Where do I get Turbinado Sugar

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dave from mesa

Meat Mopper
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Dec 8, 2009
279
14
Mesa, az
Been seeing this alot on this forum. Would like to give it a try. So where do I get it?

thanks and good smoking.
 
Turbinado sugar is the same as raw sugar. You probably can get it at your local grocery store, it's fairly common now.
 
Yes I use "Sugar in the Raw" (turbinado sugar) in place of brown sugar in most all my rubs
 
You can but brown sugar has some other stuff in it. But that turbinado sugar is real common and in almost any grocery store.
 
So do I use it in place of regular white sugar. Just trying to find out how and why to use it.
 
The only difference between refined white sugar, raw sugar, turbinado, demerara, and light and dark brown sugar is the molasses content.

Turbinado/demerara has larger grains than raw sugar because of the way the cane juice is cooled, which allows larger crystals to form.

The only things that come from the milling/refining of sugar cane is sugar, molasses, and bagasse, which is the fibrous part of the plant.
 
Here is something I found:

Turbinado sugar is a delicious alternative to table sugar. Unlike typical granulated sugar, Turbinado sugar crystals are much larger, and are made at an earlier period in the sugar cane processing method. It retains some of the flavor of molasses, a natural byproduct of the sugar process, which makes it a desirable addition to tea or coffee.
The first pressing of the sugar cane yields Turbinado sugar. It looks notably different from granulated sugar because it has much larger crystals and is golden to brown in color. It also is considered by some to be “healthier” since it receives less processing than does white sugar.

Unlike granulated sugar, Turbinado sugar tends to hold more moisture, and is lower in calories. A basic teaspoon of Turbinado sugar contains 11 calories, while granulated sugar contains 16. Because it is a little moister than white sugar, Turbinado sugar can become hardened if exposed to too much air. Those who manufacture turbinado sugar recommend storing it, like brown sugar, in an airtight container.
Some manufacturers refer to Turbinado sugar as raw sugar. It can be packaged and sold under numerous names, but one of the most popular of these is “Sugar in the Raw.” It is often sold in small single serving packages for use on restaurant tables, but with a little searching, one can find larger quantities of Turbinado sugar for sale.
Recipes that call for Turbinado sugar tend to replace brown sugar with turbinado varieties. In recipes that call for extreme accuracy of ingredients, one should not replace table sugar with Turbinado sugar because it will add some moisture to the final product. In many baked goods like cookies or muffins, Turbinado sugar can actually benefit the end result because it has additional moisture.
Turbinado sugar makes a great topping for cinnamon sugar cookies, and works well in graham cracker piecrusts too. Some people praise it especially on cinnamon toast. Other chefs enjoy using Turbinado sugar on crème caramel and claim it melts and caramelizes with greater ease.


Hope this helps
 
Turbinado is surprisingly easy to find these days. I've seen it in all the grocery stores I frequent now.

The difference between "raw" sugar and brown sugar is in the processing. Raw sugars are simply less refined, i.e., they retain more of the character of sugar cane, namely the molasses content. The common brown sugar you see in stores (e.g., Domino) is simply made by taking the white sugar (highly refined) and adding back a portion of the molasses that was removed in processing. Refined sugar + refined molasses = refined brown sugar. In my experience, the less refined sugars not only taste better, but stand up much better to heat - quite useful if you're using it in a rub. Like honey, they also help baked goods retain moisture.

The various raw sugars contain different amounts of molasses, like light and dark brown sugar. Turbinado is like a very light brown sugar, demerara is like a light to medium brown sugar, and muscovado is like a very dark brown sugar. I currently use demerara as a substitute for all kinds of brown sugar, and even in place of white sugar a lot of the time. The brand I buy is called Florida Crystals, and it comes in a 44 oz plastic container. I've yet to try muscovado, but I know that more molasses flavor can't be bad.
 
Turbinado sugar and light brown sugar have the same molasses content, Turbinado sugar burns at a higher temp than other sugars so it stands up better to the long cook times of BBQing. I use it in all my rubs except the wing dust. Sometimes I put it on my breakfast oatmeal. Good Stuff
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