Can You Grill Chorizo? The Short Answer
Yes — but how you do it depends entirely on which kind of chorizo you have. Chorizo isn’t one single product; it covers both firm, cured links (Spanish and Argentinian-style, plus many fresh pork grilling links) and loose, raw, tube-style Mexican chorizo. Link-style chorizo grills the same way you’d grill any sausage. Loose Mexican chorizo doesn’t — and treating it like a link sausage is the most common mistake people make with it.
Link-Style vs. Loose Mexican Chorizo
Link-style chorizo (Spanish, Argentinian, or firmer pork grilling links) is typically cured or semi-cured, stuffed into natural or synthetic casing, and firm enough to hold its shape directly on a grill grate, just like a bratwurst or Italian sausage.
Loose Mexican chorizo is raw, highly seasoned ground pork, usually sold in a plastic or cellulose casing that isn’t meant to be grilled or eaten — it’s just packaging, similar to ground breakfast sausage. It’s too soft to hold together on a grate and needs to be removed from that casing before cooking.
Knowing which one you have before you fire up the grill saves you from a mess of split casing and raw filling falling through the grates.
How to Grill Link-Style Chorizo
- Preheat the grill to medium heat, around 350°F.
- Start the links over indirect heat so the inside cooks through before the casing burns on the outside.
- Turn the links often with tongs for even cooking.
- In the last few minutes, move them over direct heat to pick up some char and color.
- Cook for roughly 15-20 minutes total, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Avoid piercing the casing with a fork while cooking — it lets the fat and juices escape, leaving the chorizo drier than it needs to be.
What About Loose Mexican Chorizo?
Loose chorizo isn’t a good candidate for laying straight on the grates. Instead:
- Remove it from its casing before cooking — squeeze or cut the packaging open and discard it.
- Cook it in a skillet or foil packet on the grill grates, breaking it up as it cooks the way you would browning ground beef, until it’s fully cooked through with no pink remaining and reaches 160°F.
- Alternatively, cook it indoors in a skillet on the stovetop if you’d rather not deal with a pan on the grill — the grill isn’t doing much for loose chorizo beyond convenience, since it’s not exposed directly to the grate or smoke.
Which Chorizo Is Best for Grilling?
Firm, link-style chorizo is the better choice if you specifically want to grill it — it holds its shape on the grate, picks up good char, and cooks the same way as other grilling sausages. Look for Spanish-style cured chorizo, Argentinian-style fresh chorizo links, or any pork sausage labeled specifically as a “grilling link.” Loose, soft Mexican-style chorizo is better suited to a skillet, whether that skillet sits on the grill or the stovetop.
Does Packaged Chorizo Need to Be Cooked?
It depends on the type. Loose Mexican chorizo is raw and must be fully cooked before eating — there’s no shortcut here, it’s ground raw pork with seasoning. Spanish-style chorizo is often cured or semi-cured during production, and some cured varieties are technically safe to eat without further cooking, similar to a hard salami. In practice, most people cook even cured chorizo links before eating, both for flavor and because grilling or pan-searing it brings out the fat and char that make chorizo worth eating in the first place. When in doubt, check the package — if it doesn’t clearly say “cured” or “ready to eat,” cook it fully.
Can You Eat Chorizo Like a Hot Dog?
Firm, link-style chorizo, yes — once fully cooked, it works in a bun with toppings just like a hot dog or bratwurst, and it’s a popular way to serve it. Loose Mexican chorizo doesn’t work the same way on its own since it has no casing to hold its shape, but it’s commonly used crumbled into tacos, burritos, or breakfast dishes rather than served whole in a bun.
FAQ
What is the correct way to cook chorizo? For link-style chorizo, grill it over medium heat with indirect heat first and a direct-heat finish, about 15-20 minutes to 160°F internal. For loose Mexican chorizo, remove it from its casing and cook it crumbled in a skillet until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. The method depends entirely on which type of chorizo you’re working with.