Sorghum is a sweet syrup made by boiling down the juice of sorghum cane. In Appalachia and the South, it was often called "sorghum molasses" or "sorghum honey." Unlike dark cane molasses, sorghum is lighter, grassy, and homemade - a staple on biscuits and in old-time cooking.
We always called it 'sorghum honey' - but we normally had clover honey.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
We always called it 'sorghum honey' - but we normally had clover honey.
Pronunciation
[SOR-gum] /ˈsɔɹ.ɡəm/
Meaning & Usage
- A syrup from sorghum cane (noun)
At the table
Mae:
You want jelly or honey?
Earl:
Neither - just sorghum on my biscuit.
- Homemade sweetener in Appalachia (noun, cultural sense)
Fall harvest
Mae:
Y’all busy this week?
Earl:
Yep - it’s sorghum makin’ time.
★ The taste of sorghum is different from cane molasses - lighter, with a green, earthy note. For many mountain families, it was the everyday table syrup. ★
Origin and Etymology
Made by pressing sorghum cane and boiling down the juice into syrup. The practice spread through the South and Appalachia in the 1800s, where sorghum often replaced more expensive sugar and molasses.
Usage Notes
Still made at small sorghum mills in Appalachia and the South. Families often remember going to watch the cane pressing in fall, a community event tied to food and tradition.
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
We always called it 'sorghum honey' - but we normally had clover honey.