Tasso

[NePaSmoKer]

Tasso

5 lb pork butt

Ingredients

3 Tblsp salt
2 Tblsp black pepper
3 cloves finely chopped garlic  or  1 Tblsp garlic powder (your choice)
2 Tblsp cayenne pepper
1 Tblsp paprika
1 Tblsp cure #1

Cut pork butt across the grain into 1" thick strips and remove excess fat. Mix together all ingredients and coat the pork strips on all sides. Place in a container (plastic Zip-Loc bag is fine) and keep in refrigerator for 2 days. Turn pork strips over once a day or shake the bag.

Dry the pork.

Remove the pork pieces and hang them on S-hooks for 1-2 hours until dry. Or place on racks.

Smoking

Preheat smoker to 130º F, (55º C) and if meat is dry apply smoke for 3 hours. If the surface of the tasso is still wet, hold it inside the smoker (no smoke) until it feels dry. Then in the last hour of smoking try to gradually increase temperature to about 160º F, (71º C)


Cooking

Increase temperature to 170º - 180º F, 77º - 82º C, (no smoke necessary) and cook tasso to an internal temperature of 152º F (67º C).


Cooling

Shower with cold water and hang to cool, or place on racks


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