Choripán (Argentinian chorizo sandwich)

Choripán is a wonderfully tasty, and easy sandwich made with gently spicy chorizo, crisp bread, a bright herby chimichurri sauce and optional salsa criolla. It's easy to make, packed with flavor and perfect as part of a grilling line up, or simply just because. 

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Chorizo is something that can vary quite a lot from one place to another. On the whole, it's a spiced sausage, but you'll find quite a range in what exactly that looks like from one place to another. However I've yet to find a form I don't enjoy and this tasty sandwich from Argentina, and also found in nearby countries, is a great example of a probably less known form. 

On the face of it, it's a sausage sandwich, which is never a bad place to start. But this particular one has such a delicious set of flavors going on that are quite distinct from, say, a hotdog or Italian sausage sandwich. It's well worth enjoying. 

Different types of chorizo

The "original" chorizo is from the Iberian peninsula, now Spain and Portugal. In both, it's a pork-based sausage seasoned with paprika, giving the distinct orange-red color, as well as other seasonings. Even here, you'll find a number of different types, with different levels of cure and different seasonings (I talk about the styles a bit more in my chorizo in red wine post).

Chorizo was introduced and adapted in Latin America by immigrants from the Iberian peninsula. Mexican chorizo also uses pork but is generally fresh rather than cured, as Spanish often is. It also has a different set of seasonings, using local chilis as well as spices like cumin and cinnamon. It's sometimes bought as ground meat rather than formed in links and used in various dishes from tacos to chorizo torta (a sandwich). 

Further south, in Argentina, the chorizo sausage is also fresh and seasoned with chili, but generally not quite as spicy as Mexican. The base is also often a blend of pork and beef. If you can get it, that's the style you are looking for to make this sandwich.

What's in choripán?

At it's most basic, a choripan is a chorizo sandwich - the name combines chorizo with "pan", which is "bread" in Spanish. And while you only need a few ingredients, they each make it special:

• Chorizo - as mentioned above, you ideally want an Argentine chorizo for this which is a semi-spicy, well seasoned fresh sausage. It's usually pork and beef blend, but can be just pork as well. If you can't find that, try another well spiced sausage. Mexican-style chorizo can work, but it may be a bit more spicy than normal. 
• Bread - you have a few options here. You typically use a bread roll that's a French or crusty baguette-style. The traditional rolls are pan batido or pan francés. If you can't find crusty rolls, you can also use a section of baguette. I used a half demi-baguette per serving as this was about the right length for the sausage. You can also use a hotdog roll but if so, crisp it up on the grill a bit before you add the fillings.
• Sauce - the most typical sauce addition is chimichurri, which is a very popular with Argentine asado - foods cooked on the grill. It's made with herbs, olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic and chili. It's got lots of tasty flavor and pairs well with both meats and vegetables, especially grilled. Additionally, salsa criolla is a popular secondary sauce. This sauce is a combination of tomato, red onion, bell pepper and a little parsley, dressed in vinegar and oil. It's a little punchier than a Mexican salsa, but also a nice mix of fresh and crunchy.

The vinegar and herbs from the sauces cut through the rich fattiness of the sausage. As I say only a few ingredients, but they work so well together. 

Preparing and serving

You will want to prepare your sauces ahead of time both to make things easier when serving, but also to allow the flavors to mingle. Then, all you do is cook the chorizo and if needed, crisp the bread if it's not already crispy.

Traditionally, you grill the chorizo, to add in a bit of extra flavor. If you can't grill, a grill pan works well or you can use an overhead grill. First cut the sausage lengthwise to give two thinner, even halves. This allows an extra crisp edge and also helps the chorizo cook quicker. 

There's some debate on the right order to add the sauces and sausage to the sandwich. I've gone with some chimichurri on the bread, as a base, then the sausage and salsa criolla on top as a relish. A little more chimichurri on top adds an extra burst of flavor.

These Argentinian sandwiches are something you'll find served as a street food, enjoyed as a quick bite for lunch or after work. They're also popular as a bit of an appetizer during a cookout/BBQ before moving on to more prime cuts of meat. 

If you're looking for more tasty sandwiches from around the world, why not also try my South African grilled cheese sandwich (braaibroodjie), Danish open sandwiches (smørrebrød) or this traditional Cuban sandwich.

A choripán is a simple combination of bright flavors that's delicious whenever you decide to enjoy. Meaty, herby and with some "bite" too, it's one tasty sandwich.

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