Exploring the Best Chorizo in The USA: A Taste Test of Seven Popular Brands

Today, we’re diving into something different—an in-depth investigation to find the best chorizo available on the market. I ventured to two different supermarkets here in Chicago and grabbed every chorizo I could find in the refrigerated section.

We ended up with seven different brands, all pork chorizo, ready for a taste test to determine which one comes out on top in terms of price, quantity, quality, and of course, flavor.

The Competitors:

El Popular: A brand I’ve never tried before, but its reputation suggests good value for the quantity provided.
Supremo: Similar to El Popular, this brand offers a substantial amount of product for the price.
La Paloma: This brand also provides two large chorizos per package, comparable in weight to Supremo and El Popular.
La Chona: This brand offers a middle-ground option with a choice between mild and spicy. We opted for the mild version.
Nuestra Cocina: This is the priciest of the bunch, so we’ll see if the taste justifies the cost.
El Águila: This brand is one of the more affordable options, but it comes with a smaller quantity of product.
Cacique: A familiar brand for many, but its texture and ingredients left us questioning its quality.

What chorizo is best for cooking? — Mexican Chorizo brands

The Process: To ensure a fair comparison, we cooked the same amount of chorizo from each brand, focusing on how much fat they released and how much actual meat was left after cooking. Each chorizo was weighed at around 30 grams before hitting the pan. All chorizos were cooked in the same brand of pan at the same temperature, so any differences would be purely due to the product itself.

First Impressions: As soon as I opened the packages, I could immediately see differences in texture. Cacique, for example, was noticeably softer and had visible bits of fat and other unidentifiable ingredients. Supremo, on the other hand, had a firmer texture, indicating more meat content. The cooking process further highlighted these differences—Cacique struggled to cook evenly, while Nuestra Cocina, despite its higher price, cooked up beautifully with very little fat and a rich meaty texture.

Taste Test:

Nuestra Cocina: As the most expensive, it did not disappoint. The meat quality was evident, and it had a balanced flavor, though a bit less salty than La Chona.
La Chona: This chorizo had a good balance of meat and fat, though it was a bit salty. It would work well in recipes where you don’t need to add extra salt.
Supremo: A solid contender with a firm texture and rich flavor. It released less fat during cooking, making it a healthier option without sacrificing taste.

Surprises and Disappointments:

Cacique: Unfortunately, this brand was a major disappointment. The texture was strange, the fat content was high, and the flavor was off. It didn’t cook well, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
El Águila: This chorizo turned into a watery, greasy mess in the pan. The taste was okay, but the quality was lacking.
La Paloma and El Popular: Both were more on the greasy side, with El Popular being the greasiest of all. While the flavor was decent, the high fat content made them less appealing.

Final Verdict: The standout winners in this taste test are Nuestra Cocina, La Chona, and Supremo. These three brands delivered the perfect blend of high-quality meat, rich flavor, and balanced fat content, making them top choices for any home cook.

Personally, I’ve been a loyal fan of Supremo for years, and this test only reaffirmed why—it’s the best quality chorizo you can get for the price. It consistently offers great taste without compromising on value, proving that my go-to choice was spot-on all along.

As for the others—Cacique and El Águila—I’d suggest skipping them unless you’re really in a pinch. And while La Paloma and El Popular have their merits, their high fat content makes them better suited for dishes where you need that extra grease, like a backyard discada.

Ready to cook some Chorizo? check out my post on How to Eat Chorizo│The Best Mexican Recipes with Chorizo

So, what’s your go-to chorizo brand? Let me know in the comments below, and if you have other products you’d like me to test, I’m all ears. Until next time, happy cooking!