Tasso Ham

Tasso ham is a traditional Cajun cured meat product originating from Louisiana. Although this cured meat product contains the word ham in its name, it's actually made from pork shoulder. The meat is sliced across the grain and the slices are then cured in salt and a bit of sugar for a few hours before they're rinsed, rubbed with salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper, and hot-smoked until fully cooked.

This dish can be eaten as it is, but it's also often used in stews, soups, rice, red beans, and gumbo. The term hasso comes from the Spanish word tasajo, denoting a slice of cured dried meat. The earliest meantion of tasso ham dates back to the late 1700s.