Picadillo de Chorizo or Adobu from Asturias Recipe

Picadillo de chorizo, also called zorza, jijas, chichas or adobu in Asturias, is a very traditional recipe from the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. Many provinces in this geographical area of Spain, such as Galicia, Asturias, Burgos, Valladolid and Palencia, have for centuries prepared this pork marinade with garlic and paprika. In many cases, this recipe is simply the stuffing for chorizo sausages, which, as well as giving a pleasant taste, is a way of checking the seasoning of the stuffing before making the chorizo sausages by frying the picadillo in a frying pan.

Chorizo picadillo, like raxo or other recipes such as eggs ‘a la flamenca‘ typical of Seville, consists of just a few ingredients that everyone can afford. Lean pork, some bacon to add a little fat (not too much) and the garlic and paprika seasoning that is so characteristic of Spanish cuisine.

Picadillo de chorizo

Picadillo de chorizo with tortos de maíz. | Shutterstock

Ingredients for Picadillo de chorizo or adobu asturiano (for 4 people)

  • 300 g of chopped loin head
  • 200 g of chopped lean pork meat
  • 200 g of bacon cut into small pieces or minced
  • 25 g of sweet paprika
  • 10 g of hot paprika
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 15 g of salt
  • Black pepper
  • Parsley for garnish

Preparation of the Picadillo de chorizo or adobu asturiano

  1. First prepare the different cuts of meat for the chorizo picadillo. If it is not possible to have all the cuts of meat minced by machine, it is important to keep in mind that the meat must be finely chopped. After all, we are preparing a stuffing for chorizo sausages. It is also possible to use meat from big game such as roe deer or wild boar.
  2. To do this, we cut the loin into small cubes and the bacon even smaller, so that it mixes well with the rest of the meat. It is important to have a good knife to cut the bacon; which is the most resistant (and which is not usually chopped in butcher’s shops). Add the meats to a bowl along with the minced meat.
  3. Season well by adding the two varieties of paprika, salt and pepper. Add the garlic, previously carefully crushed in a mortar and pestle, and stir everything together.
  4. Cover the mince and leave to rest for one to two days in the fridge so that all the flavours blend well.
  5. Once the meat has rested, take it out of the fridge and prepare a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Heat over high heat and once hot, add the mince. Fry well until everything is well browned to taste. Once the meat is cooked, we can leave it to rest for a few minutes in a colander to drain the excess fat.
  6. Finally, serve the Picadillo de chorizo with fried eggs, chips and tortos de maíz (traditional Asturian fried corn bread). This is certainly a recipe for a special day when we want to treat ourselves.

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