Carolina BBQ Sauce

Carolina BBQ sauce is a delicious, flavorful, and tangy sauce for every occasion. It’s less sweet than Texas sauce but with a little heat. It goes great on everything from chicken to pork to vegetables.

Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is the perfect grilling condiment. It’s a unique twist on the classic barbecue sauce, and it’s perfect for those who love mustard.

Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is made with a blend of mustard, vinegar, and spices, and it’s perfect for slathering on pulled pork, ribs, or grilled chicken. If you’re looking for a zesty barbecue sauce, this is the one for you!

Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is also great for dipping, so don’t hesitate to give it a try. This sauce, often called liquid gold, is the perfect way to add some zest to your grilling repertoire, so don’t wait any longer – give it a try today!

If you are a BBQ enthusiast – you will absolutely LOVE this bbq sauce recipe.

Here are some commonly asked questions

What gives this sauce a “Carolina” flavor?

The history of barbecue in the Carolinas is quite complex, dating back nearly 500 years! However, the common thread that distinguishes Carolina sauces from the rest is that they are vinegar-based. In our case, we used apple cider vinegar as the base for our sauce, then flavored it with mustard and ketchup. This is typical of the Western North Carolina barbecue style.

Can I use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder?

Absolutely! Fresh garlic will add more flavor to your recipe than the dried and powdered variety. This recipe called for garlic powder over fresh garlic because people tend to have that on hand and it gives your sauce a smoother consistency. With fresh garlic, a little goes a long way and releases most of its flavor during the cooking process.

Can I freeze my extra Carolina Mustard Sauce?

Absolutely! Many people prefer to make large batches of barbecue sauce, then freeze what they are not going to use right away so they can have it on hand for grilling in the future.

When freezing your barbecue sauce, be sure to allow enough room at the top of the container for the water-based liquids to expand slightly during the freezing process. Despite its vinegar base, Carolina Mustard Sauce has a frozen shelf life of up to six months.

What kinds of meat can I use Carolina Mustard Sauce with?

Carolina barbecue is known best for its pork and this sauce really capitalizes on this! The tanginess of the vinegar and mustard base combines with the sweetness of the ketchup to accent the buttery and rich qualities of well-barbecued pork.

Knowing this, my favorite ways to eat this Carolina sauce are with my juicy and tender Smoked Pork Butt recipe or my Smoked Baby Back Ribs.

Ingredients for Carolina BBQ Sauce

• yellow mustard
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar packed
• ketchup
• Worcestershire Sauce
• garlic powder
• salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Why do I need to cook Carolina Mustard Sauce?

When you cook your barbecue sauce, it undergoes a process called reduction, where some or most of the water is allowed to evaporate from the mix and the ingredients are allowed to carmelize.

This is what gives you those thick and rich qualities you want in a good barbecue sauce. Reduction is what allows all of the flavors to marry, and ensures that it is the right consistency to stick to your meat and properly flavor it.

How to Make Carolina BBQ Sauce

1. Whisk together the mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan until combined.
2. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool. Transfer to an airtight container.
4. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Why do I need to pack my brown sugar when measuring?

Packing your brown sugar is crucial for making consistent measurements. If you do not pack your brown sugar, you are leaving little air pockets in your measuring cup that will reduce the true amount of brown sugar you are adding to the recipe.

These pockets are never uniform, meaning that scooping without packing will add a different quantity each time. Thus, one should always pack their brown sugar when measuring – even if the recipe does not call for it.

Why do I have to wait 24 hours before the sauce has its best flavor?

As this liquid gold is allowed to sit and cool during refrigeration, the acids in the vinegar are allowed to break down the other ingredients like sugars in the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire Sauce; the capsaicin in the cayenne; and the elements of the garlic. Once these ingredients are broken-down, their flavors will be much more prominent throughout the sauce.

Should I use light or dark brown sugar?

Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But light or dark brown will work in this recipe.

You can also make your own brown sugar with my Homemade Brown Sugar recipe.

How long can I store Carolina Mustard Sauce in the refrigerator?

If you don’t allow your sauce to warm up to remain at or near room temperature, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks before you would need to make a new batch. 

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Products I love when making Carolina BBQ Sauce…

This bbq sauce recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made your own homemade sauce before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this sauce recipe. (you can also SHOP MY FAVORITES in my store)

• zip-top bags
• mixing bowl
• whisk

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If you love this easy homemade liquid gold bbq sauce recipe, you’re going to love these other sauce recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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If you love this recipe for Homemade Carolina BBQ Sauce as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

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