Let’s talk Tasso

Great addition to a chicken and sausage gumbo

My style is adding it to some red beans and rice. Very versatile though

I make my own once a year, mainly for fun. Tasso is short for Tasso Ham because you cure it like a ham and typically use lean ham meat. It’s simple to make.

THE MEAT: I use fresh ham. Or pork cushion meat works, if available (a lean cut from the shoulder). If you can’t get either, just use Boston butt and trim off as much fat as you can.

THE CUT: You begin by cutting the meat, think pork steaks. It’s really up to you as to what size you cut it.

THE CURE: You must cure Tasso like ham, after all, it is called Tasso Ham for a reason. Water, sodium nitrite (Instacure or Prague powder), salt (to bind water inside the meat), sugar (to counteract the harshness of the salt), pickling spice (sold in jars at groceries in the spice section). That’s the basic cure. Let the meat cure for a few days.

THE SEASONING: Pull the meat out the cure and give it a heavy seasoning rub, whatever kind of seasoning you like.

THE COOK: Smoke the Tasso pieces on a smoker, low and slow. There’s no right or wrong way, the length of time is up to you.

Used some Best Stop Tasso in a pot of field peas this weekend. Good stuff

Red beans
White beans
Green beans
Jambalaya
Pastalaya
Omelette
Bergeron’s on hwy 415 is good stuff.

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Have you found the meat cures in that short of time? Is the center of Tasso the color of ham?

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Yes. I'll put a photo up of some I did last week when I get home. They're about 1" thick slices.

I also use the skirt/belly of wild pigs for this.

Dishes: Red beans, chicken gumbo sometimes, jambalaya sometimes, pastas, shrimp & grits sometimes. Chicken fricassees as well.

Favorites: Rod's in Church Point, though it's been a few years since I've gotten my hands on some. Peto's in Roanoke, Rita's in Iota/Mamou Prairie and Kartchner's are all also pretty darn good.

I do not make my own. I've thought about getting a ham, heavily seasoning and smoking for a long time, though. Maybe I'll do some when the weather gets a bit cooler in September, while watching some college football outside.

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Tasso is short for Tasso Ham because you cure it like a ham and typically use lean ham meat.

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mostly gumbos. some hashes. other stew type dishes.


i really should play around with it more.

I always use it in chicken and sausage gumbo. Pretty traditional.

I also make chicken, sausage and Tasso in rice mixed with corn. I make a gravy starting with smoked sausage and Tasso then throw in chopped up chicken breast. Throw it all over rice and mix corn in.

I get mine from place chicot grocery. It’s a gas station in Chicot with a meat market in the back. Pretty common for Evangeline parish.
I usually load up on Tasso and sausage when I go visit family.