Longaniza is a type of sausage that originates from Spain. Other regions have adopted longaniza differently. The spices used to make longaliza differ with the specific regions. This difference is as a result of the spices that are used to make longaniza. Some use fewer spices while others use a variety of them.
Countries that make longaniza include Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and many others. All of these countries that make their own Longaniza use spices that are almost similar and popularly used in almost all the other regions. They make Longaniza from pork and stuff it in intestinal casing. It can be smoked, cured or even fried.
This article will help the readers understand what longaniza is made of, that is, the meat used, whether it is sliced or ground; it also describes all the spices that can be used to come up with the best longaniza. It will also help readers that would need to make their own longaniza come up with one of their own.
Making Longaniza sausage
Longaniza is very easy to make and require the following ingredients
- 1kg of ground pork
- 1 spoonful of table salt
- 2/3 teaspoon of Prague powder
- Sodium phosphate approximately 1 tablespoon
- ½ full cup of cold water
- ½ cup of TVP
- ¾ spoon of isolate
- ¼ spoon of Carrageenan
- 2 spoons of sugar
- Minced garlic
- Paprika
- Anise liquor
- Black pepper that is ground
- Pineapple juice
- Meat enhancer
Instructions
i) Using a large container, put salt, Prague powder, phosphate, Anise liquor, and water then stir to mix completely.
ii) Take TVP, Isolate, and Carrageenan and add to the container.
iii) Put the ground pork, sugar, garlic, paprika, black pepper, pineapple juice and meat enhancer and stir carefully.
iv) Place the mixture in a refrigerator for about 11-12hrs
v) Use sausage casing to shape the sausage.
Nutrition
Longaniza has about 712 kcal of calories, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 43 grams of proteins, 54 grams of fat, 184 mg of cholesterol, 2452mg of sodium, 773 mg of potassium, 6 grams of sugar, 42 mg of calcium, 2,4mg of iron.
Characteristics of longaniza
a) Longaniza is usually very long.
b) It is very thin.
c) It is mostly red in color
d) It is made from ground pork or minced pork.
e) Longaniza is spicy.
Factors to consider when buying Longaniza
i. Part of pig used to make pork
Some people prefer longaniza that is made using a specific part of the pig’s meat.
ii. The spices used to make Longaniza
People prefer less spicy Longaniza while others only want Longaniza that is too spicy.
iii. Expiry date
Longaniza has a very long lifespan when stored well. Overstaying can make the longaniza sausage change its taste and flavor.
iv. Type of casing used
One has to confirm whether the casing is edible or not. This is important as they will be able to know how to deal with specific sausage casing.
v. Origin of the longaniza
Different countries make longaniza differently in terms of the meat used and the spices used to make it.
Types of longaniza
The different ingredients used to make longaniza vary from one place to another. There are many types of longaniza. They include;
1. Lucban longaniza
It is made using paprika and oregano. This longaniza is usually salty and sour.
2. Pampanga longaniza
This longaniza is mostly skinless, reddish, and very long. It has a sweet and savory taste.
3. Spanish longaniza
It can be made using cold, fresh or cured meat. The meat may be minced meat or marinated meat. It originates from Spain. Usually made from pig’s intestines that are stuffed with marinated or minced meat. Raw sausage is usually cured while fresh sausage is mostly roasted or fried.
4. Aragón extra longaniza
It is one of the traditional sausages that is made using black truffle. Black truffle is an underground fungus with dark blackish appearance.
5. Extra Iberian Longaniza
This longaniza is usually prepared and seasoned the same way as chorizo. They differ in sizes, usually very thin, and narrow.
6. Longaniza de Vic
It is made with the meat of pigs that are raised in Osona region. The meat used is usually minced, stuffed into the gut, and then stored in natural drying rooms to dry it for one and a half months.
7. Easter longaniza sausage
Originates from the Valencian community, can be fried or grilled but mostly dried and eaten when raw.
Tips for handling longaniza
1. Add enough water while cooking.
Adding enough water ensures that the Longaniza does get burnt and also prevents the longaniza from undercooking.
2. Store longaniza properly.
Longaniza can be stored in the fridge to prevent it from going bad with a resealable freezer bag or an airtight plastic container.
3. Use cornstarch to maintain the moisture and tenderness of the ingredients when stored uncooked.
4. Storing extra ingredients
Extra ingredients should be stored with purpose flour.
5. When preparing Longaniza, skinless Longaniza should not be cooked directly, rather it should be stored in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours.
6. The longaniza should be wrapped to ensure that it is safe and to ease the cooking process.
7. Too many ingredients should not be used when making longaniza.
8. For tenderness of the Longaniza, always adjust the pork and fat ratio at 0.75:0.25 respectively.
Frequently asked questions
Question 1: What is Longaniza?
Solution
Longaniza is a type of thin, long, and spicy sausage that is similar to Chorizo and Linguica. It originates from Spain.
Question 2: Which part of the pig is Longaniza made of?
Solution
The meat used to make Longaniza varies from one region to another region. Most pork Longaniza are made using pork shoulder that is chopped. The specific part to be used depends on a person’s needs.
Question 3: What is the nutritional value of longaniza?
Solution
Longaniza is rich in protein, Selenium, and thiamine. It boosts Vitamin B-12.
Conclusion
There are different sausages that can be made using pork. They include longaniza, Linguica and chorizo. These sausages are made of different spices. It is not easy to tell what exactly is used to make the sausages like Longaniza.
Longaniza is mainly made from pork using different spices. Making Longaniza is very easy and does not require technical skills. To make the best longaniza, it requires one to specify some duration of time as it is usually done in phases.