Best Molasses Cured Pork Shoulder Bacon Recipes

COTTAGE BACON

Steps:

• Prepare your pork shoulder by trimming off the fat cap and any large chunks of exterior fat.
• Trim out the bone from the pork shoulder by carefully cutting around it to remove it, being careful not to cut up the surrounding meat excessively.
• Slice the pork shoulder into flats 1-2" thick, similar to a pork belly.
• Mix together all of the cure and seasonings until well combined then use the mixture to fully coat the meat.*
• Place your pork in a large sealable bag and set in the refrigerator for 7-9 days. Flip the pork each day to ensure it cures evenly.
• Remove the meat from the bag and rinse off the seasonings under cold water. Then pat it dry with paper towels.
• Preheat your smoker to 200 degrees and add your favorite wood chips.
• Smoke the cured pork until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. This will take approximately 2 hours, depending on how thick your meat has been cut.
• Remove bacon from the smoker and let cool, then slice thinly with a meat slicer or chef knife.

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.

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).

MOLASSES-GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Whisk together the molasses, vinegar, honey, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined. Remove 1 cup of this mixture to use for basting later. Pour the remaining marinade into a resealable plastic bag, and add the pork tenderloin. Coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Remove the pork tenderloin from marinade, and shake off excess. Discard remaining marinade. Cook on preheated grill until no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes, basting occasionally with the 1 cup of reserved marinade.

HONEY MOLASSES CURED BACON RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• MIX ALL DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A BOWL, MIX START TO ADD IN MOLASSES MIXTURE TILL YO HAVE A THIN SLURRY MIXTURE, APPLY MIXTURE TO PORK BELLY RUBBING IT IN COATING THE BELLY EVENLY. PLACE INTO 2 GALLON SEALABLE BAG, REMOVING AS MUCH AIR AS POSSIBLE FOLDING EXCESSIVE BAG UNDER THE BELLY. PLACE IN FRIDGE, FOR 6 - 7 DAYS TILL FIRM TO THE TOUCH, TURNING OVER ONCE A DAY. WHEN READY REMOVE FROM FRIDGE, REMOVE FROM BAG RINSE THOROUGHLY RUBBING IT WITH HANDS AS YOU RINSE TO REMOVE EXCESSIVE SALT. SET ON RACK TO AIR DRY, IF POSSIBLE IN FRIDGE ON THE RACK AND COOKIE SHEET LET DRY 2 TO 3 HOURS PULL FROM FRIDGE AND LET COME UP TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. START YOUR SMOKER. SMOKER TEMP AT 175 F, SMOKE WITH MAPLE OR APPLY FOR 2 HOURS. CONTINUE TO COOK IN THE SMOKER TILL THE BACON HAS REACHED AN I.T. OF 140- 145 THEN REMOVE, PLACE ON COOLING TRAY AND LET COOL, THEN INTO FRIDGE OVER NIGHT TO FIRM UP, NEXT MORNING REMOVE FROM FRIDGE, SLICE, COOK AND ENJOY

STICKY-SWEET GRILLED PORK SHOULDER WITH HOISIN AND MOLASSES

Steps:

• Pork:
• Purée garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, honey, wine, chili oil, oyster sauce, and sesame oil in a blender until very smooth. Place 1 1/2 cups in a small bowl for glaze; cover and chill until ready to use. Pour remaining marinade into a 2-gal. resealable plastic bag.
• Place pork shoulder, fat side down, on a cutting board with a short end facing you. Holding a long sharp knife about 1"-1 1/2" above cutting board, make a shallow cut along the entire length of a long side of shoulder. Continue cutting deeper into meat, lifting and unfurling with your free hand, until it lies flat (it's better to end up with 2-3 even pieces than 1 uneven piece). Add to bag with marinade and seal, pressing out air. Work pork around inside bag to coat with marinade. Chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Prepare a Big Green Egg for medium heat (with cover closed, thermometer should register 350°F). Remove pork from marinade, letting excess drip off. Lightly season all over with salt. Fit grill with convection plate and set pork on top. (If you don't have a convection plate, bank coals on one side and set pork over cooler area to avoid flare-ups.) Cover and roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°F-145°F. (You can also do initial cooking in a 350°F oven.) Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 20 minutes.
• Glaze and assembly:
• Bring brown sugar, molasses, and reserved marinade to a simmer in a large saucepan; cook until reduced by one-third, 6-8 minutes (you should have about 1 1/3 cups). Keep warm.
• Prepare a Big Green Egg for medium-high heat (or use a conventional grill). Grill pork, basting and turning with 2 pairs of tongs every minute or so, until thickly coated with glaze, lightly charred in spots, and warmed through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should register 130°F-145°F; be careful not to overcook), 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; slice against the grain ¼" thick. Serve with pickles, bread, cilantro, and onion.
• Do Ahead
• Pork can be roasted 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.