Chilean choripán — grilled longaniza sausage in a marraqueta roll with pebre
Chilean choripán in 30 minutes: longaniza sausage browned on the grill or in a pan without pricking, a toasted marraqueta roll and fresh pebre. How many per person, pan or oven versions, and what to serve alongside on the 18th.
Instructions
-
Set up the fire or the pan
On the grill: light the charcoal 30-40 minutes ahead and wait until the coals are covered in grey ash with medium heat (you should be able to hold your hand 15 cm above for 4-5 seconds). Indoors: heat a heavy pan or griddle over medium heat with the tablespoon of oil. High heat is the enemy of choripán: it bursts the casing and leaves the centre raw.
-
Brown the sausage without pricking it
Lay the whole sausages on the grill or in the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes with tongs, until browned and firm all over. Do not prick them: the fat they release is what keeps them juicy, and a torn casing dries them out. If fat flares up on the grill, move them to a spot without flame. They are done when they feel firm when pressed and any juice that shows is clear.
-
Split and toast the rolls
While the sausage finishes, slit the rolls lengthwise without separating the halves and set them crumb-side down on the grill or pan for 1-2 minutes, until coloured and warm. Toasted bread soaks up the sausage juices without going soggy. If you are using mayonnaise or avocado, spread them now on the warm bread.
-
Assemble and serve
Put a sausage in each roll; if it is very long, split it lengthwise (butterflied) so it covers the whole width. Top with two or three generous spoonfuls of pebre and, if using, the tomato and avocado. Serve at once: a choripán is eaten just assembled, with the bread crisp and the sausage hot.
Foodtastico Tip
Make the pebre in the morning (it improves with an hour's rest) and take the sausages out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking: at room temperature they cook evenly and do not split from the shock of cold meeting fire.
Nutrition information
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbs | 38 g |
| Sugars | 3 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
Values per serving (1 of 4).
Frequently asked questions
Chorizo or longaniza? Which one goes in a Chilean choripán?
In Chile a choripán is made with longaniza, a fresh pork sausage, long and mild, sold raw and cooked on the spot. Grilling chorizo (shorter, with more paprika and sometimes smoked) is the norm in Argentina and Uruguay, and works too. What does not work is cured Spanish-style chorizo, which is already dry and hardens over the fire. Longanizas from Chillán and San Carlos are the best known; any fresh butcher's sausage makes a good choripán.
Can I make choripán without a grill?
Yes, and it comes out very well. In a pan or on a griddle over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil, 12-15 minutes, turning often; cover for the first 5 minutes so it cooks through, then uncover to brown. In the oven, 20 minutes at 200 °C on a rack with a tray underneath, turning halfway. In an air fryer, 12 minutes at 180 °C. In every case, no pricking.
Should I prick the sausage before cooking?
No. It is the most widespread belief and the one that ruins the most choripanes. Pricking the casing lets the fat and juice escape, and the sausage ends up dry and wrinkled. Over medium heat the casing holds without bursting; if it splits, the heat is too high. The only exception is a very thick sausage (over 4 cm), which can be butterflied lengthwise and cooked cut-side down first.
How many choripanes per person?
As the starter of a barbecue, while the meat cooks: 1 per adult and half per child. If the choripán is the main dish (a teatime or a Fiestas Patrias spread with no meat afterwards): 2 per adult. With 4 sausages and 4 rolls you feed 4 people as a starter or 2 as a main. Count a cup of pebre for every 4 choripanes as well.
What do you serve with choripán?
The classic topping is pebre, and in the Maule also chancho en piedra. Many people add mayonnaise, avocado or sliced tomato, or chimichurri (more Argentine). To round off the table on the 18th it goes with ensalada chilena, potatoes with mayonnaise and a glass of red wine or a terremoto. At a barbecue it is served before the meat, to hold the hunger.
Can I cook the sausages ahead and reheat?
They are best cooked to order, but if you must get ahead, cook them until almost done (10 minutes), let them cool and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Before serving, finish them for 4-5 minutes on the hot grill or pan. Raw, they freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight. The bread and the pebre are always made the same day.
You might also like
– /5
No ratings yet — yours can be the first.
Ratings and comments will be available very soon.
Comments
No comments yet. Tried the recipe? Tell us how it turned out.