Making Tasso

I do. It's superior to any of the mass produced stuff...by far.

Do you need curing salt if you are going to vacuum pack it and freeze it?

Just to update everyone after getting some pink salt and deciding on my process, I have found and decided to try the following recipe (Uses Brine and Seasoning from Paul Prudhomme and a cure from Butcher Merle Ellis):


Pickling Brine:
5 cups (40 oz) water
1/2 cup (5 oz) table salt
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp (1 oz) white granulated sugar
5 tsp (1 oz) cure, Prague powder #1 or pink salt (saltpeter)


Chef Paul Prudhomme's Tasso Seasoning
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp table salt
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp white granulated sugar
4 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp ground white pepper
2 Tbsp plus 1 1/4 tsp ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
3 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp plus 1 3/4 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp plus 2 1/2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp plus 2 1/4 tsp gumbo filet (optional)

Instructions:

Cut raw pork butt into strips about 1 1/2 inches to 1 3/4 inches thick.

Mix up water, table salt, sugar and cure (Pink Salt - salt peter) into a pickling brine until everything is dissolved.

Place sliced pork strips in pickling brine and cure for two days, in a covered container, in the fridge.

Remove pork strips from cure brine and rinse well and pat dry.

Roll the strips of cured pork in the the Chef Paul Prudhomme's Tasso Seasoning mix coating the meat completely, and pat it into the meat well.

Let the seasoned meat sit, covered, in the refrigerator for three days to marinate.

Smoke marinated pork strips slowly to an internal temperature of 165-F using hickory chips. About 8 to 12 hours.

I will post back with pictures in a week or so.