In Cajun cuisine, tasso is made from which cut of pork?

In Cajun cuisine, tasso is made from pork shoulder.

Tasso is a highly seasoned, smoked pork product associated with Cajun cooking. The shoulder is a flavorful, relatively hardworking cut that benefits from seasoning, curing, and smoking. After preparation, tasso is usually sliced or diced and used as a seasoning meat rather than served like a conventional ham steak.

Cajun cooks add tasso to dishes such as gumbo, beans, étouffée, rice-and-gravy preparations, and other slow-cooked foods. Its concentrated salt, smoke, and spice contribute depth to the pot, much as other cured pork products do in regional cooking. The meat may be seasoned with garlic, cayenne, black pepper, and other Louisiana spices before smoking.

“Tasso” can be confused with bacon, ham, or smoked pork belly, but those cuts and preparations are not the standard answer here. Pork ribs and pork loin are also used in Cajun cooking, yet they do not define tasso. In regional descriptions, tasso is specifically identified as a smoked pork shoulder, sometimes called hog’s shoulder.