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• 5 pounds boneless pork butt, cubed into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
• 10 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
• 1 cup (4 oz) paprika (a blend of hot and sweet paprika is ideal for balanced flavor)
• 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade hot pepper paste, adjusted to your spice preference
• 1 1/4 cups dry red wine (choose a robust, flavorful variety)
• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine (a crisp, unoaked white works best), plus more if needed
• 2 1/2 cups water (can be slightly reduced if a drier sausage is desired)
• 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning adjustment
• 10 ounces 34-mm hog casings, cut into 18-inch (45-cm) lengths and prepared for stuffing

1. Prepare the Pork Butt

1. To begin, fill an extra-large bowl three-quarters full with ice, then nestle a large stainless steel bowl inside it. This crucial step ensures your pork remains cold throughout the initial preparation, which is vital for proper sausage texture and food safety. Working quickly and in small batches, cut the boneless pork butt into uniform 1/2- to 1-inch (13- to 25-mm) cubes. As you cut, meticulously remove any tough sinew, gristle, or the small prescapular lymph gland, which can impart a bitter taste if left in. Aim for a ratio of approximately 20% fat to 80% lean meat for the most succulent and flavorful chouriço. Alternatively, to save time and ensure consistency, you can ask your butcher to precut the meat to your specifications using their extra-large grind setting.

   ☞ TESTER TIP: The gland Ana refers to is the prescapular lymph gland. It can vary in color from pink to greenish. Most butchers remove it before selling pork shoulder, but it’s always wise to double-check.

2. Marinate the Meat (A Day Ahead)

1. Place the prepared pork butt cubes into a large mixing bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the finely chopped garlic, paprika (adjusting the ratio of hot to sweet paprika to your taste), and hot pepper paste. Gradually whisk in the dry red wine, dry white wine, and water until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pour this aromatic marinade over the cubed pork and mix exceptionally well, ensuring every piece of meat is evenly coated. The mixture should be wet but not swimming in liquid; if it appears too dry, add a little more red and white wine in equal parts until the desired consistency is achieved. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for a full 24 hours, turning the meat occasionally to ensure even marination and deep flavor development.

3. Prepare the Casings

1. Soak the hog casings in a bowl of cool water for at least 15 minutes to rehydrate and make them pliable. After soaking, rinse them thoroughly under cold running water: open one end of each casing and allow water to flow through its entire length to flush out any residual salt or impurities. Keep the rinsed casings submerged in fresh cold water in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.

4. Stuff the Casings

1. If using a meat grinder for stuffing, wrap your grinder and its sausage attachments in plastic and pre-chill them in the freezer for several hours. This prevents the meat from warming during the stuffing process, ensuring a better texture.

2. Just before you begin stuffing, remove the marinated meat from the refrigerator and thoroughly mix in the coarse kosher salt. To check the seasoning, take a small amount of the seasoned meat mixture, form it into a patty, and fry it until cooked through. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt or other spices as necessary. This crucial step prevents under- or over-seasoning your entire batch.

3. You can stuff the casings either by hand using a wide-ended funnel or by utilizing the sausage attachment on your meat grinder (ensure the cutting blade is removed). To make the casings slide on easily, wet the attachment nozzle with a little water. Gather the prepared casings onto the nozzle like an accordion.
4. Tie off the very bottom end of the first casing with kitchen string, leaving an 8-inch (20 cm) length of string for later use in hanging.
5. Carefully begin stuffing, feeding the meat mixture through the funnel or grinder. Gently squeeze the meat to the end of the casings, filling them evenly but without overstuffing. The sausages should feel firm but still have a slight give, allowing for natural shrinkage during smoking. Periodically, pour a small amount of the leftover marinade into the attachment to help lubricate and facilitate the smooth movement of the meat along the casing.

6. As you stuff, air bubbles may form within the sausage. Use a sterilized needle to prick these air bubbles, allowing the trapped air to escape. Gently squeeze the sausage around the pricked area to close any small gaps. The goal is a uniform, firm sausage. For a tidier process, consider pricking your sausages outdoors to avoid any messy marinade squirts in your kitchen.

   ☞ TESTER TIP: Prick your sausages outside to avoid a messy cleanup in your kitchen and to protect your surfaces from marinade splashes.

