These chouriço buns are packed with chouriço!
No messing around! I wanted every bite of these chouriço buns to be jam-packed full of chouriço! The quality of chouriço really matters here. You can make these with an average mass-produced chouriço, but if you can find some locally produced or even homemade chouriço, your buns will be even more awesome!
Easy to make Chouriço buns
Baking can often feel a little overwhelming if you haven’t baked much. This recipe is quite easy. In a nutshell, knead the dough in a stand mixer, let it rise for a bit, roll it out, place the shredded chouriço over the flattened dough, cut rectangles, roll, bake and eat. Easy peasy, right?
Is it a bun or a sandwich?
It’s both! It’s a delicious soft bun, that happens to be full of tasty meat. Eat it as a snack, as part of a meal, or have it instead of a traditional sandwich. So good!
Chouriço? Isn’t it called chorizo?
The one we used is called chouriço because it’s the Portuguese version of this sausage. Chorizo is the Spanish version. They’re both spiced pork sausage. Traditionally, Spanish chorizo is cured while Portuguese chouriço is smoked, fully cooked and ready to eat.
Eat them right away, or freeze some!
I made a batch of 10 chouriço buns. This is more than we can (should) eat in a couple of days. Rather than letting the buns go hard, just freeze a few in a freezer bag for your next craving. Defrost on the counter for a couple of hours, or throw them in the microwave for a minute or two. Such a tasty make-ahead treat!
Portuguese bakery, late nights and great memories
For some reason, our tiny town on the Island of Pico in the Azores, had three bakeries at one point, when I lived there through my teens. One of them would sell to the public at any hour they were baking, even though they weren’t a retail store. As long as the bakers were there, they’d be willing so sell what they were making–sometimes hot out of the oven. This meant late night visits after a fun evening out with friends.
Think of these visits in my tiny town like you’d think of the big city hotdog stands after a sporting event, or a snack when you’re peckish after hours at a club or concert in North America. For me and my friends, it was the comforting snack that always hit the spot after a fun evening out. But, to be clear, I’d eat these any time.
Aren’t chouriço buns made with slices of chouriço?
Yes, that’s the way they’re traditionally made. I shredded mine because I feel like shredded chouriço does a better job of covering the entire inside of the bun. Chouriço in every bite!
If our picture is making your mouth water, wait no longer. Go get some ingredients and make this right now. Freeze a few so you’re prepared at a moment’s notice… and make today…and tomorrow, yummy!
Portuguese chouriço buns – Pão com chouriço on a cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp traditional active dry yeast
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 1/2 (1/2 + 1) cups warm water
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 480 g or 17oz Portuguese chouriço, shredded to small pieces in a food processor
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the sugar, yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes (until it gets foamy on the top)
- In a large stand mixer bowl, add the flour, salt, butter, remaining 1 cup of warm water and the yeast mixture (after the 15 minutes).
- Using the dough hook, knead for 15 minutes on the knead setting of your stand mixer. We use speed 2 on our Kitchen Aid stand mixer.
- Pull the dough from the stand mixer bowl, form a ball (by wrapping into the centre).
- Drizzle the oil into a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl.
- Cover the top of the bowl loosely with shrink wrap, and then with a folded blanket to keep it warm.
- Check the dough at 90 minutes. It should have doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 400 ºF.
- Lightly dust your counter surface with flour, and place the dough ball on the flour.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough to form a large rectangle. Make sure the entire rolled dough is roughly the same thickness.
- Sprinkle the shredded chouriço evenly over the entire rectangle of dough, to cover the whole dough surface.
- Using a dough scraper, cut down the long centre, and then cut 5 evenly distanced cuts in the opposit direction. You should have 10 small rectangles.
- Roll each of the rectangles into a roll. Try to keep the chouriço on the dough as you roll.
- Place all the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cut three diagonal shallow slices into the top of each roll.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with the beaten egg.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven, on the middle rack, and bake for about 22 minutes (the roll tops should be a nice golden brown).
- Let the rolls cool on a cooling rack, and enjoy!
Notes
- No stand mixer? No problem! You can knead the dough by hand. Knead for 15 minutes as well.
- No food processor? No problem! Cut the chouriço into small pieces with a sharp knife?
- Feel free to use thin chouriço slices instead of shredding it if you prefer it that way, it won’t change the recipe steps.
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