When eating processed meat, it’s wise to know what they are made of to keep life healthy – for example, chorizo. It’s indeed a fantastic addition to Spanish or Mexican cuisine. However, have you noticed the package inscribing “the chorizo contains lymph nodes?”
So, here comes the query: is chorizo made from lymph nodes?
Yes, most commercial chorizo makers use lymph nodes in their production. They are cheap, easy to make, and contain enhanced sweetness and flavor. However, you can use other pork parts while making chorizo at home, if not lymph nodes. You can also find chorizo made of other pork parts in the market.
The piece also contains:
- What part is chorizo made from?
- What are the ingredients in chorizo?
- Why is chorizo made from lymph nodes?
- Pros and cons of making chorizo from lymph nodes
Let’s swoop into the article to discover more about chorizo.
Is Chorizo Made From Lymph Nodes?
Yes, lymph nodes are used to make chorizo. But not all of them are made from lymph nodes. The components you need to make chorizo vary depending on where you buy it. Chorizo is made primarily from pig, and the actual meat part utilized varies depending on how you make it.
Chorizo can be from different sections of a pig, which begs the question of whether lymph nodes are used. It’s essential to understand what kind of meat is utilized to make the sausage you wish to eat. This helps you understand why that particular beef was chosen above others.
A great number of people make chorizo for a living. Most commercial chorizo makers use lymph nodes in their production. Many people now assume that chorizo is solely manufactured from lymph nodes. There are other methods to make chorizos, but they are costlier than this one.
What Part is Chorizo Made From?
Chorizo is prepared from cheaper cuts of pork like all sausages. And there’s no hard and fast rule about which parts of the pig should be used to make chorizo. It all comes down to where you get it. You can make chorizo all by yourself or buy it from a store.
You will notice that people usually use a pork butt, also known as pork shoulder or pork cheek when looking at most homemade chorizo recipes.
But when you buy commercially produced chorizo from your grocery store, you will see that other parts of the pig, such as lymph nodes and salivary glands, are often used.
Whether you are buying your chorizo from the meat section of your grocery store or a butcher, it actually depends on the maker and what he’s using for making the sausage. Sometimes people are medically prohibited from eating lymph nodes meat.
So, in this case, you need to check the ingredients before buying your chorizo.
Usually, it’s written on the package whether the chorizo is made of lymph nodes. But if you have doubts and need to be clear about the meat part, you can always ask the vendor about it.
Here is a list of several good chorizos available in the market to try on.
| Chorizo | Ingredients |
| Cacique Pork Chorizo | pork salivary glands, lymph nodes, fat, paprika, salt, spices, mustard, garlic powder, pork, vinegar, soy grits, sodium nitrite. |
| Aurelia’s Spanish Chorizo | Pork, Spanish Pimenton, Fresh Garlic, Salt, Celery Powder, Lactic Acid Starter Culture |
| El Mexicano Pork Chorizo | pork salivary glands, lymph nodes, fat, paprika, soy flour, vinegar, salt, spices, red pepper, garlic, sodium nitrite. |
| Reynaldo’s Pork Chorizo Sausage | pork salivary glands, lymph nodes and fat, water, paprika, soy flour grits, vinegar, pork, spices, isolate soy product, red pepper, sodium nitrite, garlic powder |
| Chorizo Autentico by Palacios. | Pork meat, paprika, salt, and garlic. |
Why is Chorizo Made From Lymph Nodes?
There are other ways to make chorizo without lymph nodes, but why is this method widely popular? Let’s read below to find out about it.
- It’s One Of A Kind
Using lymph nodes in making chorizo makes it different from other chorizo and sausages found on the market. That is why some vendors make chorizo with lymph nodes to provide a unique sort of chorizo to make more sales.
- Cheap and Easy to Make
Many individuals do not use lymph nodes to produce chorizo, so they are in low demand. The reduced demand limits competition, resulting in extremely low prices for lymph nodes. In this way, you can make chorizo at a cheaper price. And the manufacturing procedure is also quite simple.
- Make the Best Use of Meat
Most people don’t use Lymph nodes in their usual recipes. So, the meat vendors try to reduce waste by making chorizo out of lymph nodes to best use pig meat. And as they are pretty easy to make and it’s also a cheap procedure, so it’s a win-win situation for the vendor.
