Tasso Spice Rub

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small skillet for toasting
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Whisk or fork
• •Clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the dried thyme

   Set a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the dried thyme and shake the pan gently for about 30 seconds until you smell it wake up. The color will darken just slightly and the aroma will bloom. This small step releases oils that have gone dormant in the jar. Transfer to a bowl immediately so it doesn't scorch.

   If you have fresh thyme, skip this step entirely. Just strip the leaves and chop them fine. Fresh is always better when you can get it.
2. 2

   Combine the base spices

   Add the kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika to the bowl with the thyme. The salt is your curing agent. It needs to be the right proportion to the cayenne, or you'll end up with meat that's either underseasoned or so salty you can't taste anything else. Two tablespoons of cayenne makes proper Louisiana-hot tasso. This is not a timid blend.

3. 3

   Add the aromatics

   Mix in the black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. These three form the savory backbone. The garlic especially will perfume the pork as it cures, working its way deep into the meat over the next few days. Stir everything together until the color is uniform, a deep brick red with flecks of black.

4. 4

   Incorporate the warm spices

   Now add the brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper. These are the quiet players, the ones that make people ask what's in your tasso that makes it taste like that. The sugar isn't for sweetness. It balances the salt and helps form that tacky pellicle on the meat that smoke clings to.

   White pepper adds a different heat than black, sharper and more direct. Don't skip it or substitute. The two peppers working together create complexity.
5. 5

   Mix thoroughly

   Whisk or stir the blend for a full minute, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Run it through your fingers. You want every pinch to contain the full spectrum of flavors. The cure should feel slightly gritty from the salt but flow freely without clumping. Smell it. That's what your tasso will taste like, amplified by smoke and time.

6. 6

   Store or use immediately

   Transfer to a clean jar with a tight lid. The rub is ready to use right now, or it will keep for months in your pantry. To cure pork for tasso, coat the meat heavily on all sides (about 1/4 cup rub per pound), wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days before smoking.

   Label the jar with the date. After six months, the spices start to fade. Make a fresh batch when you need it.

Chef Tips

• •The cayenne level here is traditional Louisiana hot. If you're feeding folks with tender palates, cut it to one tablespoon and increase the paprika to three. You can always add heat. You can't take it back.
• •For the best tasso, use pork shoulder cut into strips about two inches thick. The cure needs surface area to work, and the fat marbling keeps the meat moist through smoking.
• •This rub doubles as a general Cajun seasoning. Sprinkle it on chicken before grilling, stir it into rice, or use it anywhere you want that warm, spicy Louisiana flavor. At Lagniappe, we keep a shaker of it on every prep station.
• •Freshly ground spices make a difference you can taste. If your cayenne has been sitting in the cabinet since your cousin's wedding, it's time for new cayenne. Spices are cheap. Flavor is not.

Advance Preparation

• •The rub keeps for up to six months stored in an airtight container away from heat and light. After that, the spices lose their punch.
• •Make a double batch if you plan to cure tasso regularly. Having it ready in the pantry means you're always three days away from homemade Cajun charcuterie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 7g)