3 QT hot water
1½ QT cool water
3 QT ice cubes
16 OZ blackstrap molasses
1 LB kosher salt (by weight)
Combine the hot water (you don’t have to boil it, just get it hot enough to easily dissolve the salt – just before simmering) and kosher salt and stir until the salt dissolves completely. Add the molasses, stirring to combine. Add the cool water and stir. Add the ice and stir until the ice is dissolved and the mixture is cool. Add the meat to your brining vessel of choice and pour in the brine, covering the meat. If necessary, weigh down the meat to ensure that it is fully immersed in the brine. Cover and set in a cool dry place for approximately 10-12 hours (less for smaller volumes of meat).
Remove the meat from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour prior to cooking.
This brine is perfect for beef and pork.
Suggestions for brining vessels:
- A 5-gallon bucket placed in an ice-chest surrounded by ice, or in a large fridge works very well.
- Doubled-up disposable turkey oven bags (or 20 QT garbage bags) will fit the 5-gallon bucket perfectly and avoid the need to scrub and sanitize after. If you triple-up the garbage bags, it’s strong enough to put the whole thing in a cooler without the 5-gallon bucket and cover directly in ice.