Homemade Guajillo Pork Chorizo
Deep Chile Flavor. Bold Spices. Made From Scratch.
There's something different about making chorizo from scratch. Instead of relying on a premixed seasoning packet, this recipe starts with whole dried guajillo chiles, slowly softened and blended into a rich red seasoning paste.
The guajillos bring an earthy, slightly fruity flavor without overwhelming heat. Garlic, vinegar, oregano, cumin, and warm spices round everything out.
But there's one additional ingredient that brings a little something special to this batch: bay leaves.
Rather than simply grinding dried bay leaves into the meat, two leaves are steeped alongside the guajillos. One is then blended directly into the seasoning paste, giving the chorizo another layer of herbal flavor.
The result is a fresh Mexican-style pork chorizo designed for everything from breakfast tacos and eggs to potatoes, burritos, and skillet meals.
🧪 In Testing — Kirby Kitchen Test Kitchen
This recipe is currently undergoing kitchen testing.
The goal is to develop a homemade chorizo with a balanced chile flavor, enough acidity to brighten the pork, and a subtle bay leaf presence that complements rather than overwhelms the other seasonings.
The final flavor, texture, and nutritional estimates will be reviewed after cooking.
Have you made this recipe? Share your results and let us know what you think!
Recipe at a Glance
Yield: 4 servings (made with 1 lb ground pork)
Preparation: 15–20 minutes
Chile infusion: 20–25 minutes
Chilling: Until seasoning paste reaches 40°F (4°C) or below
Refrigerated resting: 4–12 hours
Cooking: Approximately 8–12 minutes, depending on batch size
Heat Level: Mild to medium
Style: Fresh Mexican-style pork chorizo
Ingredients
Pork
454 g (1 lb) ground pork, preferably 20–25% fat
Guajillo & Bay Leaf Infusion
20–25 g dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 whole dried bay leaves
350–475 g water, for soaking
30 g reserved chile and bay leaf soaking liquid
Seasoning Paste
30 g apple cider vinegar
12 g pre-minced garlic
8 g kosher salt
2 g Mexican oregano
2 g ground cumin
1 g ground coriander
1 g ground black pepper
0.3 g ground cinnamon
Small pinch ground cloves
1 softened bay leaf, reserved from the infusion
Instructions
1. Prepare the Guajillo Chiles
Remove the stems and seeds from the dried guajillo chiles.
Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the chiles for approximately 10–15 seconds per side until fragrant.
Avoid burning the chiles, as this can introduce bitterness into the finished chorizo.
2. Prepare the Bay Leaf Infusion
Bring 350–475 g water to a boil.
Add both whole bay leaves, reduce the heat, and gently simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
This gives the bay leaves a head start in releasing their flavor.
3. Rehydrate the Guajillos
Remove the water from the heat.
Add the toasted guajillo chiles to the bay leaf infusion, cover, and soak for 15–20 minutes or until the chiles have softened.
4. Reserve the Infused Liquid
Remove the softened chiles from the water.
Measure out 30 g of the chile and bay leaf soaking liquid.
Reserve one softened bay leaf for blending and discard the other. Remove any tough stem from the reserved leaf.
Taste the soaking liquid. If it has become excessively bitter, substitute fresh water for the blending liquid.
5. Prepare the Chorizo Seasoning Paste
Add the following ingredients to a blender:
Rehydrated guajillo chiles
1 softened bay leaf, with the tough stem removed
30 g reserved soaking liquid
30 g apple cider vinegar
12 g pre-minced garlic
8 g kosher salt
2 g Mexican oregano
2 g ground cumin
1 g ground coriander
1 g black pepper
0.3 g cinnamon
Small pinch ground cloves
Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
Because one bay leaf is blended directly into the seasoning, check carefully for any tough or fibrous pieces. Pass the paste through a fine-mesh strainer if necessary.
6. Chill the Seasoning Paste
Do not add warm seasoning paste directly to raw ground pork.
Transfer the blended mixture to a shallow container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, ideally 40°F (4°C) or below.
This helps keep the pork at a safe temperature and prevents the warm paste from softening the fat during mixing.
7. Season the Pork
Place 454 g cold ground pork in a large mixing bowl.
Add the chilled guajillo seasoning paste.
Mix thoroughly until the seasonings are evenly distributed and the meat develops a slightly tacky consistency.
Avoid letting the mixture sit at room temperature unnecessarily.
8. Refrigerate and Develop the Flavor
Cover the seasoned pork and refrigerate for 4–12 hours.
This resting period allows the guajillo, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, and other spices to distribute throughout the meat.
Keep the chorizo refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below.
9. Cook the Chorizo
Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Add the chorizo and break it apart into small crumbles as it cooks.
Continue cooking until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
The finished chorizo should be richly colored, aromatic, and evenly cooked.
Kirby Rules & Kitchen Tips
Kirby Rule #1: Give the Chiles Some Respect.
A quick toast wakes up the flavor. Burning them ruins it. Keep the heat controlled.
Kirby Rule #2: Don't Waste the Good Stuff.
That chile soaking liquid carries flavor from both the guajillos and the bay leaves. Using 30 g in the seasoning paste helps carry those flavors into the pork. Just taste it first to make sure it isn't bitter.
Kirby Rule #3: Cold Meat, Cold Seasoning.
Keep the meat cold, and cool the seasoning paste before combining them. Good sausage starts with proper temperature control.
Kirby Rule #4: Taste First, Change Second.
Before adjusting the full batch, cook a small portion and evaluate the seasoning.
Performance Notes
Fresh pork chorizo delivers protein and bold flavor, but its calorie and fat content depend heavily on the cut of pork used.
A pork blend containing 20–25% fat produces a richer sausage with a traditional texture.
Leaner pork can reduce the fat content, but the finished chorizo may be less juicy.
This recipe uses whole dried chiles rather than commercial chorizo seasoning mixes, giving greater control over the ingredients and finished flavor.
Make It Your Own
More Garlic: Increase the pre-minced garlic from 12 g to 15 g.
More Heat: Add 1–2 dried árbol chiles during the guajillo soaking step.
Milder Flavor: Use only guajillo chiles without additional hot peppers.
Coarser Texture: Grind pork shoulder through a medium grinding plate rather than using finely ground pork.
Fuel Profile — Estimated Per Serving
Based on four servings and ground pork containing approximately 20–25% fat:
Calories: ~340 kcal | Protein: ~20 g | Carbohydrates: ~6 g | Net Carbs: ~4 g | Fiber: ~2 g | Fat: ~26 g
These are preliminary estimates. Actual nutrition depends on the ground pork's fat content, chile yield, ingredient brands, and the amount of rendered fat retained after cooking.
Storage
Raw Chorizo, Refrigerated: Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and cook or freeze within 1–2 days of purchasing or grinding the pork. The overnight seasoning rest is included in this time.
Raw Chorizo, Frozen: Freeze in airtight portions for approximately 2–3 months for best quality.
Cooked Chorizo, Refrigerated: Store in an airtight container and consume within 3–4 days.
Food Safety: This is fresh, uncured chorizo, not a shelf-stable sausage. Always cook thoroughly before consuming.
Kitchen Wisdom
A good sausage doesn't need an endless ingredient list, but every ingredient should have a purpose.
The guajillos bring depth and color. The vinegar adds brightness. The garlic and spices build character. And the bay leaf works quietly in the background, tying everything together.
Sometimes the smallest adjustment is what takes a familiar recipe and makes it your own.
The Kirby Kitchen
Real Food. Real Life. Built With Purpose.