Jalapeño Pepper Jack Stuffed Tasso Roast
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 (4-pound) pork shoulder roast, trimmed so that the grain runs in the same direction
  • ¾ cup Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
  • 1 pound bulk raw Cajun sausage or Jimmy Dean-style breakfast sausage
  • 4 (1-inch long) wedges pepper jack cheese
  • 1 large fresh jalapeño, stem and seeds removed and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon bacon grease
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced thick
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced thick
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup sliced smoked pork sausage
  • Water
  • 1 tablespoon dark roux
Instructions
  1. Prepare an outdoor smoker and set the temperature to 200ºF.
  2. Lay the roast on a cutting board and slice open the center lengthwise forming a large pocket (do not cut all the way through). Sprinkle the inside with Cajun seasoning and stuff the pocket with as much of the raw sausage as will fit. Poke the cheese wedges and jalapeño inside the sausage and seal inside. To hold it together, cover the roast with butcher’s netting or tie with twine. Coat the outside of the roast with the rest of the Cajun seasoning. Place in the smoker and smoke for 2 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  4. In a black iron pot with a heavy lid over medium-high heat, add the bacon grease. Once hot, add the smoked tasso roast and brown on all sides. Add the onions, carrots, rosemary, and sausage, along with 3 cups of water. Once the water comes to a boil, add the roux. Stir until the roux melts into the cooking liquid, about 5 minutes. Cover the pot and move to the hot oven. Cook for 2 hours.
  5. Remove the pot and uncover, moving the roast to a deep serving platter. Carve the roast against the grain into thick slices. Remove the stems from the rosemary sprigs, arrange the carrot chunks around the roast, and pour the onion gravy onto the platter. Serve with steamed white rice or mashed potatoes.
Notes
For this recipe, my instructions take you from beginning to end, but if you happen to live near T-Boy (or another smokehouse artisan), you’ll be able to skip a couple (stuffing and smoking) of the time-consuming steps. If you cut down your roast from a large pork shoulder, be sure to spice up the remaining pieces of pork and make your own smoked tasso for other uses. You'll notice the absence of salt and pepper, and any other seasonings; the spice on the meat and sausage will add plenty of defining flavor to this recipe.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/?p=24586