Tasso Time!!!

[indaswamp]

Lookin good...

 

[indaswamp]

Typically, Tasso was dried until the moisture content was very low like jerky. It was done like this to preserve the meat. Once again we see heavy garlic, black pepper, salt and sugar being used with smoke to preserve meat. The meat was so heavily seasoned that nothing else was needed when adding it to gumbos or beans. This reduced what the trappers and fishermen in the swamps had to carry with them. Dry Beans, dry tasso, and rice. If they killed fresh meat, they made gumbo....

 

[motocrash]

Oooie dat look good!;)

 

[indaswamp]

Got the color I'm looking for...

INT is @ 115*, now to crank the heat up to ~190* and finish the tasso to 160*. I'm going to 160 to dry the tasso out a little more. It'll be cooked way before it gets to 160*.
I also trimmed some of the low hanging pieces that were holding on by fat. Put those on hooks in the front.

 

[indaswamp]

Almost forgot to post up the pics! 9 hours in the smokehouse.
Done...

Cured to the middle...as promised. All pink-no grey.

The two clear lines are melt in you mouth smokey fat lines. OMG SO GOOD! Best part on tasso IMO....

Hanging to cool, then on ice until tomorrow, good night.

 

[ab canuck]

That looks really good, I have yet to try this. I am hoping to be riding through Louisiana this spring on a holiday. Any places you recommend stopping and or trying? I have been to New Orleans once a couple years ago and loved it, But want to see more of it.

 

[indaswamp]

What kind of places are you looking for?

 

[ab canuck]

I am looking for any ideas to visit and try new stuff, Tasso, Seafood, authentic cajun foods were a hit with us, smoke pit / houses.

 

[indaswamp]

You ought to stop by @ Wayne Jacob's in LaPlace and buy some andouille. Ask to look at their smokehouse. Tell them a family friend told you about the place, I'm sure they will give another smoke head a tour. LaPlace is only 16 miles north on I10 from the New Orleans airport. Middendorf's Seafood Restaurant is not far from there going up I-55 from LaPlace.
While in New Orleans, check out Don Link's butcher shop named Cochon. Get you some boudin and check out the meats he has on the menu..

Other meat shops in town:
https://nola.eater.com/maps/10-great-spots-for-cajun-meats-in-new-orleans

 

[indaswamp]

If you are traveling on I-10 out by Lafayette, you need to stop by at the Best stop in scott louisiana....

 

[ab canuck]

Awesome Thx, I was wanting to do the stop at Wayne Jacob's. I have heard about that and would like to try that one for sure. thx for the tips as well. I am looking forward to the trek through Louisiana. I am sure there will not be enough time to see everything I want to see and do but will make the best of it when the time comes.

 

[Diehardmason]

Where did you get the hooks?

 

[indaswamp]

Where did you get the hooks?

I made them from some stainless steel tie wire I had on hand.

 

[Diehardmason]

That must be fairly thick tie wire. I’ll try that. I normally just lay them on the grates.

 

[indaswamp]

It's roughly 1/16th of an inch thick. Plenty strong enough to hold the 1/2 lb. slabs of meat....

 

[Diehardmason]

Heading to lowes shortly!! Thanks.

 

[mosparky]

Lets see if I got this straight. You add cure 1 to the wet portion of the seasoning then marinate up to 12 hrs. Then season and into the smoker ? I assume you pat dry before the seasoning.

 

[indaswamp]

Lets see if I got this straight. You add cure 1 to the wet portion of the seasoning then marinate up to 12 hrs. Then season and into the smoker ? I assume you pat dry before the seasoning.

Yes, You got it. I used Dr. Blonder's cure calculator for the amount of cure and the cure time. I did pat the meat dry, then season it. Remember that heat accelerates both the salt and cure penetration and being that the meat is only 1/2" thick, the cure time does not need to be very long.

 

[mosparky]

From the discription it sounds like the meat is basically 1/2 inch thk pork steaks. Correct ?

 

[indaswamp]

yes.