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History and popularity of pork sausages
The preparation of cold cuts is something very typical in our Mediterranean gastronomy. Today almost all of our lunches are made up of them;
A fuet sandwich, sausage ... They are something typical of our gastronomy.
Sausages are part of our culture and our history, both gastronomic and cultural. Something indispensable and that has passed from grandparents to parents and from parents to children has been the elaboration of them in the different towns of Spain.
The traditional matapuerco or the aptly named tripe, has been the basis of food in many rural areas, and a way to survive against the cold winters of a few decades ago where hunger made a dent in the population after the civil war.
Sausages are one of the foods we enjoy the most. They fancy at any time, they brighten up any dish. We can make an appetizer and include them, also a salad and accompany it with one of them; for dinner, a sandwich. And so, thousands of times. Those who like sausage cannot do without it.
Despite the fact that today there are many varieties of sausages, some very innovative as they include special aromas or very select components, the traditional sausages are the ones that most of us continue to prefer.
The star ingredient in sausages is salt, so we have to go back to 3000 BC, the year in which this precious mineral was discovered. From prehistoric times to the Roman Empire, man began to make meat preserves with the help of salt; It was an intelligent way to take advantage of the food and prevent it from being damaged and could not be consumed. However, it was in the Middle Ages when sausages had their splendor. Families raised their animals and slaughter became very popular in the winter. Thus, they used all the food and produced the sausages.
Currently, in large cities it is practically impossible to carry out slaughter, since there is a place to raise the animals. But, in some rural areas they continue to maintain this tradition. Without a doubt, it is a very intelligent tradition because each family was able to create their own products and ensure the food supply during the cold winter. Why was the killing carried out in winter? The reason is simple. In this way, they obtained food that had ideal properties to be able to combat both the cold of the season and the fatigue of work. Sausages are an exquisite food but with a high fat and energy content.
How can we define the term "sausage"? Sausage, as everyone knows, is derived from meat, which can be minced or subjected to a curing process, also marinated with spices. Finally, it is introduced into natural or artificial gut to be able to consume it.
Types of pork sausages
Sausages can be classified into two categories. In the first place, the fresh sausages are distinguished, which are those that have been made raw, without undergoing any maturation process. For example, this group includes sausages or sausages.
Second, we have transformed sausages. This type of sausage is made and then undergoes a process of cooking, curing, smoking ... Here we find chistorra, blood sausage, salami or salchichón, among many others.
As you well know, you can find sausages made with different types of meat: duck, wild boar ... In this post, we want to focus on the usual sausages, those that are made with pork; those that our ancestors produced to survive the cold and aggressive storm. For this reason, we are going to explain what they are and how they are made, in case in the future they dare to make them or, they are simply curious to know the whole process until they obtain this precious delicacy.
Preparation of the longaniza
We will start with the sausage. Longaniza is a sausage made with minced meat (70% lean and 30% bacon), pepper, salt, garlic, oregano, vinegar, nutmeg, thyme and other spices. To proceed with its preparation, first of all it is important to acquire quality meat, since the product obtained will depend on it. Once obtained, we chop the meat well or, if not, we can also ask the market to mince it there, if we do not have a mincer. In a glass container, mix the minced meat and all the spices well. Once mixed, we take the gut (which we will have to have previously acquired) and, with a thick thread, we tie one end. Next, we begin to fill it in and, when it is finished, we tie the other end with another thread. When finished, they should be hung in a cool, dry place for about 4-5 days. It is important to cover them with a cloth to prevent any insects from depositing on it
Preparation of the salchichón
Salchichón is made with lean pork, like longaniza, and also bacon. As you can see, with the same type of meat we can obtain different sausages, since the spices will be different. In this case, we will use black pepper, salt, grated nutmeg and coriander. Chop the meat and mix all the ingredients in a glass bowl. Once mixed, we must let it marinate for about 24 hours. The next day, we will introduce the mixture into the gut and leave it in a cool and dry place, also protected with a cloth to avoid contamination. The healing time is 40 days.
Preparation of chorizo
Chorizo is also made from minced pork that is marinated with spices. The most characteristic and the main one is the paprika, which also gives it that peculiar reddish color. In addition, we will need pork fat, salt, wine vinegar, white wine, white pepper, garlic, sodium nitrite and sodium phosphate.
To proceed with its preparation, we must bear in mind that both the meat and the pork fat have to be in the freezer for at least two hours. Both meat and fat have to be minced very finely. Next, we add the rest of the ingredients, one by one, and we are mixing it carefully, until it is a homogeneous mass. When we have the dough, we let it marinate for 24 hours. The next day, we will introduce it inside the gut, and we will tie the ends. For 4 days, let the chorizo rest in a cool and dry place
