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molasses substitute?

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    molasses substitute?

    molasses substitute? for

    Kansas city bbq sauce on this site: Ingredients

    2 tablespoons American chili powder
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon table salt
    2 cups ketchup
    1/2 cup yellow ballpark-style mustard
    1/2 cup cider vinegar
    1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1/4 cup steak sauce
    1/4 cup dark molasses <-----
    1/4 to 3/4 cup honey (see note below)
    1 teaspoon hot sauce
    1 cup dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar if that's all you have)
    3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    4 medium cloves of garlic, crushed or minced

    #2
    I really don't see why there are commercial products (other than Worcestershire) in this, not to mention that I think the use of molasses, honey and sugar (brown or otherwise) is redundant. The only reason I prefer molasses over honey is for color, same for brown sugar over white sugar. And the only reason I prefer molasses or honey over sugar in a sauce is for texture, but that is not a hard and fast rule by any means.

    Granted, butter, ketchup and Worcestershire is the basic starting point for any Texas style sauce for beef. While equal parts of drippings and apple cider vinegar along with some molasses or honey can be the starting point for any pork sauce.
    Last edited by boftx; May 31, 2015, 03:50 AM.

    Comment


    • Meathead
      Meathead commented
      Editing a comment
      I like layering flavors, so different types of sugars play close together but they are like violin, viola, and cello, all a bit different. Same thing with using different chile peppers. Each brings a nuance.

      Molasses is a component of brown sugar, but on its own it is very distinctive. As a baker. You can substitute other sweeteners, maple syrup, corn syrup, honey, but the unique flavor of molasses is a nice note to the symphony.

    #3
    SO 2 and 1/4 cups of brown sugar than?

    Comment


    • boftx
      boftx commented
      Editing a comment
      That sounds like a lot! I'd step it up gradually, maybe a 1/4 cup at a time to suit taste.

    #4
    to the molasses or just leave it out and it should be okay?

    Comment


      #5
      Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added and dark has more molasses, just use Only dark brown instead of light brown
      or honey.

      Comment


      • Meathead
        Meathead commented
        Editing a comment
        It is true that brown sugar has molasses, but on its own, molasses is distinctive. Also, there is a historical reason. Early Kansas City sweet red sauces had a LOT of molasses in the flavor profile.

      • Powersmoke_80
        Powersmoke_80 commented
        Editing a comment
        Meathead I was under the impression that Molasses wasn't available as frijolefrito is in the service and was looking for an alternative to Molasses.
        Thats why I suggested just using dark brown but I was assuming this is why he was looking for a sub.

      • Meathead
        Meathead commented
        Editing a comment
        Ah ha! Welllll, if it isn't available, then I would turn to sorghum (that is even rarer, but common in many countries), or honey, maple syrup, or pancake syrup. Or brown sugar. Heck, I've been known to use jellies and jams. It would drastically alter the flavor profile, but it might be great! Blackberry BBQ sauce is killer.

      #6
      Now take the following from someone who works very hard to create recipes that work. From someone who employs a Cordon Bleu trained chef to test all recipes (Very few websites, newspaper, magazines have test kitchens any more). You may think it egotistical, but I call it pride. This is an excerpt from my book, coming out in early 2016:

      I know you want to play with your food, but you should follow my recipes closely the first time, no substitutions, no improvisation. You will then know what it is supposed to taste like. Then, on your second go round, you can customize it and riff on it by adding and subtracting and substituting. You may not like rosemary so you will be tempted to leave it out of Meathead's Memphis Dust, but I'm here to tell you that you'll never taste it on the final product because it is just one instrument in a full orchestra. You may want to substitute honey for molasses, but the sulfur in molasses interacts with foods differently. Dried herbs are very different from fresh herbs and there is a major difference between powdered garlic and fresh. I know you think you can amp it up with a bit more chipotle or sugar, or by substituting cider vinegar for distilled vinegar, but I have worked really hard to get it right and there is a good reason for each and everything in a recipe. When there are good and safe substitutions, I list them. Try it my way the first time.

      Then, if you change a recipe, it is a good idea to change only one thing at a time so if something goes wrong you know what the cause was. If you change both the rub and the sauce, and the chicken skin turns out flabby, you won't know for sure who was the culprit.

      Comment


        #7
        Bottom line: Why not make a quick run to the grocery and spend a coupla bucks on a bottle of molasses. It lasts forever and you'll find other uses for it (it is essential for good baked beans).

        Comment


          #8
          My recipes.com says: you can replace 1 cup of molasses with the same amount of honey, dark corn syrup, or maple syrup, but you'll forgo the big, robust flavor of molasses.

          frugalliving.com says:
          Replace one cup of molasses with one of the following:
          • 1 cup dark corn syrup, honey or maple syrup
          • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
          • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup water
          Note: These substitutions may alter the taste of your recipe a bit. If the molasses flavor is vital to the success of your recipe, try the brown sugar substitute.
          Since brown sugar is made from granulated sugar and molasses, it'll be the closest flavor match.

          It'll be in box 4 - never thought of it

          Comment


            #9
            "Bottom line: Why not make a quick run to the grocery and spend a coupla bucks on a bottle of molasses. It lasts forever and you'll find other uses for it (it is essential for good baked beans). "

            Meathead I 100% agree but unfortunately I don't have groceriatic luxuries (greetings from Afghanistan). I know you didn't know this so I hope I don't sound "cheeky". I've made this bbq sauce a billion times and I love it. My birthday is on June 4th and richinlbrg (huge thanks), family, and friends were cool enough to send me almost any ingrediant a griller could ask for. I didn't think about the molasses... Since it keeps I'm making the bbq sauce tomorrow and marinating the chicken overnight on the 3rd. Than grilling on this hand made grill... it's improvised lol with the help of the welding shop.

            Thanks for the help guys.

            Comment


            • Meathead
              Meathead commented
              Editing a comment
              I didn't know you were in Afghanistan (and I'll bet you didn't know my birthday is June 4!). Apologies.

              I think there are all kinds of options offered above. Molasses is there first of all for sweetness, so any other sugar will do, and second for flavor. As I mentioned above, I've used jams and jellies with success.

              Happy birthday brother.

            #10
            Awesome HAPPY BIRTHDAY... well it's not yet but awesome.

            Comment


              #11
              Okay so I made the sauce and I had to squeeze out two cups of ketchup from a bag full of Heinz ketchup, and the mustard, and the honey lol (double ands to express the work I had to do). Than I used syrup instead of molasses.. tried to thicken it up by cooking it down a little, gave up, and poured it all in. The sauce is good taste the way it's supposed now tomorrow night the marinade.

              Comment


                #12
                So I made the chicken and it came out GREAT!!! Thanks for the support and sorry I couldn't get any pictures out to yah. It was a bit of drama tho, there was a lot of smack talk and some issue with a missing knife. In the end it was just nice to BBQ and get out of my element! Thanks again!

                Comment


                • richinlbrg
                  richinlbrg commented
                  Editing a comment
                  GREAT!!

                  Happy to see this - Hope you had a good day and were able to get away from it for a bit! Look forward to your next endeavor!

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