Chorizo (, from Spanish ; similar to but distinct from Portuguese ) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula. In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or added as an ingredient to add flavor to other dishes. Elsewhere, some sausages sold as chorizo may not be fermented and cured, and require cooking before eating. Spanish and Portuguese are distinctly different products, despite both getting their smokiness and deep red color from dried, smoked, red peppers (/). Iberian chorizo is eaten sliced in a sandwich, grilled, fried, or simmered in liquid, including apple cider or other strong alcoholic beverages such as . It is also used as a partial replacement for ground (minced) beef or pork. Names The word chorizo probably comes from the Late Latin 'salted', via the Portuguese ; it is a doublet of the Spanish word 'sausage', which was transmitted through Italian . In English, chorizo is usually pronounced , though sometimes the Castilian Spanish [θ] sound is used: . Pronunciation and spelling vary slightly among the Iberian languages: Asturleonese: , Varieties by region Southern Europe Spain Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with garlic, – a smoked paprika – and salt. It is generally classed as either (spicy) or (sweet), depending upon the type of used. Hundreds of regional varieties of Spanish chorizo, both smoked and unsmoked, may contain herbs, and other ingredients. For example, chorizo de Pamplona is a thicker sausage with the meat more finely ground. Among the varieties is from the La Rioja region, which has PGI protection within the EU. Chorizo is made in short or long and hard or soft varieties; leaner varieties are suited to being eaten at room temperature as an appetizer or tapas, whereas the fattier versions are generally used for cooking. A rule of thumb is that long, thin chorizos are sweet, and short chorizos are spicy, although this is not always the case. Spain produces many other pork specialties, as well, such as or , cured and air-dried in a similar way. is a lean, cured meat to slice, made from the loin of the pig, which is marinated and then air-dried. is another cured sausage without the seasoning of chorizo, but flavoured with black peppercorns, instead. Depending on the variety, chorizo can be eaten sliced