Molasses and Barbecue
Steam Jacketed Kettle used to make molasses, Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Molasses barbecue sauce recipe below
After the American Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase, sugar cane cultivating in the continental United States became far more diversified. In the nineteenth century, Florida and Louisiana continued to produce large amounts of sugarcane for national and international markets, but states like Virginia and Alabama produced sugar cane only for local consumption. For example, a U.S. Department of Agriculture study done in 1895 and 1896 shows African American farmers in Tuskegee County, Alabama dedicated some of their fields to raising sugar cane which they “used to make molasses for home consumption.” Historically southerners used molasses in various ways including as a sweetener in coffee, beans, baked goods, and depending on the region, as an ingredient in sauces used in barbecuing meats.
Molasses Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 fresh crushed garlic clove.
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl mix well and use like any other barbecue sauce.