My first Tasso!

[SunnyDC]

So this was my first adventure into smoking something other than a whole butt or bird of some sort, and I am really happy with the way it turned out! I wasn't sure about the timing... I've had (really good) tasso hams with very different textures, but I was targeting my own preferences, which tend toward the drier side, with good spice flavor all the way through the meat. I can't believe I came this close on my first try!

What I did: Took one of those giant pork loins from Costco, split it in half, then cut one of the halves laterally so I had two pieces about the size of tenderloins.



Then I put them in a 2-day cure with MTQ, brown sugar, and a cayenne-heavy mix of your basic Cajun spices (though I heard conflicting opinions as to whether or not to add the seasonings here, I chose to err, if it were to be so, on the side of more is more in this regard). Then I rinsed it all off really well with some of the Woodford Double Oaked bourbon my partner spoiled me with (and he gets double points here since he's a teetotaler himself!), coated it in another really thick layer of sugar, salt, and spices, and then let it rest in the fridge for a couple of weeks to dry out.

Yesterday, we smoked! We just have an el cheapo charcoal grill, nothing fancy, but we have gotten pretty good at maintaining about 180-200°F in there using charcoal in a snake formation topped with soaked wood chips (I chose applewood this time around). It just puffs along slowly all day, torturing anyone outside nearby (and us).

The texture and flavor are, remarkably, pretty spot-on. I think I need to take the temperature down next time, since they got just a bit darker than I'd have preferred -- I actually pulled them before I even did a final temping because I didn't want them to burn. I am also going to try this with a higher quality of meat -- I have some local options around here - and with pork butt rather than loin. So I have a bit more experimenting to do, but I have friends and family to help in the quality control testing phase of this development! I will say it turned out well enough that there will be a vacuum sealed piece of this stashed away to take part in my Cajun-themed birthday festivities next month!

 

[oddegan]

I would say that it turned out looking pretty good. Keep on experimenting. That's one of the things I love most about this hobby. You can always learn something new. Great work!

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Looks fantastic.

 

[gmc2003]

Looks really good to me. You may want to try wood chunks instead of soaked chips next time. I use dry chunks in my kettle when doing the snake method. I get a better quality smoke that way.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[SunnyDC]

Looks really good to me. You may want to try wood chunks instead of soaked chips next time. I use dry chunks in my kettle when doing the snake method. I get a better quality smoke that way.

Point for sure
Chris

Thanks for the tip... I was honestly wondering if the chunks might work, but I worried that they might be hard to get smoking when there are only a couple of briquettes lit at a time. With the chips, I just scatter them over the length of the line of coals, all the way around. Would you do the same with the chunks? The only experience I have with wood other than chips was in my previous life in the country, when I had a brick pit and would just rake coals from the hardwood fire up underneath my cooking grates...

 

[jbellard]

Looks good Sunny
Next time you should try using a pork butt cut into chunky strips although the lean loin is nice.

Here is a great recipe from chef John Folse to try sometime. More traditional Cajun way and great flavor too. Use this Tasso to season gumbo or pot of red beans. Really whatever you want.
Fairly spicy and usually not just to eat by itself although its good!

 

[gmc2003]

Just lay a chunk or two or three on top of the snake. They'll take care of themselves. Chips burn-up rather quickly. People soak chips to make them appear to last longer. When in fact your just delaying the actual burning process. Your basically creating a lite steam before actual smoke. Try two chunks and then go from there to determine how much smoke you desire.

Chris

 

[SunnyDC]

View attachment 386668 Looks good Sunny
Next time you should try using a pork butt cut into chunky strips although the lean loin is nice.

Here is a great recipe from chef John Folse to try sometime. More traditional Cajun way and great flavor too. Use this Tasso to season gumbo or pot of red beans. Really whatever you want.
Fairly spicy and usually not just to eat by itself although its good!

Funny... I just got some pecan wood last night, because that's what I liked to use back in Memphis (and I rarely see it here, though they had it at Home Depot for some reason!) And I never thought about using sugar cane, though I can imagine that would be great... my grandaddy used to grow it (in Alabama) and would give me pieces to chew on. :) I think I have seen some at the Asian market near me, too... hmmm.

I honestly made the Tasso first to be an ingredient in several of the dishes I'm making for my birthday bash this year (Cajun food themed feast!), and I'm glad I made as much as I did, considering my partner and I stood there and just sliced and ate about 1/4 of one of the loins just out of hand (hoo boy, does it burn the tongue after a couple of bites!!) and I had to wrap the rest up and stash it so I won't be tasso-less when it comes time to cook with it! I am **definitely** going to try it with pork butt next time... though I have a couple of other projects ahead of that experiment (including the current one - boudin!! But that's another whole story...)

Thanks!

 

[jbellard]

No problem!
Hope it comes out great and be sure to let us see some pics.

Happy birthday!