COMMENT:
Chaurice is a spicy pork sausage used extensively in Creole cooking.
One of the few sausages seasoned with fresh vegetables, it is seen
time and time again in different presentations on the Creole table.
It is related to the Spanish chorizo which is commonly used in paella,
the forefather of our own jambalaya. Chorizo was also used to flavor
garbanzo beans. Today in South Louisiana, chaurice is seen most
often as a pan-fried side dish for white or red beans. Although
much more common in Creole cooking, chaurice is used from time to
time by the Cajuns as well.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 pounds pork butt
- 2 pounds pork fat
- 2 cups onions, finely diced
- 1 cup celery, finely diced
- 1/2 cup garlic, finely diced
- 2 cups green onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dry thyme
- 1/4 cup cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsps cayenne pepper
- 3 tbsps salt
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 12 feet pork casing
METHOD:
Cut pork butt into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Using a meat grinder with
a coarse chopping plate, grind pork and pork fat. In a large mixing
bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Blend well to ensure that
all pieces are evenly distributed throughout the sausage. Add ice
water to keep fat in sausage congealed. This will also add moisture
to the sausage. Once ingredients are well blended, use the sausage
attachment on your meat grinder to stuff into casings. You should
section the sausage at 1-foot intervals by twisting the casing as
it fills. Tie off the sausage at each end using a heavy gauge twine.
The sausage may then be frozen. To cook, place chaurice in a heavy-bottom
sauté pan with approximately 1/4 cup cold water. Bring to
a low simmer and cover. Cook approximately 30 minutes, adding water
if necessary. Uncover pan and raise temperature to medium-high.
Continue cooking until sausage is brown on all sides, approximately
15 minutes. |
