Molasses Black Pepper Cure Recipes

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.

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).