Tasso and Buckboard

meatnbeer · Mar 29, 2011

Bearcarver said:
M & B,

I got confused trying to figure out how long it took you to go from 40˚ to 140˚, because you had a bunch of things going on at different times, but that recipe isn't what I would actually call cured. It must be the higher temps that make it safe.

The normal amount of TQ for 5 pounds of whole meat would be 5 Tablespoons.

That would be almost 8 times as much in that recipe.

I think if someone used this recipe, and smoked it "low & slow", they could have problems.

Bear

Hey Bear,

I completely agree with you, and I was nervous about this at first. I know that when I normally cure meat, I go by the package directions and use 1oz of TQ per # of meat. Here is what I am banking on.

With the addition of 3T of kosher salt as well as all the pepper added, it will make the enviorment not very hospitable to bacterial growth. Then there is the minimal amout of TQ added. Peppers are not very acidic, but they have a lot more going on than acidity. Capsaicin itself has antimicrobial properties. Just think about what eating hot peppers does to a digestive tract. While
I agree that anything above 40* is a "danger zone", the optimal temperature for the majority of bacteria is right around 98* and they double about once every hour. Since the enviroment is already hostile with the salt, cure, and capsaiscin, bugs are not going to thrive very well. So at my 60* temp growth would be next to none.

Next, since we are talking about what once was a whole piece of meat, that has its own benefits. Our worst fears come true with ground meat. This is because what was on the outside, has now become incorporated withe the inside. Nothing is safe anymore (however, I still do enjoy my burgers medium). Since all that was done withe the meat was slicing, the interior remains as a "pure, sterile" enviroment. i.e.nothing that was not already there has not been introduced, and unless this meat came from a pig that was already sick, I am confident in its cleanliness.

So, the only introduction of bacteria would have come from my knife and the cutting board, which were both clean/sanitized before use, and any bacteria would only be on the surface of the meat, which would be in direct contact with the salt/cure/capsaicin/smoke(which has its own preservatve properties).

Then after I cold smoked it for such a long time, I hit it with a higher heat than is usually used for smoking. This higher heat would have a negative affect on any bacteria that may have been present at the start of the process, or may have some how found a way to multiply.

smokeamotive · Mar 29, 2011

Ok, I must be slow or something, What is Tasso? I've heard of it before but never had it.

meatnbeer · Mar 29, 2011

I had never had it either, but it is a cajun meat that is not eaten by itself, rather added to other dishes such ad red beans and rice or jambalaya. At least that is how I understand it. After tasting it, I have all sorts of ideas.....

smokeamotive · Mar 29, 2011

wonder how it would be in a pot o beans???

meatnbeer · Mar 29, 2011

I would have to go with awesome!

Bearcarver · Mar 29, 2011

meatnbeer said:
Hey Bear,

I completely agree with you, and I was nervous about this at first. I know that when I normally cure meat, I go by the package directions and use 1oz of TQ per # of meat. Here is what I am banking on.

With the addition of 3T of kosher salt as well as all the pepper added, it will make the enviorment not very hospitable to bacterial growth. Then there is the minimal amout of TQ added. Peppers are not very acidic, but they have a lot more going on than acidity. Capsaicin itself has antimicrobial properties. Just think about what eating hot peppers does to a digestive tract. While
I agree that anything above 40* is a "danger zone", the optimal temperature for the majority of bacteria is right around 98* and they double about once every hour. Since the enviroment is already hostile with the salt, cure, and capsaiscin, bugs are not going to thrive very well. So at my 60* temp growth would be next to none.

Next, since we are talking about what once was a whole piece of meat, that has its own benefits. Our worst fears come true with ground meat. This is because what was on the outside, has now become incorporated withe the inside. Nothing is safe anymore (however, I still do enjoy my burgers medium). Since all that was done withe the meat was slicing, the interior remains as a "pure, sterile" enviroment. i.e.nothing that was not already there has not been introduced, and unless this meat came from a pig that was already sick, I am confident in its cleanliness.

So, the only introduction of bacteria would have come from my knife and the cutting board, which were both clean/sanitized before use, and any bacteria would only be on the surface of the meat, which would be in direct contact with the salt/cure/capsaicin/smoke(which has its own preservatve properties).

Then after I cold smoked it for such a long time, I hit it with a higher heat than is usually used for smoking. This higher heat would have a negative affect on any bacteria that may have been present at the start of the process, or may have some how found a way to multiply.

I really don't want to seem like I'm giving you a hard time, but:

That would be 1/2 ounce (1 TBS) of TQ per pound of solid meat.

Also, I'm not saying your Tasso is not safe to eat, I'm just saying that recipe is suspect, in my opinion.

If you only use15% of the amount of TQ recommended, and then cold smoke it, cooking it later with high heat doesn't necessarily get rid of an problems that might have occurred during the cold smoking of uncured meat.

Also, like I said, it looks real nice, and nobody got sick, so you should be alright. I just would not use that recipe, and then cold smoke for any length of time.

Bear

meatnbeer · Mar 29, 2011

You're right, I misspoke. I did mean 1T per pound of meat, not 1oz per. It was ~ 1am and I should have been sleeping, but was awake with a screaming 2yo.

I do acknowledge and respect your concern about the recipe. No on has gotten sick because the only person to try it so far is me. We didn't eat it as a meal. I will be making some red beans and rice on Thursday that will contain the tasso, but it will be cooked again during that process.

Wish us luck! I've only had food poisoning once, and it was not fun.

meatnbeer · Apr 2, 2011

One last thing. The BBB. Placed it in the smoker about an hour ago, cold smoking with cherry. I had brined the bones also. I'll throw them in the smoker for a little while then finish them in the oven. Not sure what I will do with them, maybe put'em in a pot of beans or something.

eman · Apr 2, 2011

Tasso can be used as a seasoning meat in anything you would use bacon ,salt meat, ham or ham hocks in.

Beans , Greens, cabbage, Jambalaya, Gumbos, stews ,Etc..

meatnbeer · Apr 2, 2011

eman said:
Tasso can be used as a seasoning meat in anything you would use bacon ,salt meat, ham or ham hocks in.

Beans , Greens, cabbage, Jambalaya, Gumbos, stews ,Etc..

Yeah, I made a big batch of red beans and rice on thursday night. I added a pound of tasso instead of the pound of andoullie that I usually use. Man did it give it a kick! It tasted great!

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Tasso and Buckboard

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