How to make Molasses:
1. Choose sorghum or sugarcane. Sugarcane is the most common sources of molasses, but sorghum can be used as well. Sorghum is often used as an alternative to sugarcane since sugarcane only grows in tropical and sub-tropical location. Sorghum grows in a temperate climate and is often more accessible than sugarcane.
Sorghum canes are typically harvested in late fall, like late September or early October, before the first frost hits. You can tell the canes are ready for harvesting when the cluster of seeds at the top of the canes have turned yellow or brown.
Sugarcane is ready to be harvested when leaves have dried up and become yellow or brown. The plant core structure should be weak
2. Purchase or prepare the cane. If you do not purchase prepared sorghum or sugarcane, you will need to prepare it from harvest. First, strip all of the the leaves from the cane with a sharp knife or by hand. Then, cut the seeds off with a sharp knife or machete. Next, cut the stalk as close to the ground as possible. Leave the stalks up against a rack for a week and then run them through a mill. Keep a container under the mill to collect the liquid.
It is better to purchase if you do not have access to a harvest or mill.
You will probably have to cut the stalks about five or six inches from the ground to avoid soil contamination.
The debris, stalk, and pulp can be composted or kept to be used for other process later on.
3. Strain the juice. Take the liquid that you have collected in a container and strain it through a cheese cloth or fine sack. This will remove any large particles. Once the juice has been strained, pour it into a large boiler pan.
The size of the pot depends on how much juice you have. Typically, the pot should be at least 6 inches deep.
4. Place the pot over a heat source. Put the pot over a stove top or other heat source. Bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, bring the heat to a low and constant temperature that is just high enough for a steady boil. Allow the juice to boil for six hours. Skim off any green substance that forms at the top of the molasses.
Stir regularly during the six hours to prevent sugar from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Skim the green substance off with a large spoon of molasses strainer.
5. Turn the heat off. You can turn off the heat when the molasses has turned from green to yellow, or when it gets thick and small strands appear as you stir. Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the heat source. At this point, you can allow it cool and boil it again two or three more times for thicker, darker molasses.
Light molasses is made from the first boil. It is thinner and sweeter than molasses that has been boiled two or three times.
Dark molasses is the product of the second boil. It is darker, thicker, less sweet, and stronger in flavor than light molasses.
Blackstrap molasses is the product of the third and final boil. It is the thickest, darkest, and least sweet type of molasses.
6. Bottle the molasses. Once you are satisfied with the color and consistency, pour the molasses into a container while it is hot. It is easier to handle while its hot. Make sure to use an airtight container. If using glass, heat it before pouring hot molasses into it or the glass may crack. Store in a room temperature (or colder) area for up to 18 months.
The top layer will crystallize and turn into sugar after a while. You will to remove this top layer. You can crush it and store it in another container.
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