Name: Chorizo antioqueño
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 800 g lean pork shoulder, very cold and cubed; 200 g firm pork fat or back fat, very cold and cubed; 14 g fine salt; 10 g garlic, finely minced; 60 g scallion, finely minced; 10 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 2 g ground cumin; 1 g ground black pepper; 30 ml cold water; About 2.1 m natural pork casing, rinsed and soaked as directed on the package; 15 ml neutral oil for pan-cooking only, if needed

Region Antioquia, Colombia

Category Fresh pork sausage / main or accompaniment

Preparation 45 minutes

Cooking About 20 minutes

Chilling At least 60 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Chorizo antioqueño

Fresh Antioquia pork chorizo with garlic, scallion and cumin

Chorizo antioqueño is a fresh pork sausage associated with Antioquia and Paisa cooking. Regional recipes vary: they may use pork shoulder and fatty pork, scallion, garlic, cumin and herbs, and may be grilled, pan-cooked or smoked. This home version keeps the seasoning direct and cooks the links as fresh sausage. It does not use curing salt, drying or smoking, so the links must stay cold and be cooked through before serving.

The mixture combines lean pork shoulder with firm pork fat for a juicy texture. Garlic, scallion, cilantro and cumin season the meat without overwhelming it. Stuffing into natural casing gives the sausage its familiar link shape, but the recipe can also be shaped into patties if a stuffer is unavailable. The patties are still raw ground pork and need the same temperature check.

Work with cold meat and clean equipment, and do not taste the mixture raw. Sausage colour and browning alone cannot show whether the centre is safe. Check each link with an instant-read thermometer, inserting it from the side into the thickest part. Serve with a plain arepa, lime and a simple salad, or include it as one component of a larger Antioquia meal.

Ingredients

Sausage mixture

800 g lean pork shoulder, very cold and cubed
200 g firm pork fat or back fat, very cold and cubed
14 g fine salt
10 g garlic, finely minced
60 g scallion, finely minced
10 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 g ground cumin
1 g ground black pepper
30 ml cold water

For stuffing and cooking

About 2.1 m natural pork casing, rinsed and soaked as directed on the package
15 ml neutral oil for pan-cooking only, if needed

Method

Prepare the casing and keep everything cold Rinse and soak the casing following its package directions. Keep it and the pork refrigerated. Chill the bowl, grinder parts and meat if the kitchen is warm. Wash your hands and clear a separate area for raw pork.
Grind the pork and fat Cut the cold meat and fat into pieces that fit the grinder. Pass them through a coarse plate into the chilled bowl. If using butcher-ground pork, keep it cold and proceed promptly. Clean and sanitize any surfaces that have touched raw meat.
Season and mix briefly Add the salt, garlic, scallion, cilantro, cumin, black pepper and cold water. Mix with clean hands or a sturdy spoon just until evenly distributed and slightly tacky. Do not knead for a long time or let the mixture warm. Chill it briefly if it softens.
Stuff the casing without overfilling Fit the casing onto the stuffer tube, leaving a short tail. Feed the mixture through at a steady pace, guiding the casing so it fills evenly without stretching tight. Push out trapped air pockets gently. Keep the remaining mixture cold while you work.
Shape eight links and chill Measure the filled casing into 8 equal links and twist each division in alternating directions. Prick only visible air bubbles with a clean pin. Arrange the links in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes so they firm up.
Cook slowly until the centre is safe For grilling, use moderate heat and move the links to a cooler part of the grill if the casing colours too quickly. For a skillet, warm the oil over medium heat if needed and turn the links regularly. Cook until evenly browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted from the side into the centre of each link reads at least 71.1 °C. Do not rely on colour alone or serve the sausage rare.
Rest and serve hot Transfer the cooked links to a clean plate and rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot with arepa, lime or your chosen sides. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat them to 74 °C before serving again.

Practical guidance

Practical

What makes this version work

Keep the pork, fat and grinder parts cold so the fat stays distinct rather than smearing through the meat. Mix only until the seasoning is distributed and the mixture feels tacky. If the mixture warms or becomes soft, pause and chill it before stuffing. Fill casings firmly enough to remove large air pockets, but not so tightly that they split as the links cook. Natural casings vary in salt and preparation. Rinse and soak them according to the package directions, and keep them refrigerated. If you do not have a sausage stuffer, form eight compact patties and cook them the same day; do not serve the raw mixture or treat it as cured sausage.

Equipment

Kitchen scale and large chilled mixing bowl Meat grinder with a coarse plate, or butcher-ground pork Sausage stuffer or clean food-safe funnel Natural pork casing, prepared according to its package Heavy skillet or grill, tongs and clean tray Instant-read food thermometer

Nutrition per serving

Rounded recipe estimate for one of eight links made from 800 g pork shoulder, 200 g pork fat and 14 g salt. Fat rendering and cooking loss change the finished weight and nutrient density. Optional pan oil and side dishes are not included.

Practical guidance

Serving One link makes a substantial serving. Pair it with a plain Antioquia-style arepa and lime, or add beans, a fresh salad or cooked vegetables. The sausage is well seasoned, so keep accompaniments simple. If serving a group, cook in batches and use a clean platter for the cooked links; do not return them to a plate that held raw sausage. Ingredient choices Pork shoulder provides flavour and structure; firm back fat helps keep the links juicy. A butcher can grind the meat and fat separately if you do not own a grinder. Ask for fresh grinding and transport the meat cold. Natural casing gives the traditional link shape, while a food-safe synthetic casing may be used if its package says it is suitable for cooking. For a casing-free option, form patties from the mixture and cook them to the same internal temperature. The recipe deliberately omits curing salt and preservation steps. Do not dry, ferment or cold-smoke these fresh links, and do not treat a few hours of chilling as curing. The measured salt seasons the meat; it does not make it safe to eat uncooked. Planning, storage and food safety You can prepare the links ahead and keep them refrigerated, covered, for 1–2 days before cooking, or freeze them. Thaw frozen sausage in the refrigerator. Keep raw pork at 4 °C or colder, wash hands and sanitize tools after handling it, and keep it separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook every link to at least 71.1 °C at the centre. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74 °C. Discard sausage left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Allergens The measured ingredients contain pork and no major regulated allergen. Natural casing and packaged seasoning can differ by supplier, so read their labels for declared allergens and cross-contact warnings. Serve optional bread or other sides separately for guests with dietary needs.

Final notes

Key point: Keep the pork cold while grinding, mixing and stuffing; cook the links on the day you prepare them or keep them refrigerated. Safety: Use a thermometer to confirm at least 71.1 °C in the centre of every sausage before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 sausage, about 125 g raw before cooking
Calories: About 430 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 2 g
Protein: About 23 g
Fat: About 36 g
Fibre: 0 g
Sodium: About 760 mg, estimated

Chorizo antioqueño

Ingredients

Sausage mixture

For stuffing and cooking

Method

Practical

What makes this version work

Equipment

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Mazamorra paisa

Calentao paisa

Tamal bogotano