7. Once the casing is filled to the desired length (approx. 18 inches per link), tie off the opposite end using the string you left at the beginning, forming a secure loop. Ensure there’s a 2-inch (5-cm) gap of string at the top of the loop; this gap will rest on the hanging rod. Continue this process with the remaining meat and casings.

8. Hang the newly formed sausage loops on a wooden dowel. Allow them to air-dry in a cool, well-ventilated room for a period of 12 to 15 hours. During this initial drying phase, the casings will visibly darken as they begin to lose moisture. For convenience and to manage any potential drips, place a bowl or a piece of cardboard directly underneath the hanging sausages.

   ☞ TESTER TIP: Placing a bowl or piece of cardboard under the sausages can help catch any drips as they dry, keeping your area clean.

5. Smoke the Sausages to Perfection

1. These smoking instructions are specifically designed for use with an electric or gas smoker. It’s crucial to remember that the operating instructions for your particular smoker model may differ slightly, so always refer to your manufacturer’s guide for best results.

2. Preheat your smoker to a very low temperature, aiming for a range between 100°F (38°C) and 110°F (43°C).

3. Carefully place the air-dried sausages inside the preheated smoker. Leave the damper fully open and the smoker door slightly ajar. Maintain this low temperature for approximately 1 hour, or until the sausage casings feel completely dry to the touch. This initial drying phase is absolutely critical; if the exterior remains moist, the sausages are more likely to steam rather than properly absorb smoke, resulting in a less desirable texture and flavor. Slow and gentle drying promotes a more tender final product.

4. Once the casings are dry, close the smoker door. Slowly increase the temperature setting to 130°F (54°C). Avoid rushing this temperature increase, as a gradual rise is essential for proper smoking and to prevent the sausages from becoming tough.
5. When the internal temperature of the sausages reaches 100°F (38°C), increase the smoker temperature setting further to 150°F (66°C), and close the damper halfway to begin retaining more smoke.
6. After the casings have started to turn a light brown color, it’s time to introduce the smoke. Add a pan of *dampened* (not soaking wet) sawdust or woodchips to your smoker’s designated tray. Close the damper, leaving it only one-quarter of the way open to concentrate the smoke.

7. Monitor the smoke output closely. When the amount of smoke visibly decreases, add another pan of dampened sawdust or woodchips. Repeat this process two or three more times, for a total of four or five smoking cycles, until the sausages achieve a rich, dark, and deeply smoky color. Once the desired color is reached, remove the sawdust pan completely.

8. If the sausages have not yet reached an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) at this stage, adjust the smoker temperature setting to 160°F (71°C) to 165°F (74°C). Continue to smoke the sausages until they register 125°F (52°C) internally.
9. Continue the smoking process until a final internal temperature of 152°F (67°C) is consistently reached. To assist in reaching this target temperature without over-drying the sausages, it may be beneficial to fill the empty sawdust pan with boiling water and place it back in the smoker. This will create a humid environment that helps to gently raise the internal temperature.
10. Once the sausages have reached their final internal temperature, remove them from the smoker. Immediately rinse them briefly with cool water to rapidly reduce their internal temperature to approximately 100°F (38°C). Hang the sausages once more on wooden dowels to air-dry for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. During this final drying and cooling period, the sausages will continue to darken and develop a beautiful “bloom” on their surface.

11. When the chouriço links are completely cool to the touch, wrap each sausage individually in wax paper or parchment paper. Store them in the refrigerator, where they will keep fresh and flavorful for up to 2 weeks. For extended preservation, place the individually wrapped sausages into freezer bags and freeze them. They can be stored in the freezer for several months, ready to be defrosted and enjoyed whenever you desire a taste of homemade Portuguese excellence.

Recipe Adapted From

This exceptional recipe is proudly adapted from Portuguese Home Cooking, a culinary treasure trove filled with traditional and authentic Portuguese dishes. This book serves as an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to explore the depths of Portuguese gastronomy.

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Serving: 1 link

Calories: 482 kcal

Carbohydrates: 11 g

Protein: 55 g

Fat: 18 g

Saturated Fat: 6 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g

Trans Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 170 mg

Sodium: 1944 mg

Fiber: 5 g

Sugar: 2 g