White BBQ Sauce
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If you’re looking for a bbq sauce that’s creamy, peppery and tangy, look no further than this White BBQ Sauce recipe, also known as Alabama White Sauce! This sauce is perfect for grilled or smoked meats. It’s even tasty as a dip for veggies and french fries. Basically, just about anything is more delicious when it’s dipped in this creamy white bbq sauce!
Table of contents
I grew up in Oklahoma, so there’s definitely no denying my love of bbq. I’m also a “saucy girl”, with the philosophy that everything is better with a good sauce!
Now I usually veer away from dipping smoked meats into a sauce, because they’re just so good on their own. But then I tried white bbq sauce, and my life changed forever. I went to a new BBQ spot in San Diego, where the chef is known for his sauces. I ordered the Smoked Tri Tip with white bbq sauce and quickly became obsessed with the sauce.
Of course, I had to come home and immediately recreate this version of an Alabama White Sauce. As the story goes, white BBQ sauce was originally created by Robert Gibson at Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. It’s won several awards over the years and this is how it got the name “Alabama White Sauce”.
This sauce is different than traditional BBQ sauce because it’s more peppery and tangy, and less sweet. It’s made with a creamy mayonnaise base, instead of the traditional tomato base found in a classic red bbq sauce.
This taste of this recipe is very similar to the original Alabama sauce, with a few tweaks that I think makes it even better! It’s perfect for pairing with Smoked Tri Tip, Air Fryer Chicken Wings or Grilled Steak.
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Spicy brown mustard – you can also use Creole mustard, but it will add a hint more sweetness than the spicy brown mustard.
- Honey – just one tablespoon adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the tanginess in this sauce. You can always add more if you prefer a sweeter sauce!
- Lemon juice – I recommend fresh-squeezed juice for the best flavor.
- Coarse ground black pepper – I recommend coarse-ground pepper, so that the peppery flavor really shines through in the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Creamy hot prepared horseradish – you can use extra-hot horseradish to add more of a kick to the sauce, or switch to mild for a more mellow horseradish addition to the sauce.
- Salt + onion powder + garlic powder + cayenne pepper – to season the sauce.
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Alternatively, you can add all of the ingredients to a pint-size mason jar. Secure the lid and shake to combine all of the ingredients.
Easy as that, with just one simple step you have a delicious white bbq sauce!
Sauce variations
- To make the sauce sweeter, add an additional teaspoon of honey, one at a time, until it reaches your desired sweetness.
- To make the sauce more tangy, add 1-2 additional tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I recommend adding 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired result.
- To make Alabama white bbq sauce without mayonnaise, replace the mayo with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Just know that both of these ingredients are going to be a bit more tangy, so you might have to balance this out with an additional 1-2 teaspoons honey.
- To make the sauce spicy, add additional cayenne pepper. Add 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired spice level. You could also add in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. I recommend Frank’s Red Hot or a Louisiana-style hot sauce.
Storage tips
This sauce will stay good in the fridge for up to 10 days, stored in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing the sauce, as the consistency will not be the same after it’s frozen and defrosted.
What to serve it with
This sauce really is delicious with almost everything! Whether it’s used a dipping sauce, a basting sauce, or a side sauce, it’s a winner! Try it with any of these ideas or recipes.
- Smoked Tri Tip (pictured above – and the original inspiration for this sauce!) – serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – toss the wings in the sauce after they’re cooked in the air fryer.
- Grilled Chicken Wings – toss the wings in the sauce as soon as they come off of the grill.
- Boneless Wings – toss these deliciously crispy boneless chicken wings in the sauce for a fun spin on traditional boneless buffalo wings.
- Smoked Brisket – serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
- Smoked Turkey Breast – serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork – toss the cooked pulled pork in the sauce, then serve it on sandwiches.
- Grilled Steak – serve the sauce drizzled over your favorite grilled steak, or on the side for dipping.
- Smoked chicken, ribs or pork chops – this sauce is pretty much delicious with any meat cooked on a smoker!
- BBQ Chicken – brush chicken with the sauce on the grill during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time.
- Veggies – this sauce makes an excellent dip for raw, grilled or roasted veggies.
- French fries or tater tots – dip your favorite crispy potato side dish in the sauce, on the side of burgers, or grilled meats.
More sauce recipes
Try these other easy sauce recipes, to make every meal deliciously saucy!
White BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard, or Creole mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot prepared creamy horseradish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- To make the sauce sweeter, add an additional teaspoon of honey, one at a time, until it reaches your desired sweetness.
- To make the sauce more tangy, add 1-2 additional tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I recommend adding 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired result.
- To make Alabama white bbq sauce without mayonnaise, replace the mayo with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Just know that both of these ingredients are going to be a bit more tangy, so you might have to balance this out with an additional 1-2 teaspoons honey.
- To make the sauce spicy, add additional cayenne pepper. Add 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired spice level. You could also add in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. I recommend Frank’s Red Hot or a Louisiana-style hot sauce.
- This sauce will stay good in the fridge for up to 10 days, stored in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing the sauce, as the consistency will not be the same after it’s frozen and defrosted.
Nutrition Facts
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