Tasso Cajun Style Recipes

JOHN'S CAJUN TASSO

Steps:

• First, make "1st dry rub" mix by combining all the dry ingredients together in a bowl making sure to break up brown sugar lumps (9TB tender quick, 1/2c brown sugar, 1/4c cayenne, 1/3c black pepper, 1/4c white pepper, 1/4c paprika, 3TB onion pwdr, 1/4c granulated garlic, 2TB celery seed, 2TB mustard powder, 2TB cinnamon). Once that's done, make "wet cure mix" by combining 3 or 4 tbsp of dry rub mix with 1 cup cold water in separate small container with a lid. Cover and shake well to dissolve all dry rub mix in the water. This liquid will be the wet cure that is injected. Set wet cure and remaining dry rub mix aside for now.
• Cut up the meat into roughly 1 pound chunks. This will make it easier to inject the wet cure. After that, slice the meat into roughly 1 or 2 inch wide slices. Inject each piece with the wet-cure (as much as it can hold -- about a syringe-full each). After injection, slice up the chunks and set them into pans.
• Now liberally rub all sides of meat with remaining dry rub, make sure they are coated well. Then place meat in two, one-gallon Ziploc bags along with the left over dry rub mix. Put both bags into a 9x13 roasting pan and into the fridge.
• Now wait for the butt to cure into Tasso. During the next 5 days massage and turn them over every 12 hours. Then we will rinse and smoke our Tasso.
• O.K, it's day 5 and we are ready to smoke. But first we have a couple of steps. We need to make a new, final dry rub (1/4c celery seed, 1/4c sylvias secret seasoning, 1/2c black pepper, 1/4c white pepper, 1/2c brown sugar, 3TB cayenne, 3TB granulated garlic, 1/4c coarse kosher salt). If you are unable to find Sylvia's Secret Seasoning, here is the recipe: 1 Tablespoon of dried basil, 1 Teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 Teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/4 Teaspoon dried rosemary crumbled. Combine as needed to obtain 1/4 cup. Combine all above ingredients and mix well. Store in airtight container until ready to use.
• Pull the curing meat out of the refrigerator and open the bag. First up is to rinse the cure-rub off the meat. Once all meat is rinsed off, plug the sink and soak them in cold water for 1 hour. During the soaking, change the water 3 times.
• Now it's time for the final rub. Dry each piece on a few layers of paper towels, then rub, and then stack onto a single pan. Start the charcoal for the smoker. Stabilize smoker temp at 225°F The plan is to keep it between 200 degrees and 225 Fahrenheit during the smoke. We want to cook it of course, but also want the drying out effect of the lower temp's.
• After just a bit over 5 hours, the meat should be ready. pull temp's on the pieces, especially the thick ones and call it done once they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit minimum.
• Transfer meat into three pans to cool down to room temperature maybe 30 minutes or so, then vacuum-sealer went to work. Got 5 bags of 5 pieces each, so I figure there was about a pound, maybe a few ounces less, per bag. This is plenty for a single recipe dish of whatever it is you want to make.

TASSO CAJUN STYLE

Steps:

• Trim the pork of all excess fat and cut it into strips about 1 inch thick and at least 4 inches long.
• Mix together the seasonings and place in a shallow pan. Roll each strip of pork in the seasoning mixture and place on a tray.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (preferable a couple of days).
• Prepare a smoker. Place the pork strips on the grill or rod (whichever your smoker uses) and smoke until done, 5 to 7 hours. Don't let the smoker get too hot.
• Remove the meat and let it cool completely, then wrap well in plastic and foil.
• The tasso will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, and it also freezes very well.

TASSO (CAJUN SPICED SMOKED PORK SHOULDER) FOR BRINKMANN SMOKER

Steps:

• IMPORTANT NOTE #1: This recipe makes a product that's quite salty, and meant to be used as a seasoning agent in small amounts (8 ounces) in jambalaya, beans and rice, or other Cajun-style savory foods. This tasso should not be considered a main dish the way a traditional ham would be. A 7-pound bone-in pork shoulder roast will yield about 4 pounds of usable tasso.
• IMPORTANT NOTE #2: Be sure to buy a bag of Morton brand "Tender Quick" home meat cure before making this recipe. Use 2 cups of the Morton cure and 8 cups of water to prepare the brine. Food,com does not recognize the Morton cure as an ingredient, so I couldn't list it in the "Ingredients" section. It's usually found in the spice aisle of larger supermarkets, in a dark blue paper sack, near the regular table salt.
• IMPORTANT NOTE #3: You also will need 7 to 9 chunks of throughly dried hickory wood, about 4 inches x 4 inches each. These are usually available wherever smokers are sold, like Home Depot where the Brinkmann smoker is sold. Soak the chunks in very hot water for about 20 minutes. You may need to put a weight on them to ensure they're completely submerged. Put the soaked chunks in a sealed plastic bag, so they stay moist until needed.
• RECIPE DIRECTIONS:.
• Follow the directions on the bag of Morton cure for making a wet brine, but use 2 cups cure and 8 cups water. Mix until cure is completely dissolved. Leave the skin on the pork shoulder. Submerge the meat in the brine. Weight it, if necessary, to keep it fully submerged. Cure, under refrigeration, for 24 hours.
• If you can't find the Morton cure, you can use 1 cup plain table sugar and 1 cup plain table salt to make the brine. The Morton cure usually is located in the spice aisle of larger supermarkets, near the regular salt.
• Remove the meat from the brine and dry thoroughly. Remove the tough outer skin, but leave the fat layer that's underneath the skin. Combine the spices, maple syrup, oil and water to make a wet rub that should have a spreadable consistency like thick heavy cream. Coat the meat evenly on all sides with the wet rub, just before putting it into the smoker. Use a brush or your hands to apply the rub. If you don't have maple syrup, substitute honey or dark corn syrup.
• Insert a heat-proof thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions, being sure to include the pan of water. You can add aromatics to the water pan, if desired, for example: lemon zest (yellow part only), whole peppercorns (black, white or pink), bay leaves, dry sherry wine or dry marsala wine. If using wine, replace 1 to 2 cups of the water in the smoker's bowl with 1 to 2 cups wine. Use the zest of a least 2 lemons, 10 to 20 peppercorns and 4 ro 5 bay leaves and add to water in pan. This will give the meat an extra dimension of flavor as it smokes. Place the meat in the smoker, according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Add 3 large, well-soaked hickory chunks to the smoker, per manufacturer's directions. Wood should not touch the heating elements. Put the cover on the smoker and smoker and smoke for 6 to 6 1/2 hours or until meat reaches an internal temperature of about 165 degrees.
• A rough estimate is to smoke 45 to 60 minutes per pound of meat. Add 2 or 3 more well-soaked hickory chunks at 2 hour intervals, or as the wood in the smoker depletes. Figure on 2 addtions of 2 or 3 chunks over the entire cooking time.
• When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees, remove it from smoker and tent with aluminum foil. It should rise another 5 degrees to the food-safe temperature of 170 degrees. Let the meat cool at room temperature for at least 1 1/2 hours. Remove the strings and refrigerate, uncovered, until completely cooled. Portion the meat only after it's thoroughly cooled, so any juices are retained.

CAJUN TASSO HAM WITH SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• saute' scallops in oil about 3 minutes; add clam jucie, ham and cream.
• Cook over low/medium heat reducing liquid until suace thickens.
• Serve over rice or on it's own.