Tasso ham is a specialty of south Louisiana cuisine. In this case "ham" is a misnomer since tasso is not made from the hind leg of a pig, but rather the pig's shoulder. This cut is typically fatty, and because the muscle is constantly used by the animal, has a great deal of flavor. The butt, which will weigh 7 to 8 pounds, is sliced across the grain into pieces about 3 in (7.5 cm) thick. These are dredged in a salt cure, which usually includes nitrites and sugar. The meat is left to cure briefly, only three or four hours, then rinsed, rubbed with a spice mixture containing cayenne pepper and garlic, and hot-smoked until cooked through. Though tasso may be eaten on its own, it is more often used as part of a flavor base for stews or braised vegetables. It is used in dishes ranging from pasta to crab cakes to soup and gravy. Appropriate to its roots, tasso is most often found in recipes of southern or Creole origin, such as jambalaya.Continuing yesterday's Louisiana theme, it has struck me that the pork shoulder that comes out of my smoker is actually closer to Tasso ham than it is to the pulled pork I was attempting (Icons passim).
A speciality of Cajun cuisine, Tasso is typically used to season dishes like soups, gumbo, grits, rice and gravies, but any recipe that needs a rich peppery kick and depth of flavour can benefit so
http://www.yummly.co.uk/recipes/cooking-with-tasso-ham will help me get through my next batch.
