Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
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Tangy, sweet, and so delicious, you have to try this Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce recipe! This mustard-based barbeque sauce pairs perfectly with pork or chicken. It’s delicious tossed with chicken wings, pulled pork sandwiches, or used as a dipping sauce for grilled chicken or smoked pork tenderloin.
Carolina Gold bbq sauce originated in South Carolina, where German immigrants brought over their distinctive, yellow mustard-style sauce in the 18th century.
This sauce is based on the classic recipe with a yellow mustard base, balanced with sweetness from honey and brown sugar, the vibrant flavor of vinegar, a kick of heat from cayenne pepper and hot sauce, and rich, umami flavors from Worcestershire sauce and ketchup.
Let’s just say, this combination of flavors is incredible! I originally created this recipe to pair with pork, but I find myself dipping everything from chicken to veggies to fries, in the sauce.
It’s a versatile sauce that I know you’ll want to keep in your fridge at all times, so you can dip, drizzle and toss it with your favorite grilled and smoked meats, and veggies. The best news is, it’s easy to make in just 10 minutes, so you can truly make it over and over again!
If you’ve ever tried the Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce from Trader Joe’s and loved it, then you’re going to love this recipe!
Ingredients
For the full ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Yellow mustard – this is the signature ingredient in this bbq sauce and the base of the recipe. I do not recommend making any substitutions, or using other types of mustard to make this sauce.
- Honey + brown sugar – to sweeten the sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar – to add that signature Carolina tang to the sauce. You can also use distilled white vinegar, but I like the sweet and tangy flavor that apple cider vinegar brings to the sauce.
- Ketchup – you could also use tomato paste in place of the ketchup.
- Worcestershire sauce – to add a wonderful umami flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic powder + onion powder + salt – to season the sauce.
- Cayenne pepper + hot sauce – to add heat to the sauce. Don’t worry, this isn’t a spicy sauce, but the spice helps balance the flavors of the sauce. If you’re super sensitive to spice, you can leave out the hot sauce, but I recommend keeping the cayenne pepper (it’s just ¼ teaspoon) for the flavor.
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering, continue to simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Pour the cooled sauce into a mason jar and cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours to allow the flavors to combine.
That’s it, in two simple steps you have a tangy, sweet mustard-based bbq sauce that you’re going to love!
Recipe notes
- Let the sauce sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours before serving. Sure you can eat the sauce before then. You can spoon it right from the pot on the stove, but I can tell you from experience, the flavor of the sauce develops more and more as it sits in the refrigerator. It will also thicken to the desired consistency as it sits in the fridge. If you don’t have 8 hours, even 1-2 hours is better than nothing!
- This sauce will stay good in the fridge for up to three weeks. Store it in an airtight container with a lid to keep it fresh.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free using the ingredients shown above. Always check the label on the Worcestershire sauce to make sure that it’s gluten free. Lea & Perrins, pictured above, is gluten-free.
Ways to use the sauce
While this Carolina gold barbecue sauce was originally created to pair with pork, I’ve found so many other uses for it. Spread it, dip it or toss it with any of these delicious recipes!
- Use it as a finishing sauce for smoked meats. Glaze Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Smoked Pork Chops, Smoked Pork Loin (pictured above), Smoked Pork Ribs, or Smoked Meatloaf with the mustard BBQ sauce.
- Toss it with pulled pork. Prepare one of these recipes for Instant Pot Pulled Pork or Smoked Pulled Pork. Toss the pork with the mustard bbq sauce, load it up on buns with coleslaw, and you’ve created the perfect Carolina-style pulled pork sandwich!
- Use it as a dipping sauce for grilled or smoked meats. Serve this Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce as a dipping sauce for smoked tri tip, smoked turkey breast, grilled pork tenderloin, grilled chicken thighs, or grilled chicken breasts.
- Toss it with wings. This recipe makes a great wing sauce! Toss it with Smoked Chicken Wings, Grilled Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Sous Vide Chicken Wings or Boneless Wings. I recommend tossing 1 pound of wings with 1/4 cup of sauce.
- Use it as a dipping sauce for veggies and fries. Dip raw veggies, like carrot sticks, celery, bell peppers, broccoli or cauliflower florets, right into the sauce. It’s also a great sauce to dip french fries, grilled and roasted veggies (like zucchini and asparagus), or air fryer chicken tenders.
- Add it to a burger. Use it as the sauce on these BBQ Bacon Burgers. Or add it to these Smash Burgers, Cheeseburger Sliders, Turkey Burgers, or Smoked Burgers (recipe coming soon).
More sauce recipes
Try these other delicious homemade sauce recipes to amp up the flavor of your next meal!
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium pot on the stove. Stir to combine. Turn the heat on the stove to medium-high.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, allow it to simmer on the stove for 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature, then pour into a jar and cover. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving to let the flavors combine.
Notes
- If you don’t have 8 hours to let the sauce sit in the refrigerator before serving, even 1-2 hours in the fridge is recommended to allow the flavors of the sauce to combine, and give the sauce time to thicken up.
- This sauce will stay good in the fridge for up to three weeks. Store it in an airtight container with a lid to keep it fresh.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free using the ingredients shown above. Always check the label on the Worcestershire sauce to make sure that it’s gluten free. Lea & Perrins, pictured above, is gluten-free.
Nutrition Facts
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