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1
Chill the Meat and Grinder
30 Mins
Cold, about 4°C (39°F)
Cut the 550g of pork, 250g of beef and 200g of back fat into 2 cm cubes, spread them on a tray and put them in the freezer for 30 minutes, with the grinder parts. The meat should feel firm and icy at the edges, not frozen solid.
Cold meat grinds cleanly; warm meat smears and the sausage turns soft.
Done when: Firm, icy-cold cubes that still bend slightly.
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2
Grind and Season
20 Mins
Room temperature
Grind the cold meat through a coarse plate into a chilled bowl. Add the 60ml of beer, the 15g of garlic, the 12g of paprika, the 3g of oregano, the 4g of red pepper flakes, the 3g of cumin, the 2g of black pepper and the 10g of salt, and mix by hand for 2–3 minutes until the mix is tacky and sticks to your palm. Fry a small spoonful, taste, and adjust the salt.
Fry the test spoonful well — raw sausage must never be tasted.
Done when: A tacky mix that holds its shape when squeezed.
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3
Stuff the Casings
25 Mins
Room temperature
Slide the rinsed hog casings onto the stuffer, fill them firmly but not tight, and twist into 10 links of about 100 g each. Prick any air pockets with a clean needle so the links do not burst on the grill.
Stuff loosely — a link packed too tight bursts as the fat renders.
Done when: 10 even links, plump but soft enough to bend without splitting.
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4
Rest the Links
60 Mins
Refrigerated, about 4°C (39°F)
Lay the links on a tray, cover, and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight, so the salt binds the meat and the flavours settle.
Overnight is better than an hour if you have the time — the flavour deepens noticeably.
Done when: Firm, chilled links that hold their shape.
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5
Boil the Mandioca
20 Mins
Boiling, about 100°C (212°F)
Put the 600g of mandioca fingers in a pot, cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until tender all the way through, then drain and keep warm.
Start the mandioca while the links are on the grill so both are ready together.
Done when: A knife slides into the thickest finger with no resistance.
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6
Grill the Chorizo
20 Mins
Medium heat, about 175–200°C (350–400°F)
Grill the links over medium heat, turning every few minutes, for about 15–20 minutes until browned all over and the thickest link reads 71°C (160°F) at the centre. Mix the salsa while they grill: the 150g of tomato, 80g of onion, 60g of green pepper, 20ml of lime juice and 10g of cilantro, tossed together.
Do not pierce the links on the grill — the juices and fat run out and the sausage dries out.
Done when: Browned, blistered skins and 71°C (160°F) at the centre of the thickest link.
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7
Rest and Serve
5 Mins
Room temperature
Rest the links for 5 minutes, then serve two per person with the boiled mandioca and the salsa criolla on the side.
Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out when the link is cut.
Done when: Juicy links that snap when bitten, with hot mandioca beside them.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Rest the links for 5 minutes, then serve two per person with the boiled mandioca and the salsa criolla on the side.
Paraguay
1h 5m
