This Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce is a mustard-based barbecue sauce that is tangy and sweet, with a little hint of heat. It's a South Carolina regional specialty that goes great on pulled pork and all of your favorite barbecue dishes.
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What is Carolina Gold Sauce?
Carolina gold sauce is a mustard-based barbecue sauce that originated in South Carolina. It's found from the low country region, around Charleston, up through the middle of the state, around Columbia.
South Carolina actually has several regional barbecue sauces. In the Upstate region, around Greenville, a base of vinegar and tomato sauce is more common. And in the Pee Dee region, in the northeastern part of the state, you'll find a vinegar-based barbecue sauce without any tomato sauce or ketchup added. This style is common to eastern North Carolina.
What Does Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce Taste Like?
The appearance of South Carolina mustard BBQ sauce is similar to honey mustard, and the flavor is savory and tangy, slightly sweet, with a mild level of spice.
It's a well-rounded barbecue sauce that goes great on classics like pulled pork and ribs. Best of all it's made with just a few pantry staples, so it's easy to mix up whenever a craving strikes!
Ingredients
The base for Carolina gold barbecue sauce is a mixture of yellow mustard and apple cider vinegar, along with brown sugar and honey for sweetness. Black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder round out the mix and balance out the sweetness with a touch of heat.
If you like it a little more on the savory side, you can also add a teaspoon or two of Worcestershire sauce to the mix.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Carolina Gold Barbeque Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients to a small pot set over medium heat and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted.
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool, then transfer to a jar or air-tight container and refrigerate. Let the sauce refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to help the flavors meld.
How to Serve Gold BBQ Sauce
This Carolina gold barbecue sauce is a great choice for most of your favorite barbecue dishes. It's perfect when you want a sauce that's not overly sweet.
Classic smoked meats like smoked pork butt and ribs are great coated with this yummy, tangy sauce. Grilled chicken legs and smoked pork chops are also great choices.
It's also good on grilled chicken sandwiches and is a perfect dipping sauce for chicken tenders too!
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
This recipe is mild, with just a small amount of cayenne pepper and black pepper. And it's easy to customize to your taste. If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper. For spicy gold bbq sauce you can increase the amount of cayenne and add in your favorite hot sauce.
Yellow mustard is the traditional choice for Carolina gold sauce.
More Barbecue Sauce Recipes
📖 Recipe
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small pot set over medium heat and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool, then transfer to a jar or air tight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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