Molasses Barbecued Pork

Slow-cooked molasses barbecued pork with a vinegary sauce

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City/Region: United States of America

Time Period: 1839 | 1879

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“Barbecue” the cooking technique has been around for a lot longer than “barbecue” the word, but it has always been a delicious way to prepare meat. This is the earliest recipe I could find for something called barbecue, and I paired it with a sauce from 40 years later that seems to me to be a precursor to vinegar-based Carolina style barbecue sauces.

The meat is super tender and falls apart. I ended up needing to cook mine for about 12 hours, but it was worth it. You really don’t need anything besides a bit of salt to go with it, but the sauce is a delicious pairing. It packs a spicy, flavorful punch, but it’s surprisingly not too vinegary.

“To Barbecue Shoat.
Take either a hind or fore quarter, rub it well with salt, pepper, and a small portion of molasses, and if practicable, let it lie for a few hours; then rinse it clean, and wipe it dry with a cloth, and place it on a large gridiron, over a bed of clear coals. Do not barbecue it hastily, but let it cool slowly for several hours, turning it over occasionally, and basting it with nothing but a little salt-water and pepper, merely to season and moisten it a little. When it is well done, serve it without a garnish…”

— The Kentucky Housewife by Lettice Bryan, 1839

“As the housekeeper is sometimes hurried in preparing a dish, it will save time and trouble for her to keep on hand a bottle of meat-flavoring compounded of the following ingredients.
2 chopped onions. 3 pods of red pepper (chopped). 2 tablespoonfuls brown sugar. 1 tablespoonful celery seed. 1 tablespoonful ground mustard. 1 teaspoonful turmeric. 1 teaspoonful black pepper. 1 teaspoonful salt. Put it all in a quart bottle and fill it up with cider vinegar. ”

— Housekeeping in Old Virginia edited by Marion Cabell Tyree, 1879

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Ingredients:

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon celery seed
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 3 red peppers, minced, I used red jalapeño
• About 3 cups (700 ml) unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Pork

• 1 tablespoon black pepper, more as needed
• 1 tablespoon salt, more as needed
• 3 to 4 lbs (1.3 to 1.8 kg) pork shoulder
• About 1/2 cup (120 ml) molasses
• Salt water, ratios are up to you

Instructions:

1. For the sauce: At least one day before making the pork, mix the spices and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the onion and red peppers and stir to combine.
2. Transfer the mixture to a quart (liter) sized jar. Pour in however much of the unfiltered apple cider vinegar it takes to fill the jar, then put on the lid and shake until it’s combined. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
3. For the pork: Mix the salt and pepper together, then rub it all over the pork. Use some more salt and pepper if needed to make sure that the meat is well coated all over.
4. Brush a thin layer of molasses all over the pork shoulder. You may need more or less than the 1/2 cup (120 ml).
5. Put the pork into the fridge for 4 hours, then take it out and rinse it off.
6. Set your grill up for a temperature between 225 and 250°F (107 to 121°C). I have a classic Weber and used a mixture of hot and cold briquettes and pecan wood (see the episode for more details), but set yours up however you like and will work for your grill. We’re aiming to cook this low and slow for about 8 hours. I highly recommend using some wood for the smoke, or using a smoker if you have one.
7. Place the pork in the grill or smoker, ideally with the fat side up. Cook, maintaining the barbecue temperature of 225 to 250°F (107 to 121°C). Every hour or so, baste the pork with salt water either with a brush or with a squeeze bottle. I didn’t measure when I made my salt water, so the amount of salt to water is up to you. The aim here is to add moisture to the pork and help flavor it. Once the pork reaches 160 to 165°F (71 to 74°C), you can take it out and wrap it in aluminum foil, then return it to the barbecue. This will help keep moisture in and it will make it a lot easier to take it out once it's done.
8. When the pork reaches about 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C) (this can take several hours), take it out and wrap it in foil if it isn’t already. Set it aside to let it cool slowly for an hour, then shred the meat.
9. Salt the meat to your taste, and serve it forth with the sauce on the side.

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