Chistorra

Chistorra / Txistorra

Txistorra pintxo under its typical presentation
Place of origin	Spain
Region or state	Navarre
Main ingredients	minced pork
Media: Chistorra / Txistorra

Chistorra or txistorra (pronounced [tʃis̺ˈtora], Basque: txistor) is a type of fast-cure sausage typical of the Basque cuisine, with its origins in Navarre, actual Spain. It can be considered a special type of chorizo. It is made of minced pork, or a mixture of minced pork and beef, is encased in either lamb tripe or plastic and has a fat content that varies between 70 and 80%. The sausage is flavoured with garlic, salt and paprika, which gives it a bright-red colour. It is usually baked, fried or grilled and often accompanies other dishes, sometimes as part of tapas. The final cured product tends to be thinner than traditional chorizo or sausage, with a diameter of approximately 25 mm. The sausages average 40 cm (16 in) in length, though there are cases when they reach up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) long.

It is one of the most typical culinary products of Navarre and the Basque Country, being also found to a smaller extent in neighbouring regions, such as Aragon or Rioja. In Arbizu, a small town in the north of Navarre with a big tradition of txistorra production, a yearly event is celebrated around October, called Txistor Eguna ("Txistorra day").

Since October 2024, its production and commercialisation is protected at EU level by the Chistorra de Navarra − Txistorra de Navarra − Nafarroako Txistorra Protected Geographical Indication.

Preparations

One of the most popular dishes involving chistorra is huevos rotos con chistorra y patatas, a dish with fried eggs and potatoes.

Chistorra is usually fried whole, but served chopped into smaller sections as a tapa. Fried chistorra is often accompanied by beer or wine, especially of the Txakoli variety. Fried chistorra is also a typical bocadillo (sandwich) filler (bocadillo de chistorra).

Other common dishes include croissant preñado, a croissant with chistorra filler, and tortilla con chistorra, a potato or egg omelet with chistorra.

Chistorra is traditionally served on the feast day of Thomas the Apostle (December 21) in San Sebastián. During the festivities, chistorra is often served alongside talo and is accompanied by cider.

In the Aragonese Pyrenees, there are two different types of txistorra: one made only of pork meat and another made of lungs, boned pig head and the pancreas, called berica.

Today it is sold fresh, but is increasingly found vacuum-packed in Spanish supermarkets.

Tradition

The 21st of December in the Basque Country is the day of Santo Tomás, during this day in all the cities you can see stalls of artisanal products among which, for being the typical food of the day, the talo, the chistorra and the cider or sagardoa as a usual accompaniment.

• 
  Huevos rotos con txistorra y patatas, a popular dish
• 
  A pintxo of fried txistorra on toast

See also

• Basque cuisine
• Christmas in the Basque Country
• List of sausages