Chouriço Assado (Flambéed Portuguese Chorizo)

There’s a specific kind of theater to chouriço assado that I never get tired of: the little clay dish shaped like a pig, the chouriço nestled in its trough, and then someone striking a match and setting the whole thing on fire at the table. My father-in-law does this every single time we visit and every single time the kids shriek like they’ve never seen it before. It’s not just a party trick, the flaming aguardente actually renders the sausage and gives it a deep, slightly caramelized crust.

This is one of the easiest recipes on my whole site, which feels almost like cheating to include, but it’s such a staple of Portuguese gatherings that leaving it out would be a bigger crime. All you need is good smoked chouriço, a splash of high-proof spirit, and something to catch the flame safely. Serve it with crusty bread for soaking up the drippings and you have an appetizer that disappears in minutes.

If you don’t have a traditional assador de barro (the clay chorizo cooker), a cast iron skillet or a metal dish set on a heatproof trivet works just fine, you just lose a little of the drama. I like to serve this alongside my Pão com Chouriço (recipe on the site) for the chouriço lovers in the room, or with a plate of Bifanas (recipe on the site) if we’re going all in on a Portuguese spread. Just please, for the love of Max our very food-motivated dog, keep the flaming pan away from curious paws and little hands.

Chouriço Assado Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes · Cook time: 10 minutes · Total: 15 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~210 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 whole Portuguese chouriço or linguiça, about 12 ounces (smoked, cured, not fresh sausage)
• 1/4 cup aguardente, white rum, or other high-proof clear spirit (at least 100 proof)
• 1 crusty baguette or Portuguese roll, sliced, for serving

Instructions

1. Using a sharp knife, score the chouriço with shallow diagonal cuts on both sides, about 1/4 inch deep, without cutting all the way through. This helps it render and catch flame evenly.
2. Set the chouriço in a traditional clay chorizo cooker, a small cast iron skillet, or a heatproof metal dish. Place it on a large tray or heatproof surface away from anything flammable, including overhead cabinets.
3. Warm the spirit briefly (10 seconds in the microwave is plenty, just don’t overheat it), pour it around and over the chouriço, and immediately light it with a long match or lighter, standing back.
4. Let it flame for 1 to 2 minutes, basting the sausage with the burning liquid using a long spoon if you’re comfortable doing so, until the flames die down on their own.
5. Let the chouriço rest for a minute, then slice and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping in the drippings.

Recipe Notes

• Use real Portuguese chouriço or linguiça from a Portuguese or Brazilian market if you can find it; Spanish chorizo is a fine substitute but has a different spice profile.
• Always flambé on a stable, heatproof surface, never under a range hood or near curtains, and keep a lid nearby in case you need to smother the flame quickly.
• Aguardente (Portuguese grape brandy) is the traditional choice; if you can’t find it, a high-proof white rum or vodka works, just make sure it’s at least 100 proof or it won’t ignite well.
• This is meant to be a shared appetizer eaten standing around the table, so skip the plates and let everyone pull pieces straight off the dish with toothpicks or bread.