This hearty gumbo combines smoky tasso with fall-off-the-bone roasted pork for a soulful Southern stew that’s perfect for any cookout, any time of the year.
Roasted Pork and Tasso Gumbo
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) boneless Boston butt, untrimmed
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 ounces tasso, chopped
- 1 cup brown Stovetop Roux (recipe follows)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 1 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup chopped seeded jalapeño
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 (32-ounce) carton chicken broth
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 dried chile peppers
- ¼ cup prepared mole sauce
- 3 bay leaves
- Hot cooked brown jasmine rice, to serve
- Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Rub pork butt with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Place, fat side up, in a roasting pan; cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°, and bake for 5 hours more. Let cool completely. Using a fork, shred meat.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add tasso, and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Remove tasso using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels.
- In same pot, heat Stovetop Roux over medium heat, stirring constantly, until simmering. Add all onions, poblano, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, dried peppers, mole, bay leaves, remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Notes
Kitchen Tip:
Tasso is spicy, smoked pork butt that is common throughout south Louisiana. If it’s not available at your local market, coat smoked ham with some Cajun seasoning, or order it online at cajungrocer.com.
Tasso is spicy, smoked pork butt that is common throughout south Louisiana. If it’s not available at your local market, coat smoked ham with some Cajun seasoning, or order it online at cajungrocer.com.
Stovetop Roux
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
- 11 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet, heat oil or butter over medium-high heat. Add flour, and whisk vigorously until combined and mixture is smooth. Reduce heat to low, and cook, whisking constantly, until flour has lost its raw smell, but before any golden color or toasted aroma occurs, 4 to 5 minutes. For blond roux, cook, stirring occasionally, until roux is light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. For brown roux, cook, stirring occasionally, until roux color resembles peanut butter, 30 to 35 minutes. For dark brown roux, cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. (As roux darkens, stir more frequently.) Remove from heat, and use immediately, or let cool completely, and freeze up to 6 months.
