Creamy Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Alabama White BBQ Sauce – This mayo-based sauce is creamy, tangy, and just a touch spicy. It’s a true-blue Southern delicacy that’s perfect for spicing up your weekly grill or barbecue routine. 😋
If you haven’t tried this Alabama white BBQ sauce, my friend, you’ve been missing out! A BBQ sauce that isn’t tomato-based sounded strange to me at first, so it’s a good thing I’m not shy about trying new foods. One taste was enough to convince me I needed a homemade white BBQ sauce in my life. You’re going to love it.
Not only is this sauce unique and finger-licking good, but it’s also insanely easy to make. And customize, for that matter. Get ready to fancy up your grilled meats with a fun sauce from the South. 🤩
Who Invented Alabama BBQ Sauce?
People generally credit Alabama native Robert Gibson for the delicious invention. According to the story, he opened Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in the 1920s in Decatur, Alabama. And he specialized in smoked chicken. This mayonnaise-based sauce kept the chicken moist and juicy as it roasted in the pit for hours.
Big Bob must have been one heck of a cook, considering this sauce is still going strong 100 years later. My recipe features mayo and vinegar like Big Bob’s, but I’ve customized it with a little more kick. But like I said, this sauce is easy to customize, so have fun making it your own. 😁
Fun Fact: Big Bob’s restaurant is still going strong five generations later. Make sure to try out the original if you ever make it to Decatur.
Recipe Ingredients
- The Sauce Base – Mayo, brown mustard, and creamy horseradish make the base of this savory, tangy sauce.
- The Tangy – Some apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice deliver that classic BBQ sauce flavor.
- Sweet and Spicy – Extra layers of flavor come from a dash of hot sauce and a drizzle of honey.
- Other Ingredients – Garlic (or garlic powder) and some salt and black pepper round out the flavor of this Southern favorite.
How to Make Alabama White BBQ Sauce
- Assemble Ingredients – Whisk mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar, horseradish, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Adjust ingredients to suit your taste by adding more vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Serve – Use immediately or store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Recipe Variations
- Make it smoky: Add about a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the mix for a more charred taste.
- Up the spiciness: If you prefer a spicier sauce, add 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper. You can also add some extra hot sauce.
- Make it your own: Add any BBQ sauce seasonings you love to your white BBQ sauce recipe. They might include paprika, cumin, chili powder, your favorite dry rub, or a Cajun spice blend.
- Low cal: For a (slightly) lighter version of the sauce, replace half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- BBQ Sauce Twists: Jack Daniel’s mustard instead of brown, maple syrup instead of honey, or sour cream instead of mayo. You could add a pinch of ground ginger and a dash of soy sauce for an Asian twist.
Tips and Tricks
- Pick a good-quality or homemade mayonnaise for the best flavor and texture.
- Adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding more vinegar or mayo to make it thinner or thicker, respectively.
- There are lots of uses for this sauce. It makes an excellent marinade for grilling pork, beef, and chicken, but that’s not all it can do. Serve it alongside for drizzling or dipping your favorite fried veggies.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Because this is a mayo-based sauce, it will separate if you freeze it. But you can still whip it up ahead though (up to three days before using). It stores beautifully in the fridge in an airtight jar until you’re ready to serve. Giving it a good mixing before using it will put it all back together if it separates.
Serving and Storage Instructions
You can serve BBQ Alabama white sauce as soon as you’ve mixed it! Or put it in the fridge in an airtight container and serve it chilled whenever your meat comes off the grill. You can keep the leftover sauce in the refrigerator for a week or two.
FAQs
Think of a mayo-based salad dressing, but less sweet. The Worcestershire sauce’s umami notes and the horseradish’s mild heat make it more robust and simply delicious.
Yes, you can make Alabama white barbecue sauce vegan. It’s already dairy-free, so no worries there. Several good plant-based mayonnaise recipes are available to replace traditional mayonnaise, which contains eggs. There are also several vegan mayonnaise options available in stores.
This sauce adds loads of flavor to meats when used as a marinade and helps tenderize the meat (thanks, vinegar). It keeps your meat moist too! Simply coat your meat of choice in the marinade 30 minutes to 12 hours before cooking. And then keep it in the fridge until you are ready to grill, smoke, bake, etc.
How to Use Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Lots of folks love this sauce with poultry. Try it as a dipping sauce for chicken wing flats or smoked turkey wings, and you’ll see why. Of course, you can always use it like Big Bob did and smother your smoked chicken with it.😉
That said, it really goes great with any meat, but especially pork chops or smoked pork loin. It also makes a great dipping sauce for fried vegetables like fried squash or french fries.
More Super Sauce and Seasoning Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Have fun with this super easy, incredibly tasty Alabama white BBQ sauce. Have you tried it yet? If so, I’d love to hear your favorite ways to use this sauce in the comment section below.
Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) creamy horseradish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon dried
- 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
- ½-1 tablespoon (7-15ml) honey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Whisk mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar, horseradish, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Adjust ingredients to suit your taste by adding more vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Pick a good-quality or homemade mayonnaise for the best flavor and texture.
- Adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding more vinegar or mayo to make it thinner or thicker, respectively.
- There are lots of uses for this sauce. It makes an excellent marinade for grilling pork, beef, and chicken, but that’s not all it can do. Serve it alongside for drizzling or dipping your favorite fried veggies.
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Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
