# OK... How hot should chorizo be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-how-hot-should-chorizo-be/529882 "2010-02-21T17:01:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-how-hot-should-chorizo-be/529882/41 "2010-02-24T16:54:36Z")
I live in southern Colorado, where chorizo is fairly popular, and while I’ve no idea what’s in homemade chorizo, I’ve never seen a prepackaged grocery-store variety that didn’t mention salivary glands in the ingredient list. It always makes me wonder ehat happened to the nicely innocuous sounding “meat by-products.” I mean, I _know_ I’m buying lips and assholes, but do they have to spell out what part of the lips? I try not to think about it when I eat. Mmmm…chorizo. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-how-hot-should-chorizo-be/529882/42 "2010-02-24T17:43:35Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > I live in southern Colorado, where chorizo is fairly popular, and while I’ve no idea what’s in homemade chorizo, I’ve never seen a prepackaged grocery-store variety that didn’t mention salivary glands in the ingredient list. It always makes me wonder ehat happened to the nicely innocuous sounding “meat by-products.” I mean, I _know_ I’m buying lips and assholes, but do they have to spell out what part of the lips? I try not to think about it when I eat. Mmmm…chorizo. Here the Mexican delis make their own, and I’m fairly certain it’s offal-free. All the prepackaged varieties I’ve seen, though, have all sorts of extra bits and pieces. I have no problems with that, however the prepackaged varieties invariably cook down to nearly nothing, so I never buy them anymore. The meat counter natural-casing chorizos remain much more substantial after cooking, and taste much better. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-how-hot-should-chorizo-be/529882/43 "2010-02-24T17:52:25Z")
Mmmm! Salivary glands! Doesn’t _that_ make your mouth water! The store where I work here in Dallas/Fort Worth carries Palacios and some other brand of Spanish dried chorizo, and there are quite a few around that cater to the Mexican market. It takes a bit of looking, but you can find any variety you want in any heat level. Many kinds do list salivary glands as the only meat. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-how-hot-should-chorizo-be/529882/44 "2010-02-24T18:34:54Z")
I’ve said before that offal is surely the most ethical and environmentally friendly food possible. I mean, nothing gets killed _for_ its salivary glands. I don’t think they even put that stuff in pet food! I’m saving it from the landfill when I eat it. Sure, the price of chorizo provides some income to the meat industry, but I don’t think any change in the demand for chorizo will result in more or fewer animals being raised and slaughtered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-how-hot-should-chorizo-be/529882.md?page=2)