A white sauce with an acidic, peppery flavor is Alabama's distinctive sauce, in contrast to Eastern Carolina's hot vinegar-mopped hog and sticky ketchup and molasses-smothered ribs.
Smoked chicken, pickles, and white bread aren't complete without it, even though it's unlike any barbecue sauce in the country. With this recipe, you can whip up a batch of homemade Alabama white sauce in no time at all.
Alabama white sauce, a creamy pepper sauce, became famous all throughout the country thanks to Bob Gibson. He served white sauce at his 1925 barbecue joint opening in northern Alabama. The combination of the fatty chicken with the acidic vinegar and spicy mayo was an instant hit.
Fourth-generation pitmaster Chris Lilly at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, explains, “White sauce does have mayonnaise as an ingredient, but it’s a vinegar-base barbecue sauce with course-ground black pepper, providing a tangy, peppery flavor.”
Alabama white sauce requires mayonnaise (I use Duke's like most Southerners), spicy brown mustard, horseradish, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, cayenne, and loads of black pepper.
– 1 cupmayonnaise, such as Duke' – 2 tablespoonspicy brown mustard – 1 tablespoonprepared horseradish – 1 tablespoonapple cider vinegar
– 1 tablespoonhot sauce, such as Tabasco or Louisiana – 2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper – 1/2 teaspoonkosher salt – 1/2 teaspooncayenne pepper
Place Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.