How to Cook Chorizo: Mexican vs. Spanish, and Which One Frank's Makes

 If you've only ever seen chorizo sliced thin on a charcuterie board, the raw, ground version in the meat case can be confusing. That's because "chorizo" actually covers two very different sausages. Mexican chorizo is fresh and raw, meant to be browned in a pan like ground beef. Spanish chorizo is cured and smoked, sliced and eaten straight from the package. Frank's Pork Chorizo is the Mexican-style version, ground and packaged into 1 lb. rolls, so it goes into your skillet raw rather than onto a cheese board.

Knowing which type you're holding matters, because the two aren't interchangeable in a recipe. Below is the real difference between them, what to expect from Frank's version specifically, and exactly how to cook it.

Mexican vs Spanish Chorizo: The Real Difference

The biggest difference comes down to how each one is made. Mexican chorizo starts as fresh, uncooked ground pork that's seasoned and packed raw. Because it's never cured or dried, it has to be fully cooked before eating, the same as ground breakfast sausage.

Spanish chorizo, by contrast, is cured and often smoked, then dried until it's firm enough to slice. It's typically flavored heavily with smoked paprika, which is where much of its deep red color and smoky flavor come from. Since it's already cured, it can be eaten cold, sliced into a tapas spread, or added to a dish mostly for flavor near the end of cooking rather than as the main event.

That construction difference changes how each one shows up in a recipe. A dish calling for Spanish chorizo often just wants a few rounds sliced in to render some fat and season the pan. A dish calling for Mexican chorizo wants it crumbled and fully browned, the same way you'd treat raw ground sausage, since nothing about it is ready to eat straight from the package.

Neither style is "better"; they're just built for different jobs. Mexican-style is the one you reach for when you want a sausage to be the main cooked component of a dish. Spanish-style is the one you reach for when you want a cured, ready-to-eat flavor accent.

Frank's Chorizo: What to Expect

Frank's Pork Chorizo is Mexican-style through and through. It's ground and packaged into 1 lb. rolls, and it's described as packed with smoky paprika and red pepper flavor, so it leans into bold, warm spice without straying into Spanish-style curing territory.

Since it ships raw, it needs to be fully cooked before you eat it. The good news is that also makes it flexible. Raw, ground chorizo takes on the shape of whatever you're cooking: crumbled into tacos, formed into patties, or stirred into a skillet hash.

How to Cook Frank's Chorizo, Step by Step

Cooking it is straightforward, and Frank's has one specific tip worth following closely.

First, heat a cast iron pan over medium heat, since Frank's notes this chorizo is best cooked that way. Cast iron holds steady heat and helps the meat develop a good sear rather than steaming in its own liquid.

Second, add the chorizo to the hot pan and break it up as it browns, the same way you'd cook ground beef. Frank's specifically calls out not overworking it with the spoon here, since a few undisturbed minutes let a deep, caramelized crust form on the meat, which is where a lot of the flavor in a good chorizo hash or taco filling actually comes from. Stir it too often, and that crust never gets the chance to build.

Third, keep cooking and occasionally turning until it's fully browned throughout, with no pink remaining, since this is raw pork and needs to reach a safe internal temperature.

Once it's browned, it's ready to fold into almost anything. That crust is what turns a simple ground sausage into something with real depth, so it's worth the extra minute or two of patience.

Ways to Use It

Because Frank's chorizo is raw and ground, it works well anywhere you'd use browned ground sausage. Scrambled into eggs or breakfast tacos is the most obvious move, and it holds up just as well mixed into home fries or folded into an omelet. If you're looking for more ways to round out a chorizo-based breakfast plate alongside other cuts, the 7 Most Popular Breakfast Meats guide walks through several pairings, including chorizo itself.

It's also a good candidate for dishes beyond breakfast. Browned chorizo works in a skillet hash with potatoes, stirred into rice, or as the base for a quick weeknight taco filling. Since it's already well-seasoned with paprika and red pepper, it doesn't need much beyond what's already in the roll.

If You Want Something Milder

Chorizo's paprika-and-red-pepper profile is bold by design, which is exactly what makes it work in the dishes above. But if you're feeding a crowd that prefers something gentler, Frank's Pork Breakfast Sausage is mildly seasoned without being boring, and it's built for the same kind of skillet cooking, so it's an easy swap in any recipe above if you want less heat.

For a different texture entirely, Frank's Pork Cottage Bacon is cut from the shoulder and works well heated in a pan for breakfast or built into a sandwich for lunch, a good option on mornings when you want something meaty but not spiced.

A Related Breakfast Staple Worth Knowing

If chorizo has you thinking about building out a full breakfast spread, Frank's Cured Hickory Smoked Ham Steak is another easy addition. Unlike chorizo, it's already cured and smoked, so it just needs a quick sear in a skillet rather than a full cook-through, making it a fast way to add variety to the same breakfast lineup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Frank's Chorizo the Mexican or Spanish style?
It's Mexican-style: fresh, raw, and ground, meant to be fully cooked in a pan rather than sliced and eaten cold.

Do I need to cook Frank's Chorizo before eating it?
Yes. Since it's packaged raw, it needs to be browned all the way through in a pan until no pink remains, the same as any raw ground pork.

What's the best way to cook it?
Frank's recommends a cast iron pan over medium heat, and advises against overworking it with the spoon so it can build a deep, caramelized crust for extra texture and flavor.

Can I use it the same way as ground breakfast sausage?
Yes. Since both are raw and ground, chorizo can be swapped into most recipes that call for browned breakfast sausage, though it will bring a bolder, spicier flavor.

Is chorizo only a breakfast food? No. While it's a popular breakfast add-in for eggs and tacos, browned chorizo also works well in hashes, rice dishes, and taco fillings any time of day.

Bottom Line

Once you know the difference between Mexican and Spanish chorizo, cooking Frank's version is simple. It's raw, ground, and meant for the skillet, and a hot cast iron pan with minimal stirring is really all it takes to get the crust that makes it worth the extra step. If chorizo is going to be a regular part of your breakfast rotation, Frank's Breakfast Box bundles it together with bacon, cottage bacon, breakfast sausage, and a ham steak- an easy way to stock a full week of mornings in one order.