for the annual air show, less than an hour from the Dells, or about an hour and a half drive from either Madison or Milwaukee.
StoneRidge Chorizo with Cajun Seasoned Eggs
(Ed.Note – StoneRidge furnished sample products for us to try)
StoneRidge Meats Chorizo Review
Amsterdam, NL – Cafe Joselito’s (Tapas)
Mrs BDB and I love tapas places. We can graze for hours on small plates, and try most everything on a menu, which it seems we are wont to do, when we can. We had been stymied this nite on a couple of quests, first looking for a particular coffeeshop, that is owned by Americans, and arriving there just at closing. Then looking for a pizza place nearby, which we found, but it was take-out only (usually not a problem, but it was about 20 degrees), and also discovering, like a growing number of establishments in Amsterdam, they were strictly a non-cash business.
So we walked back towards the hotel, and discovered Joselito’s, (website), a charming small cafe, with passionate employees and an expansive authentic tapas menu to pick from.
As we are to restaurants as drunks are to bars (we claim we were “overserved”), we set out on taste experience second to none on our trip. We know what flavors we like, so for sure, chorizo, jamon serrano, and garlic shrimp would be some of our choices. The waitress also suggested potatoes bravas (roasted potatoes ala an order of “Brabant” in New Orleans), which came with a spicy sauce. A plate of mixed olives. Manchego cheese. A couple of glasses of red. Some crusty bread. Looking at the menu now, while I am writing this, I wish we would have ordered more, tho we couldn’t even finish what we had on the table.
I’ve never had “bad’ jamon serrano, and I announced to the waitress and cook, that I couldn’t think of a time or place when I had better chorizo than at Joseliot’s.
Each of the plates were done to perfection, and accompanying sauces were wonderful.
I was about to push myself away from the table, when Mrs BDB said “did you try dipping the bread in the chorizo oil? In the shrimp/garlic sauce? I admitted I hadn’t, and I admit to you now, I wish I hadn’t.
We joked later in our trip, we’d like a gallon of each to take home. Sopping up the chorizo oil and the garlic shrimp sauce with the crusty bread? Oh my god.
Generally, this type of experience could have led to another round of ordering for us, but regretfully we found ourselves to be the last customers in the house (save for the cat that was sitting in a chair at a table next to us), so we had to go.
I went to use the washroom before we left, and encountered, as I did at many locations in Amsterdam, a flight of stairs pitched so steeply it required great grace (which I have never been accused of having) to negotiate my way down.
I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I had a couple drinks or more “coffee” in me.
Cafe Joselito. A real treat. I’m sure to be disappointed by chorizo I meet in the future.
