Chorizo al Pan

Chorizo al Pan

Recipes with Chorizo Uruguayo

A variation on the choripán where the bread does more of the work. The chorizo cooks inside a split roll placed directly on the grill, so the bread chars on the outside while the sausage fat soaks into the crumb from below. The result is a single object: bread and sausage fused, with a crackling exterior and a grease-soaked interior that holds together as you eat it. Street vendors at football stadiums in Montevideo use this technique when the crowd is large and time is short.

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

15 min

Servings

2

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 chorizo uruguayo links
  • 2 crusty bread rolls
  • Chimichurri or salsa criolla, to serve
  • Optional: sliced provolone

Steps

1

Partially grill the chorizo links for 6-7 minutes over medium coals, turning once. The skin should have some color but the sausage is not yet fully cooked through.

2

Split each bread roll lengthwise, cutting most of the way through but leaving the back hinge intact. Open the roll flat.

3

Place a partially cooked chorizo into each open roll. If using provolone, lay a slice on top of the chorizo now.

4

Place the filled rolls cut-side-down onto the grill over medium heat. Grill for 6-8 more minutes until the bread toasts and the underside chars in spots. The chorizo finishes cooking inside.

5

Flip the roll so the crust side faces down for a final minute to crisp the base. Remove from the grill, open, add chimichurri or salsa criolla, and close.

Tips

The bread needs to be dense enough to survive direct grill contact without burning immediately. A proper pan francés or a baguette-style roll works. Sliced white sandwich bread will collapse. The chorizo fat drips into the coals and creates flare-ups, so keep a close eye on the heat.