Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce - It's a wonderfully tangy, slightly sweet bbq sauce that goes perfectly with chicken and pork. Simple to make and even easier to enjoy, try this beautiful yellow sauce once and I promise you'll keep a batch in the fridge at all times!
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This wonderful Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is my absolute favorite. It's tangy and zesty and the flavor profile is just out of this world. I'm not a huge fan of a tomato-based BBQ sauce, but this stuff? I could drink it. And, not only is this phenomenal on BBQ, it's also fantastic on grilled meats, sandwiches, and even as a french fry sauce.
This sauce is also known as Carolina Gold. It hails from South Carolina and it's gold in color. Groundbreaking, I know. I don't care what they call it, I just know it's wonderful and I keep it in my fridge all year long.
why make this sauce?
- Homemade sauces from scratch taste better. Plain and simple. And, you know exactly what's going into them. These days looking at the ingredient list on the majority of premade things from the store is horrifying. Making your food from scratch ensures you are using quality and minimal ingredients. Just the way it's supposed to be.
- It will be a crowd-pleasing surprise. I love to see the look on the faces of my people when they have never had this wonderfully tangy Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce. Carolina Gold is so unique and surprising that even the most skeptical of your group will walk away fans. Make it, surprise them with it, and watch everyone oooh and aaaahhh.
Ingredients
This BBQ sauce is so easy to make, and you'll just need a few pantry and fridge staples. You'll need:
- Yellow Mustard - It's the gold standard. Don't do anything fancy here.
- Maple Syrup - For a touch of sweet.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Adds more wonderful tang.
- Ketchup - For more sweet, tang, and helps give this wonderful sauce it's gold color.
- Brown Sugar - Has caramel notes that round out the sharp acidity of the vinegar.
- Worcestershire Sauce - Has wonderful umami and depth of flavor.
- All Purpose Seasoning - My recipe is really great, but you can use your favorite.
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper - Must haves for basic seasoning.
carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce aka carolina gold
One of the best things about Carolina Mustard BBQ, or Carolina gold, is its simplicity. It requires minimal ingredients (probably all stuff you have in your pantry) and the process is incredibly simple. You put all the ingredients into a pot and cook it. That's it!
Let's break it down just a little more, shall we?
- Combine Sauce Ingredients - Dump everyone in a small sauce pan and stir to mix all ingredients.
- Simmer Ingredients - Cook everything on low heat to combine flavors. Make sure the sugars have dissolved. This will take about 5 minutes tops.
- Cool Ingredients - Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool.
- Store and Serve Your Sauce - Once cooled, transfer your bbq sauce to an airtight container and store in the fridge. Not that it ever lasts that long around here, but this bbq sauce will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
serving options
I cannot explain how much I love this sauce. The tanginess of the mustard with the slight sweet of the maple syrup and brown sugar just send it over the top. For this recipe, I use my all purpose seasoning to really make it special. The sauce is so good I would drizzle it on a shoe and eat it.
Typically, I like to serve my Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce with pork. Pulled pork sliders with a drizzle of this bbq sauce on a fluffy brioche bun are the things dreams are made of. I also love this sauce drizzled over a weeknight pork tenderloin - it gives the perfect amount of tang and sweet!
Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is also amazing with chicken. Jazz up your roast chicken with this delectable sauce. Drizzle over chicken wings and you'll be the star of any game day. And, let's not overlook the absolute beauty of this bbq sauce as a dip for a perfectly fried chicken leg. Now, I'm getting hungry!
frequently asked questions
Is this recipe gluten and/or dairy-free?
Yes and yes! No need to worry about either of those dietary concerns.
What makes Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce special?
This amazing bbq sauce is different because it uses no tomato. The mustard gives this sauce a unique zing that pairs well with so many things!
What do I serve with this sauce?
This bbq sauce is so good, it would make a shoe taste good. I love to serve it with smoked pork or chicken. Those would be my top choices. However, try it and experiment and let me know how you love to serve it!
How long does this sauce stay good?
Although we have never had this sauce last that long around here, it will stay good in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 months. I would be very surprised if you had any leftovers to store.
Recipe
Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all purpose seasoning
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except the salt and pepper to a small saucepan. Mix to combine.
- On low heat, simmer for approximately 5 minutes to combine flavors and dissolve the sugar.
- Remove from heat and cool. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Use immediately on smoked pork or chicken or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make this Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or review. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
-Rufus
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