- Government Policy
Sometimes, the government introduces laws to use lymph nodes in chorizo. If the government enacts legislation requiring all people who make chorizo to use lymph nodes, then the vendors must abide by the law made by the authorities.
- Preferences & Popularity
Some people are only interested in eating chorizo produced from lymph nodes, and nothing will stop them from doing so. And the flavor of the chorizo is enhanced by lymph nodes and salivary glands. So, many people use lymph nodes to make chorizo.
In addition, many people like having sweet chorizo. Salivary glands and lymph nodes make the sweetest chorizo sausage that leaves you wanting more of it. As many people enjoy it, it is sometimes mentioned on the label.
Pros and Cons of Making Chorizo from Lymph Nodes
There will always be some upsides and downsides to any process. Making chorizo with lymph nodes is no exception. And we have tried to gather all the pros and cons for you to make you understand the whole process.
Now let’s read below to find out the pros and cons of making chorizo from lymph nodes.
Pros
- The protein content of chorizo is high. Proteins help keep tissue robust, maintain the body’s hormone balance, and improve the immune system.
- It retains a good amount of selenium and zinc. These minerals aid in the body’s production of thyroid hormones.
- Chorizo contains choline and vitamin B-12 which are essential to the body. Choline helps in fat metabolism and the production of fatty acids that aid in developing healthy cell membranes. Vitamin B-12 aids in the delivery of oxygen to the body and also supports nerve transmission.
Cons
- Chorizo is high in fat, gathering in arteries and hardening them.
- Chorizo is a prohibited type of processed meat because it is unhealthy for the body.
- Chorizo is high in calories, fat, and sodium and low in carbon.
What are the Ingredients in Chorizo?
Chorizo is a mouth-watering treat that is a highly seasoned ground pork sausage.
Its amazing taste might make you wonder what is actually in chorizo. Well, it depends on the type of chorizo you are buying and where it is manufactured, it can be made using various components.
Pork, smoked paprika, and garlic are often used in making most Spanish chorizos. They coarsely chop the pork and mix it with pork-fat pieces and regionally-specific seasonings to make the chorizo. After that, they place the chorizos into natural casings to cure and dry.
The spiciness level of the sausages is a key factor in differentiating between different types of Spanish chorizos. Short, plump chorizos tend to be spicy, while longer, thinner chorizos are pretty mild in flavor.
You will find different versions of chorizo sold outside of Spain that contain paprika.
Although it is not always Spanish smoked paprika, it is really expensive to import. Various countries use annatto seed in chorizo to give sausages a crimson hue to make it similar to the original Spanish type.
Some Latin American cuisines, particularly Mexican cuisine, use local chorizo for color and taste, resulting in spicier chorizo. Mexican chorizos have a sharp, acidic flavor due to the meat combination.
Latin Americans follow this process to mimic the usage of white wine in several Spanish chorizo recipes.
You might be interested to read also our another comprehensive article of: Chorizo vs Andouille- What Makes Them Different?
FAQs:
- Are pork lymph nodes safe to eat?
Yes, they are totally safe to eat. But eating too many lymph nodes is harmful to your health. So, when you have chorizo or anything that contains pork lymph nodes, try not to overdo it.
- Does chorizo have any health benefits?
Yes, it certainly has. Chorizo is strong in vitamin B1 and B12 and is a fine source of B vitamins essential for energy generation. But eat it in a moderate amount as overeating any food is harmful to your health.
- Can you eat chorizo raw?
Mexican chorizo is usually uncooked, and you have to cook them before eating. Raw chorizo may cause food poisoning, resulting in severe sickness. But Spanish chorizo doesn’t need to be cooked; it’s safe to eat through a curing process.
Bottom Line
Are you still bugging about is chorizo made from lymph nodes, and is it safe to consume them?
Chorizo is usually made from pork butt, AKA pork shoulder or pork cheek. However, in mass production, the chorizo makers use lymph nodes to make chorizo. These chorizos are flavored-packed, extra sweet, and totally safe to consume.
But try not to overeat as chorizo is processed meat; it can be harmful to your health.
