Grill Capacity Challenge: What Happens When You Try to Grill 44 Chorizos at Once?

Cocina
By Cocina
We grilled 44 chorizos at once to see what happens. Perfectly charred or total BBQ chaos? Find out in our Chorizo Grill Challenge!

IIt’s a mystery as old as time—or at least as old as we can grill meat. How many pieces of meat can you fit on the grill at once and still hit that perfect doneness? We’ve all asked it (either in our heads or out loud, often under the watchful eye of a skeptical tío or that one grilling-obsessed cousin). We know you’ve tried and had some subpar choripanes as a result. You adjust, shuffle, remove, re-arrange—that ultimate Tetris puzzle of meats, veggies, and chorizos, all seeking optimal heat from the coals.

So we decided to run our own experiment. We wanted to answer: just how many chorizo links can we cram into a Sunday grill and still deliver that crisp, slightly charred exterior while preserving juiciness and full flavor inside?

Phase 1: Rally the Testers

Step one was simple: get people to eat. We announced “free choripanes next domingo!” in the office, and boom—instant volunteers. No ethical dilemma: they were happy participants.

Phase 2: Acquire the Ingredients

We estimated how many chorizos our grill could hold, grabbed a few extras (because you always need a buffer), and also secured just enough rolls for the inevitable overflow. We made chimichurri in bulk (there’s no such thing as too much chimichurri) and prepped everything the night before.

 
 
 
 
 
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Una publicación compartida de COCINA (@wearecocina)

Phase 3: Fire Up and Load Up

Sunday morning, we fired the grill using wood—because, come on, we let nature do the heavy lifting. We oiled the grates to avoid sticking and started placing chorizo one by one, inch by inch, until the grill surface was fully occupied.

Can you guess the magic number?

Forty-four chorizos.
Yes: 44 chorizos. Enough to feed a small fútbol team (or at least a very ambitious family gathering). Enough to silence critics. Enough to leave zero regrets.

The Outcome

Miraculously, every chorizo delivered: crisp and caramelized on the outside, tender and perfectly cooked inside. Not one burst open prematurely, not one dried out.

We attribute this success to a few key practices (which we now happily share with you):

  • Even spacing & airflow: We left just enough gap so that the heat could circulate rather than suffocate the sausages.

  • Consistent turning: We rotated links every few minutes so none stuck or burned unevenly (a classic tip in any good grilling guide).

  • Moderate, sustained heat: We avoided extreme flareups, keeping a stable zone such that the chorizos gently seared without exploding.

  • Resting moment: Once off the grill, we let them rest for a short while so the juices redistribute (a tip straight out of grilling lore).

These tactics helped us defy what many consider a “too many” threshold.

Lessons Learned & Next Moves

So here’s what we know now:

  1. Set your goal—and go full steam ahead. If you believe your grill can hold 40-50 links, don’t chicken out at 30. Push the limits (safely).

  2. Spacing and heat control are your allies, not your enemies.

  3. Have backup ingredients—bread, chimichurri, and extra links—to catch any curveballs.

  4. Let your friends suggest crazy ideas—we already received proposals to mix in morcilla, veggie kabobs, or even test 60 chorizos next time.

Now we pass the torch (or tongs) to you: what’s your bold “grill capacity challenge”? 50 chorizos? 60? A mix of chorizo and provoleta? Let us know your idea—our grill (and our stomachs) are ready.