Homemade Mexican Chorizo

Mexican chorizo is a fresh raw sausage made with dried chiles, garlic, spices, salt, and vinegar. Unlike Spanish-style chorizo, which is cured, it must be cooked before using. It can be more difficult to find than Spanish chorizo, but it's easy to make yourself with this recipe.

• 4 large cloves garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 lb. ground fatty pork shoulder
• 6 tbs. guajillo or New Mexican chile powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1-1.2 Tbs. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

Mince 4 large cloves garlic and mash to a paste with 2 ‡tsp. kosher salt. Put 2‡ lb. ground fatty pork shoulder in a large bowl along with the garlic paste, 6 ‡Tbs. guajillo or New Mexican chile powder, 1-1/2 ‡tsp. cayenne, 1-1/2  ‡Tbs. dried oregano (preferably Mexican), 1 ‡tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 ‡tsp. ground allspice, 1/2 ‡tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4cup cider vinegar.

Knead the mixture with your hands until well combined (wear disposable
gloves, since the chiles can irritate your skin). Cover the bowl with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 ‡hours to season.

Homemade Mexican Chorizo

Mexican chorizo is a fresh raw sausage made with dried chiles, garlic, spices, salt, and vinegar. Unlike Spanish-style chorizo, which is cured, it must be cooked before using. It can be more difficult to find than Spanish chorizo, but it's easy to make yourself with this recipe.

• 4 large cloves garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 lb. ground fatty pork shoulder
• 6 tbs. guajillo or New Mexican chile powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1-1.2 Tbs. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

Mince 4 large cloves garlic and mash to a paste with 2 ‡tsp. kosher salt. Put 2‡ lb. ground fatty pork shoulder in a large bowl along with the garlic paste, 6 ‡Tbs. guajillo or New Mexican chile powder, 1-1/2 ‡tsp. cayenne, 1-1/2  ‡Tbs. dried oregano (preferably Mexican), 1 ‡tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 ‡tsp. ground allspice, 1/2 ‡tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4cup cider vinegar.

Knead the mixture with your hands until well combined (wear disposable
gloves, since the chiles can irritate your skin). Cover the bowl with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 ‡hours to season.

Deviled Pork Chops

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
• 4 1-inch-thick, bone-in, center-cut loin pork chops (2-1/2 to 3 lb.)
• Kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Stir together the mustard, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and cayenne in a small bowl.

Position an oven rack 3 to 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with foil and replace the perforated top part of the pan. Arrange the pork on the broiler pan and season generously on both sides with salt. Brush about half of the mustard mixture over the top of the chops. Broil until the chops are deeply browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the chops over with tongs, brush with the remaining mustard mixture, and continue to broil until the pork is browned and just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer in the center of a chop should register 145°F), about 5 minutes more. Let rest a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle the better-looking sides of the chops with the parsley, if using, and transfer to serving plates.

Tandoori Chicken Legs

These legs get a triple blast of flavor: first from a soak in lemon juice and salt, then from a pungent marinade of spices and yogurt (which also tenderizes the meat), and finally from a bit of butter brushed on at the end of cooking. Removing the skin from your chicken legs before grilling may seem like awaste of potentially crisp deliciousness, but it helps the marinade penetrate the meat more easily, as does making deep slashes in the meat before marinating.

For the chicken:

• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher or sea salt
• 6 whole chicken legs (2 to 3 lb.)
• Vegetable oil for the grill

For the marinade:

• 1 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• Kosher or sea salt
• 1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 3/4 tsp. hot dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For finishing:

• 2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium lime, cut into wedges

Prepare the chicken:

Combine the lemon juice and 1 tsp. salt in a large zip-top plastic bag and massage the bag until the salt crystals dissolve.

Pull the skin off the chicken legs. Using a sharp knife, make 2 or 3 deep slashes in each leg, almost to the bone. Toss the chicken legs in the lemon juice, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Marinate the chicken:

Mash the ginger, garlic, and 1 tsp. salt to a paste with the side of a large knife and transfer the paste to a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the remaining marinade ingredients. Add the marinade to the chicken legs and massage the bag to thoroughly coat the legs. Seal the bag and refrigerate the chicken for at least 4 hours but preferably 12 to 24 hours.

Grill the chicken:

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill fire for indirect grilling over medium-high heat (400°F).

If using a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side. Put a 9x13-inch foil drip pan on the grate next to the coals and fill it halfway with water. Replace the grill grate.

If using a gas grill, put a 9x13-inch foil drip pan on the inactive burners and fill it halfway with water. Replace the grill grate.

Clean the grate with a wire brush and, using tongs, wipe the grate with a paper towel or cloth dipped in oil.

Arrange the legs over the drip pan and away from the heat. Grill, flipping once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 170°F, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and brush each leg with the melted butter. Garnish with the cilantro leaves, onion slices, and lime wedges and serve.

Tex-Mex Rub for Steak or Chicken

• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store dry spice rubs in the pantry for two to three weeks. Store rubs with fresh ingredients in the refrigerator for up to two days. Apply rubs just before grilling, or for more flavor, rub the mix into the meat and refrigerate for several hours before grilling.