Chorizo Oaxaqueño

Ebannon

15 medium dried guajillo chiles, stemmed & seeded

3 medium dried ancho chiles, stemmed & seeded

7 medium dried puya chiles, stemmed & seeded

12 medium dried árbol chiles, stemmed & seeded

12 cloves garlic, chopped

3¼ tsp ground cumin

3¼ tsp dried oregano

2¼ tsp dried marjoram

2¼ tsp dried thyme

2¼ tsp nopalito spices (see note)

¾ Tsp ground cinnamon

¾ Tsp ground black pepper

¾ Tsp ground allspice

¾ Tsp ground coriander

¾ Tsp ground nutmeg

¾ Tsp ground ginger

½ Tsp ground cloves

1¾ lb cold boneless pork shoulder, cut into ½in cubes

¾ lb cold pork fat, cut into ½in cubes

5 tbsp kosher salt

1 c Apple cider vinegar

To prepare the adobo, heat a griddle or large skillet to medium heat. Add all of the chilies, working in batches if needed to fit them, and cook, flipping them every 10 seconds, until they blister and darken in places, 30 seconds to one minute. Remove them from heat, transfer the chiles to heatproof bowl, and cover with boiling water; let sit for 30 minutes.

Place the chiles in a blender and add a little of the soaking water as needed to help blend; purée until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, grind the pork and pork fat; if possible, first chill the parts of the meat grinder and the pork cubes and fat cubes in the freezer to get them as cold as possible. Remove everything just before grinding. Grind the meat and fat separately on the large setting, then mix them together.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combined the chili purée with the remaining adobo ingredients (garlic, herbs, and spices) and stairwell. Add the ground pork and fat, salt, and vinegar and mix well to distribute evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. Freeze the chorizo raw until ready to use, or use as desired, being sure to cook it fully before consuming.

Nopalito spices:

1 oz dried árbol chiles, stemmed & seeded

1 oz dried guajillo chiles, stemmed & seeded

Toast or roast chiles until darkened and evenly toasted, 3 to 8 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.

Transfer the chilies to a blender and grind into a powder, using a scraper or small rubber spatula to direct the chiles toward the blade (alternatively, grind in batches using a spice grinder). Store in an airtight container.

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