The second in our series of posts.
h2. Choripán – Sausage in a bun, Argentina style.
Image courtesy of David Wilbanks via Flickr
h3. What is choripán?
It took me two years of living in Argentina to figure out that choripán – the ultimate Argentinian street snack – is cunningly named from the words chorizo, a sausage, and pan, meaning bread. (Of course, it took me four years to realise that ‘chile con carne’ is ‘chilli with meat’ – so what can I say.)
h3. What’s in choripán?
Only the finest cuts of pork or beef. Ha ha, not really. If you worry about what goes into a chorizo, or you are the type of person who inspects their food, I’d skip the whole experience. The bread is usually crusty enough to scrape the skin off the roof of your mouth.
h3. Why do we love choripán so much?
The choripán is a hot, grilled, heavily condimented sausage in a bun. Yet, there is more to it than that. Walking the streets with grease-dripping chori feels so Argentinian. It makes you feel like a local, one of the guys. It says ‘I am from Argentina and I don’t care what goes into my food as long as it is from an animal.’ However, if you want to be really hardcore, buy a morcipan, a morcilla (black pudding) sausage in a bun.
Image courtesy of Paul Keller via Flickr
h3. How do you eat choripán?
The choripán should be eaten on the move – preferably on the way to a football match. Ask for ‘un chori’. The asador (grill man) will split it in half, heat it up and slap it in a bun. Before you will be a selection of sauces: chimichurri, a spicy(ish) sauce of dried chilli, garlic, olive oil and oregano – although everyone has their own recipe – and usually a tomato and onion salsa in vinegar. Load it up sufficiently enough to have it dripping off your elbows.
h3. Where do you get choripán?
You’ll see vendors outside football stadiums, in roadside vans and on Avenida Corrientes east of 9 de Julio. The mother lode, however, for cheap choripanes is along the Costanera, the far side of Puerto Madero. Otherwise one will come with any asado (grill).

Daniel Neilson

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When the grill man opens the chori at the half the cut is called “mariposa” (butterfly).
If the colour of the chorizo is dark red that means it has more cow meat than pork meat. If it´s more light red, more pork meat than cow meat.
But the new star at the carritos (booths) at the shores of the Rio de la Plata is BONDIOLA.
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for the tips!
[…] Walking the streets with grease-dripping chori feels so Argentinian. It makes you feel like a local, one of the guys. It says ‘I am from Argentina and I don’t care what goes into my food as long as it is from an animal.’ However, if you want to be really hardcore, buy a morcipan, a morcilla (black pudding) sausage in a bun. [The Real Argentina] […]
[…] Posted on September 27, 2010 by BuenaOndaBA Last Sunday I had one goal: Eat a choripán. I had never tried this street-sold chorizo sandwich before, but had heard only amazing things, and […]
[…] […]
[…] of Argentina street foods, which gets locals – and many visitors – most excited, is the famous choripan. We won’t say much more as The Real Argentina has already shown its love for this beloved […]
And if it is too red (artificial red) it means it has a lot of non very healthy chemicla products… but who cares. As long as it is well done… I want one!
[…] parrillas such as Don Niceto (Niceto Vega 5255), or the dozens of grill stands serving up choripán (chorizo sausage in a roll) and bondiola (pork shoulder) on Costanera […]
[…] Choripan, you have my heart. Street food in sausage form, what else can a man ask for? All for a mere 10-15 Argentinian pesos (2-3 US dollars). Most cities have choripan food-carts, these photographs were taken in El Bolson. It consists of a deliciously barbecued sausage, a toasted bun and this wicked homemade hot-sauce that they all seem to have. Long live sausage!!! […]
Thanks to you, I’m craving for a sizzling chori right now. Great work, man!
[…] word Choripan is a portmanteau of the words for sausage and bread; the sandwich is one of those […]
[…] and invigorates your senses. Frankly, I can’t be asked to choose which, is why I say go for the choripan because when they ask you what salsa you want on it you can tell them LAS […]
[…] at just over US$1 make for an ideal lunchtime or mid-afternoon snack. Another quick option is the choripan, a delicious choirzo sausage served up in a crusty white bread roll and smothered in chimi churri […]
[…] you ordered. As for lunch, you’re left to your own devices, maybe a milanesa sandwich or a choripan. Time for merienda, literally translated to snack. What’s for merienda you ask? Coffee and […]