Mexican Vs. Spanish Chorizo: The Difference Is Clear

You may know chorizo as those tasty orange-red meat saucers you hoovered up the last time you were near a charcuterie board. (It's OK, your secret's safe with us — just save a few slices for the rest of the party next time.) Originating in Spain and Portugal, the sausage made its way over to Mexico; depending on your familiarity with the dish, you may have assumed it was from Mexico in the first place.

However, there are plenty of differences between Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo, just as there are plenty of differences between Mexican Spanish and Iberian Spanish. In fact, the differences between the two sausages start with language: In Mexico, the "z" in "chorizo" is pronounced like an "s", while in Spain, the "z" is pronounced like a "th". (Yes, your cousin who won't stop talking about partying in "I-bee-tha" is, in fact, right.) 

But most importantly, Mexican and Spanish chorizo are prepared in two different ways. These different preparations determine whether you should put chorizo on your breakfast sandwich or use it to fill a hot wrap. The key difference? Spanish chorizo is cured or smoked and can be eaten raw, while Mexican chorizo needs to be cooked.

Spanish chorizo is often made from pork, but other kinds of meat like beef or chicken, or even plant-based options, crop up from time to time. The meat is seasoned with a melange of spices and flavorings, most prominently smoked paprika, before being fed into casings to make links. After this, the sausages are sent to a smokehouse, where they will be smoked and slowly cured over a matter of weeks or months. Because of this low-and-slow cooking method, Spanish chorizo doesn't need any further cooking on your part and is safe to eat as is. (This is the kind of chorizo you're likely to find on a charcuterie platter alongside apples and cheddar.)

Mexican chorizo, on the other hand, is made with fresh, ground pork that is seasoned and shaped into links, before being dry-aged but not smoked. Because Mexican chorizo is not cooked ahead of time, this kind of sausage is generally squeezed out of its casing and fried in a skillet before being used as an ingredient in other dishes. Popular ways to serve Mexican chorizo include adding it to things like scrambled eggs or hash. Mexican chorizo is also sometimes flavored with tomatillos or green chilis.