Entrepenas Chorizo de Leon, Ave. 500g

Entrepeñas Chorizo de León is cured at Geras de Gordón, 1,200 metres up in the mountains of León, by the same family-run maker behind our Entrepeñas Cecina - and it won a 3-star Great Taste Award in 2024, the highest rating there is. As well as the characteristic smoked paprika flavour, chorizo from the León region is also actually smoked over oak rather than just flavoured with paprika, giving it a deeper, more rounded warmth most chorizo doesn't have. Made from pork, Vera paprika, garlic and salt, and cured through Geras' cold, dry mountain winters, it's considered by experts as "probably the best chorizo in Spain" - and it's hard to disagree.

Slice it for a tapas board with good bread and a glass of something red, or fry it gently to render its paprika-red oil into a pan of lentils, chickpeas or a hearty stew. It holds its own cold in a sandwich too, and a few slices scattered over roasted vegetables or stirred through rice at the last minute carry that same smoky depth right through the dish.

Why we love it:

• Awarded 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards in 2024 - the top rating, reserved for the most exceptional entries
• Genuinely oak-smoked rather than just paprika-flavoured, a proper León tradition most chorizo doesn't bother with
• Made by the same family-run maker as our Entrepeñas Cecina, in the mountain village of Geras de Gordón, León
  
• Cured at 1,200 metres, where cold, dry mountain winters have shaped León's chorizo-making for generations
  
• Made with just pork, Vera paprika, garlic and salt - nothing artificial and no preservatives
  
• Naturally gluten-free and lactose-free

How to use:

• Slice thickly, about 1cm, and serve simply with bread, cheese and olives as part of a tapas spread
• Fry gently for 2-3 minutes to release the paprika oil, then stir through 400g of cooked lentils or chickpeas for an instant stew
  
• Add a few slices to rice or a stew for the last 10 minutes of cooking so the paprika oil colours the whole dish
  
• A natural white bloom may appear on the casing - this is normal for air-cured chorizo and can be wiped away before slicing

More information:

• Entrepeñas, family-run since 1948, cured at Geras de Gordón in the mountains of León, Spain
• Sold as a horseshoe-shaped ristra, approximately 500-650g
  
• Naturally gluten-free and lactose-free
  
• Store in a cool, dry place; once cut, wrap the end well and use within a few weeks
  
• Allergens: None
  
• Ingredients: Pork meat (70%), lard (19%), paprika de la Vera PDO (3%), garlic, salt from the Mediterranean sea