Morcela

In Portugal, morcela is a blood sausage is a sausage filled with blood that is cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until it is thick enough to solidify when cooled. Most commonly, the blood of pigs, sheep, lamb, cow, chicken, or goose is used. There are many varieties around the Portuguese-speaking world. In Portugal proper, there are local varieties from different regions of mainland Portugal, including from Guarda, Portalegre, Estremoz and Borba, as well as from the Azores. A variety of morcela made with rice, morcela de arroz (rice blood sausage), is typically associated with Tomar, Leiria, Porto de Mós, Fundão and Belmonte. The morcela is made with a combination of different pork parts, namely blood and pork fat cut into pieces, seasoned with ground pepper, salt, garlic, dried garlic, and spices (including cloves and cumin), as well as wine in the pig’s blood. The morcela is a smoked sausage, is black and has a glossy surface, while its dark interior is marbled with fat. There is also a type of black chouriço, also a smoked blood sausage because it is made with pig blood together with pig meat. It is called chouriço de sangue. Places like Melgaço and several other localities in Northern Portugal, as well as in Beiras and Alentejo, are famed for its production.