Tasso is highly spiced cured and smoked pork shoulder that is sometimes mistakenly referred to as "ham."

This Cajun specialty is generally not eaten on its own, but used to add a deep kick to dishes like gumbo and red beans.

Scarce outside of Louisiana, it is made by rubbing cured pork shoulder with cayenne, filé powder, garlic and other herbs and spices before smoking it for as much as 48 hours. This gives it a firm texture and incredibly smoky, tangy flavor that adds rich seasoning to a dish.

Related article: What is gumbo? (Cookthink)