Chorizo Sausage comes in many forms including whole sausages, slices and even a Mexican version. If you have some lurking at the back of your fridge you might be wondering if you can freeze cured chorizo sausage.
What Is Cured Chorizo?
When buying chorizo from the supermarket you’ll see there are lots of different types to choose from.
Cured chorizo has been air-dried and will typically feel harder to the touch and might to be in the fridge. One way to tell if your chorizo is cured is to take a look at the packaging – if there are cooking instructions then it’s usually not cured and will need cooking before it can be eaten.
Of course, you can cook cured chorizo too.
Other types of chorizo you might find in the supermarket include deli slices which are ready to eat but as they’ve been cut will need refrigeration.
Mexican chorizo Sausages are fresh, rather than cured, so should always be cooked before eating.
Do You Need To Freeze Chorizo?
Before freezing chorizo, you may want to check that freezing is really necessary. Cured meats are designed to last a long time, especially before they have been opened
How Long Does Chorizo Last In The Fridge?
How long the chorizo lasts will depend on whether or not it has been opened. chorizo -slice will keep for around a week after opening whereas cured chorizo Sausage will last for around two weeks once it’s been opened and cut into.
How Long Does Vacuum-Packed Chorizo Last?
Vacuum-packed chorizo (unopened) should last for around six months if kept in the fridge.
If stored at room temperature then cured chorizo should last for around a month provided it is kept in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight.
Can You Freeze Cured Chorizo Sausage?
Yes, you freeze cured chorizo Sausage. In fact, you can freeze chorizo it’s any of its forms.
Cured chorizo freezes really well and freezing doesn’t impact the texture or flavour. Once the chorizo has been frozen and then thawed you can use it exactly as you would have before.
Can You Freeze Cooked Chorizo Sausage?
Yes, you can freeze cooked chorizo Sausage. This is a great way to be able to freeze your chorizo if it has been previously frozen. The main thing to remember is to allow the chorizo to fully cool before freezing.
Can You Freeze Fresh Chorizo?
This would depend exactly on what is meant by ‘fresh’ chorizo. You can freeze fresh chorizo sausages (also called Mexican chorizo) in exactly the same way you would normal sausages. Fresh chorizo sausages are usually found in the chilled section of the supermarket.
Most other types of chorizo has been cured in some way so wouldn’t be classed as fresh. Chorizo slices from the deli can be frozen and are covered in more details further down this post.
Can You Freeze Homemade Chorizo?
Yes, you can freeze homemade chorizo sausage. Chorizo making kits are popular and they tend to produce a lot of chorizo sausages in one go, so you may want to freeze your homemade chorizo if you don’t think you’ll use it up within a certain timeframe.
My husband and I recently did this and the kit we used recommended freezing the chorizo sausage if it wouldn’t be used up within seven days.
Can You Freeze Mexican Chorizo?
Mexican chorizo is slightly different to Spanish chorizo because it isn’t cured, so needs cooking before it can be eaten. However, you can still freeze Mexican chorizo, just treat it like you would any other type of sausage.
Mexican chorizo can be frozen both before and after being cooked.
Can You Freeze Chorizo Slices?
Yes, you can freeze Chorizo Slices. This can be slices that you’ve made yourself from slicing a Chorizo Sausage, or it could be thin slices of chorizo bought in a packet from the supermarket.
Can You Refreeze Chorizo?
As with most foods, it is not advisable to refreeze chorizo. Freezing chorizo for a second time can damage the texture and generally speaking freezing any food more than once isn’t recommended.
However, there are a couple of caveats to this. For example, if you froze some Mexican chorizo sausages before cooking them, they could be frozen again provided they had been cooked first.
For more information on refreezing meats see this NHS post.
How To Freeze Cured Chorizo Sausage
Freezing cured chorizo (or freezing any type of chorizo for that matter!) is quite simple. If you have a packet of sliced chorizo, it can be placed in the freezer as long as it hasn’t been opened yet.
If freezing Mexican chorizo sausages they can be placed in the freezer as they are their packaging (or wrapped in a layer of cling film if they are open).
How To Freeze Chorizo Sausage
Before freezing cured chorizo sausage, it’s best to cut it into smaller pieces. While you can freeze a whole chorizo sausage, freezing in slices makes it easier to use as you can remove as many or as few as you need from the freezer at a time. A whole sausage will also take longer to defrost.
Using the flash freezing method below will also stop the chorizo from clumping together once frozen. If the chorizo has been cooked before freezing, ensure it is fully cooled before placing it in the freezer.
- Cut the chorizo sausage into small slices, around half an inch thick.
- Place the chorizo slices on a metal baking tray a few centimetres apart and place them in the freezer for around an hour until frozen solid.
- Once frozen, place all of the slices into a freezer bag or plastic freezer-safe tub. Squeeze out any air from the bag before tying it to help prevent freezer burn.
- Label the chorizo slices and add the date so you know when they were frozen before placing into the freezer.
How Long Does Chorizo Last In The Freezer?
Chorizo can be stored for up to six months in the freezer. It will be fine to eat after this time but may start to deteriorate in quality and could become more susceptible to freezer burn
How To Defrost Chorizo Sausage
Like all meats, the best way to defrost chorizo is in the fridge overnight. If it was frozen in small portions then it should only take a few hours to thaw but a whole chorizo sausage may take longer.
Once defrosted, use the chorizo exactly as you usually would. It can be eaten as it is or cooked on it’s own or as part of another dish.
Freezing Other Cured Meats
Chorizo isn’t the only type of cured meat that you can freeze. Take a look at these other posts to see which other meats can be frozen successfully.
