Let’s Get Saucy – TKC 27

Molasses is something that many home cooks won’t have sitting around in their pantry, but today I’m talking about it because a couple of the sauces we talk about in the next segment use some molasses. So just what is molasses anyway?

Well, it’s actually a by-product of the sugar refining process. When you take sugarcane and extract its juice, you then boil it to crystalize the sugar. The syrup that is left over from this boiling process is molasses. Several boils are usually done to remove the most sugar. The molasses produced from a first boiling is generally light and sweet. A second boiling produces a slightly darker and more bitter molasses, and a third boiling produces what is known in America as “blackstrap molasses” because it is very dark, almost black, and quite bitter. Incidentally, brown sugar is brown due to the presence of molasses.

For a home cook it’s generally best to go with the lighter molasses varieties as you’ll get much more use out of them. The popular Brer Rabbit brand of molasses has three varieites; mild flavor, full flavor, and blackstrap. I recommend full flavor (the middle–not too light, not too dark)  for the widest variety of uses.

Bone Sucking https://youtu.be/N2jgTXqeE-Q

Bad Ass BBQ https://youtu.be/bPyh09TDoI0

Alabama White Sauce http://www.southernliving.com/food/how-to/a-north-alabama-favorite-white-bbq-sauce

Steve Raichlen’s BBQ Bible: http://barbecuebible.com/

Also check out new blog: Next Door Carnivore http://www.nextdoorcarnivore.com/

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