Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce

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When it comes to smoking meats there is a component that doesn’t usually need the smoker to be made but is so crucial to a delicious BBQ platter. And that is the sauce! There are so many different types of BBQ sauces out there. Some are vinegary, some are sweet. Some are tomato based, some are mustard based. There are also a million and one regional styles. This recipe is for a classic Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce – a mustard based BBQ sauce that works especially well on pork – like pulled pork, baby back ribs and sausages.

By combining yellow mustard with honey and few spices you get a delicious sauce. When you add in the apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce you get that tangy smoky flavor you want from a BBQ sauce. What I really love about this particular recipe is that you most likely have all of the ingredients in your pantry/refrigerator. And when you make it yourself, you can control how much heat you give it by increasing or decreasing the amount of cayenne pepper you put in it.

I like to use mason jars for all sorts of things – but I especially love to use them to make sauces. It is so much faster – and more fun – to put all the sauce ingredients into a pint jar, screw on the lid and shake the heck out of it. Plus you don’t get anything else dirty – you actually don’t even need a spoon until it’s time to serve it up. When you use a jar to combine, you also don’t end up with that one spot on the bottom that didn’t combine – which can happen when you use things like honey. You are able to flip and twist and shake until it all comes together.

As I mentioned above, this style of BBQ sauce is especially good when with pork – smoked, grilled, fried. My family really loves to have this with some smoked pulled pork, a bit of “dry” coleslaw (this is essentially the typical cabbage and carrot combo with just some salt and pepper), and red onion on a brioche bun. It is probably the most requested smoked meat meal they ask for.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!