A classic Southern sauce that's wonderfully versatile, Alabama white sauce has a beautiful, deep, rich flavor and a deliciously creamy texture, capable of enhancing everything from grilled meats to salads and sandwiches.
It's a simple sauce to put together but calls for a precise blend of much-loved ingredients. The result is a harmony of flavors that truly takes the breath away!
Why you'll love this Alabama white sauce
- The combination of creamy mayonnaise, zingy vinegar, the rich Worcestershire Sauce, and the heat from the mustard and the horseradish make for a wonderful flavor.
- It can elevate all kinds of foods, from burgers and hot dogs to smoked chicken and even as a salad dressing.
- This white barbecue sauce is the perfect addition to a summer backyard party!
- It's quite adaptable, meaning you can put your own twist on it.
Equipment needed
There are a few essential pieces of equipment that you'll need before you start making this Alabama white sauce recipe:
- Balloon whisk – a classic balloon whisk is needed to whisk up all the ingredients together
- Mixing bowl – a good quality mixing bowl is needed to mix up this classic Alabama white BBQ sauce
- Basting brush – if you're using Alabama white BBQ sauce on grilled meats, using a silicone basting brush is the easiest way to apply it
How to make Alabama white sauce
Get all your ingredients ready.
Place everything in a bowl.
Lastly, pour in the vinegar.
Whisk, whisk, whisk!
The sauce should be perfectly smooth.
Serve with smoked chicken wings, Grilled Corn, burgers, hotdogs, or as a salad dressing. Enjoy!
Top tips
Taste and adjust the sauce as you go. Add extra cayenne pepper or hot sauce if you fancy a little more heat.
How to serve Alabama white sauce
There are so many ways to use this traditional BBQ sauce. Here are just some suggestions:
Smothered on smoked or grilled chicken
The creaminess of the mayonnaise, the tang of the vinegar, the spices, and the heat converge to create the perfect foil for smoky meats. Serve this sauce with your favorite barbecued and smoked meats at your next backyard barbecue, and your guests will wonder how you made it.
On a pulled pork sandwich or sloppy Joe
It doesn't have to be smoked chicken or barbecued brisket. This sumptuous sauce is perfect when used as a fabulous flavor enhancer in classic sandwiches like pulled pork or sloppy Joe, adding a creaminess and tang that works wonders.
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Drizzled on vegetables
Whether barbecued, grilled, or steamed, green vegetables and Alabama white sauce go together really well. The likes of broccoli, asparagus, and artichokes are especially excellent with this creamy white BBQ sauce.
As a dipping sauce
The classic dipping sauce! Whether you're looking for a dip for chips, something to dip chopped vegetables in, or a simple sauce to enhance finger food at a party, Alabama white sauce is an easy-to-make dipping sauce that will really impress the crowd.
Variations and substitutions
- You can replace apple cider vinegar with any kind of light colored vinegar, such as white wine vinegar.
- Use freshly chopped chilies instead of hot sauce if you can't find any. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
- Can't find Worcestershire Sauce? Try one of these excellent Worcestershire Sauce substitutes.
- If you're looking for a vegan Alabama white sauce, all you need to do is make a simple adjustment. Just swap mayonnaise for a vegan mayonnaise. It's as simple as that!
Top tips
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can thin it with a little more vinegar or lemon juice. If it's too thin, adding a bit more mayonnaise will thicken it.
- Taste as You Go: The key to a great sauce is balance. Don't be afraid to adjust the amounts of acid (vinegar and lemon juice), sweetness (sugar), and heat (cayenne pepper, horseradish, hot sauce) to suit your taste preferences.
- Serving Temperature: Alabama White Sauce is best served chilled or at room temperature. If serving it as a dip, consider placing the serving bowl over ice to keep it cool, especially if it will be out for a while during a gathering.
- Storing Leftovers: Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for up to a week. The flavors will continue to meld and develop over the first few days, often resulting in an even tastier sauce after a day or two.
