Mexican Chorizo

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place meat and steel blade from a large food processor on prepared baking sheet. Freeze 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, wipe dried chile peppers with a damp cloth. Heat a dry 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Without crowding, add chile peppers; heat 2 minutes or until light brown and fragrant, turning occasionally. Remove and cool. Break into pieces, discarding stems and seeds.* Transfer to a small food processor or a spice grinder. Cover and pulse until a fine powder forms.

3. Remove meat from freezer and place blade in food processor. Add meat, one-fourth at a time, to processor. Cover and process with 1-second pulses, 8 to 10 times, or until meat is coarsely ground and holds together when pinched between fingers. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. Add ground chile peppers and remaining ingredients to ground meat. Using your hands, mix ingredients until combined. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight before cooking and adding to your favorite Mexican foods.

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Chile peppers contain oils that can irritate your skin and eyes. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with them.

Mexican Chorizo Vs. Spanish Chorizo

There are two types of chorizo--Spanish and Mexican--so double-check what kind you need before you buy. Spanish chorizo is dry cured and comes in smoked links. Mexican chorizo is available in bulk packages (like ground beef) or in casings, which resemble links of Italian sausage. Both forms of Mexican chorizo must be cooked before eating.