Molasses Black Pepper Cure Food

SPICY MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• With an oven rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of raw sugar into a small, shallow dish for rolling.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Transfer the butter mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons raw sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and molasses into the melted butter mixture. Stir in the flour mixture until combined.
• Use a cookie dough scoop or spoons to scoop out about one tablespoon of dough at a time. Lightly shape into a ball and dunk half the cookie into the small bowl of raw sugar. Place each cookie on the baking sheet, sugar side up, leaving a couple of inches around each cookie.
• Bake the cookies until the edges are set but the centers are still soft, puffy and underdone, which will take 9 to 12 minutes.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for ten minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a cooling rack.

SCRAP IRON CHEF'S BACON

Steps:

• In a large non-reactive pot, bring half the water, 1 cup of sugar, salt, and 8 ounces molasses to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a large container with the remaining water, and the apple cider. Place in the refrigerator and cool to 40 degrees F.
• Press the black pepper into the pork belly. Once the brine has cooled place the peppered pork belly into the mixture until completely submerged. Refrigerate for three days.
• After three days have passed, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lay on a rack over a sheet pan and place in front of a fan for 1 hour to form a pellicle. Lay the pork in the protein box of a cold smoker and smoke for 4 to 6 hours. Chill the meat in the freezer for 1 hour to stiffen for easy slicing into strips of bacon. Slice what you need and keep the remainder in a freezer safe bag in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Place the strips of bacon onto a sheet pan fitted with a rack and place into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. Remove from rack and drain on paper towels. Enjoy.

BLACK PEPPER AND MOLASSES-GLAZED FILET MIGNON

Steps:

• Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium. Brush the meat with olive oil and season with salt. Grill until well seared on ones side, 4 minutes, turn over, and baste with the Molasses Glaze. Continue grilling for 3 minutes, turn over, baste and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more (a total of 10 minutes), for medium rare. Let rest for 10 minutes; then slice into 8 steaks.
• Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high until almost smoking, and cook the onion until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger root and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the rum and reduce until completely dry. Add the molasses, orange juice, and pepper, season with salt, and cook until reduced to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool at room temperature. May be refrigerated, covered, for 1 day; use at room temperature.

MOLASSES BLACK PEPPER BACON

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the salt and sugar. Spread molasses evenly over the pork belly, then coat with the pepper. Spread the salt and sugar mixture generously over the entire slab. Place into a large zip-top plastic bag, set in a leak-proof container, and refrigerate for three days.
• After three days have passed, remove the pork from the brine, rinse the belly, and pat dry with paper towels. Lay on a wire rack over a half-sheet pan and place in front of a fan for 1 hour to form a pellicle (thin skin). Lay the pork in the protein box of a cold smoker and smoke for 4 to 6 hours. Chill the meat in the freezer for 1 hour to stiffen for easy slicing into strips of bacon. Slice what you need and keep the remainder in a freezer-safe bag in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Place the strips of bacon on a half-sheet pan fitted with a wire rack and place into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 400ºF and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. Remove from rack and drain on paper towels. Enjoy.

BLACK PEPPER PORK CHOPS WITH MOLASSES BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut pork loin into 8 pieces (approximately 4 ozs. each).
• Stir together butter, molasses, and lemon juice with a wooden spoon.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Rub chops on both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
• Grill chops over medium hot coals for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Top each chop with molasses butter.

PEPPER MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• When cookies have cooled, make sandwiches out of two cookies and icing.

MOLASSES-CURED PORK SHOULDER BACON

Steps:

• Put pork butt, fat side up, on a work surface, then halve horizontally with a sharp large knife.
• Stir together water, salt, brown sugar, and Instacure in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add molasses and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until cure is cold (ice may not be completely melted; keeping liquid cold slows salt absorption).
• Add pork to cure, then weight with a large plate to keep submerged. Chill, tub covered with a lid or plastic wrap, 36 hours.
• Rinse pork and pat dry, then discard brine. Sprinkle pork evenly with pepper (if using).
• Prepare grill and smoke bacon: See preceding recipe.
• Cut bacon crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife, then fry in a heavy skillet over moderately low heat, turning, until browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Available at The Sausage Maker (888-490-8525).