Chorizo a la sidra (Spanish chorizo in cider)

Chorizo a la sidra is one of the simplest Spanish tapas as you simply cook slices of chorizo in cider. The meat takes in and gives out flavor to give juicy meat with a meaty, syrupy sauce just begging for you to dip some bread in it. Perfect for snacking on.

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Spanish tapas come in many different forms, many of which I have shared here before. They are as much a part of life as a food group in Spain, being great to snack on at various times in the day. And so many are so easy to prepare, this one included.

Spanish cuisine is pretty regional, with some driven by the availability of ingredients or climate in different places. Galicia has abundant seafood, so things like tuna-filled pies and octopus are popular bites. Andalucia is hot, so it's no surprise cooling chilled soups like salmorejo come from there. 

While chorizo is made and enjoyed throughout the country, this dish is particularly a Northern specialty, thanks to the use of Asturian cider.

Spanish cider and sidrerias

The Northern Spanish region of Asturias is known for it's rugged coat and high mountains, with the mountain region being particularly where you will find "sidrerías" or cider houses.

Many are pretty rustic and sell little more than cider, plates of local cheese and meats and some simple tapas dishes. This dish is pretty much always on the menu, and understandably so. I have happy memories of enjoying a plate with bread and a glass of cider in the Asturian mountains. 

Asturian cider is probably quite different from most hard ciders you may have tried before. It is still an apple cider, but it is relatively dry and has no carbonation, or at most a very small amount. It is typically cloudy and not particularly high in alcohol content (more than some commercial brands, just less than many artisanal ciders in eg the UK).

Asturian cider tends to be a little fruitier than Basque cider, which can be more acidic. Though if you can't find Asturian cider for this, Basque would be a good alternative since it is similarly hazy and flat (that's what I used here). Alternatively, a non-carbonated, dry cider from elsewhere will also work.

What sidra is particularly known for is how you pour it. Similar to Basque txakoli wine, you pour sidra from a height into the glass in order to aerate it. You only pour a little at a time so it stays chilled and has a slight fizz from pouring. The idea is you get to enjoy it's full flavor this way.

Types of Spanish chorizo

Spanish chorizo is the original form of this cured meat that the Mexican chorizo sausage, which may be more familiar if you are in the US, derives from. Mexican chorizo uses chili and often spices like cinnamon for color and flavor and is typically a fresh meat product, while Spanish gets it's color and flavor from paprika and often garlic.

I talk about the different types in more detail in my chorizo in red wine post, but in short, you can make chorizo with either spicy or mild paprika, giving either "picante" (spicy) or "dulce" (sweet, meaning mild) chorizo.

Most Spanish chorizo that you find overseas is fully cured, chorizo curado, as this is the most highly preserved. This kind is dry and can be eaten uncooked. However in Spain and sometimes elsewhere you'll find fresh (chorizo fresco) or semi-cured (semi curado). These last two are softer and need to be cooked before eating. 

Ideally, you are looking for either fresh or semi-cured for this dish, though it is possible to make it with cured, you just need to take a little care not to dry out the chorizo. Mild is generally better to get more or the cider flavor, but picante will also work.

Cooking chorizo in cider

This is an incredibly easy dish to make with just a few ingredients. You start by cooking the chorizo in some olive oil in a small skillet/frying pan.

After preparing the chorizo, you add the cider and let it all simmer together. All the wonderful flavor from the cider mingles with the porky goodness. You typically add a bay leaf for seasoning but that is all. This part takes a few minutes, but you don't really need to do anything other than occasionally turn the chorizo so that it doesn't dry on one side.

The cider will partly evaporate, and partly absorb into the meat, leaving a slightly thicker, more syrupy sauce. Make sure you serve some bread on the side to soak up this deliciousness!

If you are looking to make more of a meal with this, I would also suggest as well as bread, maybe a vegetable dish like blistered Padron peppers or some potatoes like patatas bravas. A Spanish cheese plate and/or some olives would also be good for nibbling on. 

Spanish chorizo a la sidra is such an easy dish to make and packed with simple, tasty flavors. It's perfect to add some authentic flavor to a Spanish meal, or simply to enjoy just because. 

Try these other Northern Spanish dishes:

• Fabada Asturiana (a rustic, hearty and delicious pork and bean stew)
• Pimientos de Padrón (blistered Padron peppers, similar to shishito and great to snack on)
• Tarta de Santiago (Spanish almond cake)
• Plus you can find many more Spanish recipes, including more tapas, mains and desserts, in the archives. 

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