Chorizo – The Arizona Way

Chorizo is a breakfast staple in my family, but the store-bought type just doesn’t sit right for cooking on the trail. We are no wimps in the southwest when it comes to spice, but spice comes in many forms. This recipe I’ve created (inspired by my high school lunch Lady Ms. Maria) has the perfect mix of spice, fat, and freeze-ability to act as an ice pack in the cooler.

We don’t always eat chorizo while camping, but it is a staple for it. When I make it at home I’ll serve it with hashbrowns and some scrambled eggs in a pan. It just tastes different in the kitchen versus from the tailgate of a jeep. So the serving is of course different. But here are some staple sides and toppings:

• Salsa (Jarred or fresh)
• Pico De Gallo
• Shredded cheese (fresh makes it better)
• Potatoes O’Brian
• Frozen Shredded hashbrowns
• Eggs
• Tortillas

I’m obviously no stranger to different styles of kitchen. But my main tip when you go to cook your chorizo is to have a well-seasoned cast-iron pan or a good non-stick pan because there is very little grease that comes off the meat. With that, if you cook anything in the same pan as the chorizo keep in mind that you may need to add some vegetable oil or butter.

This is a very scale-able recipe in the way of spiciness. If you like very spicy things, you can add more cayenne or pepper flakes. Or do like the southwest and have a spicy red sauce on hand.

Keep in mind here, my chorizo is usually made before hand and cooked at a campground, so the servings will vary. As well as varying by how big of a tortilla you use. Feel free to see the full burrito recipe here, it makes enough to share so plan accordingly.