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BBQ Sauce, Southern Vinegar

This is an old recipe for a barbecue sauce that has no tomato or mustard but does contain butter and lemon. A thin sauce, this recipe is a true example of the classic Carolinas BBQ sauce, a savory and tangy mixture with butter used to keep the meats moist; so it's great if your pulled pork turned out too dry. Use a generous amount of butter and mix it with lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 10 minutes and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

BBQ · Quick & Easy · Sauces

BBQ Sauce, Southern Vinegar
Prep 10 mins
Cook 10 mins
Serves Servings: 8 servings

This is an old recipe for a barbecue sauce that has no tomato or mustard but does contain butter and lemon. A thin sauce, this recipe is a true example of the classic Carolinas BBQ sauce, a savory and tangy mixture with butter used to keep the meats moist; so it’s great if your pulled pork turned out too dry.

Use a generous amount of butter and mix it with lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 10 minutes and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
  • 5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar)

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until honey has melted through and the sauce is well combined.
  2. Remove the sauce from the heat and carefully add in the vinegar a little at a time. Let the sauce cool for 5 to 10 minutes before using.
  3. If you making the sauce ahead of time (rather than using immediately), let the sauce cool for 20 minutes and then place into an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. When ready to use it, warm it on stove top or microwave.
  4. You can use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for this sauce—both are found in sauces served in the Carolinas. This recipe keeps the pepper to a minimum. You can also add some Texas Pete pepper sauce or cayenne to boost the spice level and still be authentic to the Carolina vinegar sauce tradition.
  5. Butter makes this version of Carolina vinegar sauce less watery, which you may prefer if serving it on the table rather than mixing it with pulled pork. While pork will already have enough fat, the addition of butter makes this a good choice for pulled chicken.

Nutrition

Guidelines (per serving) 223 Calories 23g Fat 5g Carbs 0g Protein Nutrition Facts Servings: 8 Amount per serving Calories 223 % Daily Value* Total Fat 23g 30% Saturated Fat 14g 72% Cholesterol 61mg 20% Sodium 657mg 29% Total Carbohydrate 5g 2% Dietary Fiber 0g 1% Protein 0g Calcium 19mg 1% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.