Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
You're going to love my tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce! This mustard-based Southern classic is my absolute go-to for ribs, pulled pork, and chicken. It whips up in minutes and completely changed my backyard BBQ game.
Servings: 1 ½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat and let it simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and let cool. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Store in a jar or an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- I always recommend using a good-quality yellow mustard as the base, as it really does make a difference in the final flavor!
- Taste as you go! I usually do a quick taste test before simmering and adjust the honey or cayenne to get that perfect sweet-to-spicy balance.
- This sauce thickens up quite a bit once it cools, so don't panic if it looks a little thin straight off the stove.