CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Cebu City staged its 1st Chorizo de Cebu Festival at Plaza Sugbu from Feb. 17 to 21 with around 10 local meat processors showcasing the pork sausage that Cebu is also known for.
The festival was spearheaded by Cebu City’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) to promote Cebu’s meat products, particularly the Chorizo de Cebu.
“Mao na atong i-hype or i-promote jud nga atong chorizo sa Cebu is clean, limpyo, nya lami pa, unya registered pa. Ni-follow jud, nisunod jud unsay ingun sa balaod,” said Dr. Alice Utlang, head of DVMF.
(That’s why we really need to hype or promote that our chorizo in Cebu is clean, sanitary, delicious, and registered. It complies with the law).
She said the chorizo-making process in the city is now regulated to ensure cleanliness and safety.
“They used to make chorizo inside the market, which is dili jud limpyo (not sanitary). I called a meeting with the chorizo makers and warned them that if they don’t build a facility ensuring clean chorizo production, we will confiscate (their products),” she recounted.
DVMF has partnered with the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strictly ensure that food safety standards are enforced.
The NMIS, together with local government units, monitors the compliance with Republic Act 9296 or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, ensuring adherence to its implementing rules and regulations.
These standards include Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP).
‘Meaty and delicious’
“Ito masarap kasi malaman. Tapos matitikman mo yung laman na may taba. Kalimitan, ang natitikman ko panay harina na lang. Pero ito, mae-enjoy mo talaga kasi may taba siya ‘tsaka laman. Masarap,” said Nilda Furio, 54, from Sorsogon who visited the Chorizo de Cebu Festival.
(It’s really delicious. You get to taste the meat with fat. Because usually, all I tasted before was just flour. But this one, you’ll really enjoy because it has fat and meat. It’s delicious.)
Compared to what she usually buys in her hometown, Nilda was delighted by the perfect balance of fat and meat in the Cebu-made chorizo.
Another satisfied customer is 27-year-old Lloyd Heart Roble, who savored his chorizo meal paired with Cebu’s iconic puso or “hanging rice.”
He was quick to notice the balance of flavors in his chorizo.
“Dili siya basa. Naa man gyuy ubang chorizo nga basa kaayo siya, nya iyang katam-ison sakto ra kaayo,” he said.
(It’s not greasy. Other types of chorizo that are too greasy, and this one has just the right amount of sweetness).
The festival, which highlights local sausage makers and their products, will be held until Feb. 21.
Culinary heritage
The renowned Chorizo de Cebu traces its roots to the Spanish colonial era, where its legacy began as a Spanish sausage known as “chorizo.”
This delicacy is made from pork blended with a variety of herbs and spices, including garlic, paprika, and chili.
The seasoned meat is then stuffed into a hog casing and either smoked or dried to achieve its distinct, rich flavor.
Traditionally, Chorizo de Cebu is fried or grilled and served with white rice, puso, or garlic rice, making it a popular breakfast choice.
What distinguishes Chorizo de Cebu from other chorizo variants is the use of locally sourced ingredients and traditional preparation methods.
“Sa ato, daogon nato sa timplada, sa mga technique sa pagbuhat, ug sa kalimpyo sa pagbuhat,” explained Leo Canlum, a representative of Sixto and Bening Chorizo de Cebu, a meat processor in Cebu.
(For us, it all comes down to the seasoning, the techniques used in making it, and the cleanliness in the preparation process). (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)