- Versatility: While perfect for chicken wings, Alabama White Sauce is also great with other grilled meats, such as chicken breast and pork chops, or even as a dressing for coleslaw. Experiment to find your favorite pairings!
- Food Safety: Since this sauce contains mayonnaise, ensure it doesn't sit out at room temperature for extended periods. Follow food safety guidelines, especially during warm weather or at outdoor events.
- Make It Your Own: Feel free to add your personal touch to the sauce. Some like to add a bit of smoked paprika for a smoky flavor, or a splash of apple juice for extra sweetness and tang. Your unique twist could become a new favorite!
What is Alabama white sauce?
A magnificent mayonnaise-based dressing, Alabama white BBQ sauce is a creamy, tangy sauce that can be served to add flavor to any number of dishes, from chicken and fish to burgers and hot dogs.
This white BBQ sauce recipe is easy to make and tastes sensational, featuring ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and horseradish.
How does Alabama white sauce taste?
Delicious! Imagine mayonnaise infused with spices, the earthy heat of mustard, horseradish, and subtle spices. It works wonderfully with smoky meats and barbecue flavors.
What are the origins of Alabama white sauce?
This classic BBQ sauce is said to have originated a century ago in the city of Decatur, Alabama. Local cook Bob Gibson, the founder of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q., started experimenting with adding his own flavors to mayonnaise to enhance its taste and make it suitable as a white BBQ sauce.
At the time, sauce cuisine didn't involve using mayonnaise as a barbecue sauce. Still, it was a key ingredient in many other local Alabama recipes, including potato salads and deviled eggs. Gibson found that the spices, vinegar, and other ingredients harmonized and cut through the mayonnaise base to create a creamy white BBQ sauce that perfectly complements the smoky flavor of the meat.
The fame of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q and its white BBQ sauce spread like wildfire, becoming a local sensation. Famous for its huge hickory-fed pits that house their smoked split chickens, the restaurant began slow smoking chickens submerged in a whole tub of Alabama white BBQ sauce. The locals couldn't get enough of it!
Gibson bottled his sauce and began selling it in 1925. It became a national favorite, and a century later, it's one of America's best-loved sauces.
More sumptuous sauce recipes
This Alabama white sauce recipe is just one of many sumptuous sauce recipes I have for you. Look at these, each of which can take a dish to a whole new level. Which one will you make next? Let me know in the comments below:
- Orange sauce for duck – this sweet, tangy sauce is tailor made for pan-fried duck dishes and really makes the flavors pop! Pair it with my pan-fried duck breast for an extra special meal
- Curry base sauce – the foundation to so many wonderful curry recipes, this simple curry base sauce is so easy to make. Make it once and it'll open you up to a whole world of Indian cuisine
- White sauce – a standard sauce that should be part of every cook's repertoire, this a very versatile sauce that you'll go back to again and again
- Romesco sauce – a smoky, nutty sensation, this pepper and tomato based sauce is native to the Catalan region of Spain, and works perfectly with meats and vegetables
- Marie Rose sauce – an popular old school British classic, this sauce is known in the United States as seafood sauce. It's simple but effective. Serve with shrimp as the perfect starter for your next dinner party
📖 Recipe
Alabama White Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Tangy and creamy this Alabama White Sauce is made with a perfect balance of mayo, vinegar, and spices and is a tasty addition to your summer BBQ.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon hot sauce
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until the sauce is smooth and fully combined. It's crucial to mix thoroughly to ensure that the sugar dissolves and the flavors meld together evenly.
- Taste and Adjust: Sample the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. If you desire more heat, you might add a bit more cayenne pepper or hot sauce. For more tanginess, a slight increase in apple cider vinegar can do the trick.
- Chill: For the flavors to fully develop, cover and refrigerate the sauce for at least 1-2 hours before serving. This chilling time allows the ingredients to meld together, creating a more cohesive flavor profile.
- Serve: Use the sauce as a dipping sauce for your chicken wings, as a marinade before cooking, or brush it on the wings in the last few minutes of grilling or baking for a flavorful finish. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 196
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 331.3 mg
- Fat: 20.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.6 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 11.6 mg
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