COMMENT:
Tasso is yet another example of the Cajun and Creole desire for
unique flavor in a recipe. Tasso is a dried smoked product that
is seasoned with cayenne pepper, garlic and salt and heavily smoked.
The word tasso is believed to have come from the Spanish work "tasajo"
which is dried, cured beef. Although this delicacy is often thinly
sliced and eaten alone, it is primarily used as a pungent seasoning
for vegetables, gumbos and soups.
Today in South Louisiana, tasso is becoming a popular seasoning
for new and creative dishes. It has also gained wide acclaim as
an hors d'oeuvre served with dipping sauces or fruit glazes.
At Lafitte's Landing Restaurant, we have incorporated tasso into
our cream sauces and compound butters to create a new taste unheard
of in classical cooking.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 pounds pork butt
- 1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Louisiana Gold Pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh cayenne pepper
- 1/4 sup cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/2 cup granulated garlic
METHOD:
Cut pork butt into one half inch thick strips. Place on a baking
pan and season with Worcestershire and Louisiana Gold sauces. Once
liquids are well blended into meat, add all remaining ingredients.
Mix well into meat to ensure that each piece is well coated with
the seasoning mixture. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Using a home style smoker, and using briquettes flavored with pecan
wood and sugar cane strips if possible, smoke tasso at 175-200 degrees
F for two and a half hours. Once cooked, tasso may be frozen or
used to season gumbos, vegetables or a great pot of white or red
beans. |
