If you’ve never tried Carolina gold BBQ sauce, let me introduce you to one of the South’s best-kept secrets — and a favorite around here in Charleston. This golden sauce with a mustard base is a classic, especially loved for its sweet and tangy flavor that cuts right through rich, smoky barbecue.
In just 10 minutes, this golden bbq sauce is ready to go. Use it as a mop sauce, dip, glaze, or marinade--it will take simple grilled pork chops or chicken from boring to bada bing. One thing's for sure: It's a sauce you'll want to keep on hand.
Being from the Low Country, I grew up eating Carolina gold barbecue sauce (Johnny Harris' bottled version was a staple in our house). Then, when I worked at Oxmoor House, I was the editor of several barbecue cookbooks and even wrote Southern Living's Ultimate Book of BBQ.
So, you may say I know a thing or two about barbecue and homemade bbq sauce. I love how barbecue and the sauces to go with it can be so different depending on where you are. When it comes to South Carolina barbeque, you'll mostly find mustard-based sauce or vinegar-based sauce.
Carolina gold sauce, the yellow mustard-based sauce is an easy recipe that uses simple ingredients I always have on hand, and it instantly transforms pulled pork butt, pork ribs, chicken wings, or even roasted veggies into something crave-worthy. I love to use it to baste pork chops I throw on the grill.
It's the perfect recipe to keep in my back pocket when I've run out of dinner ideas, so that's why I keep a jar in the fridge. Once you try it, you'll want to put it on just about everything too.
On those nights when you're not sure what to have for dinner, go ahead and grill up some chicken breasts or pork chops and slather on this sauce. Then serve them with some of my favorite side dishes: hot honey carrots or red, white, and blue potato salad and broccoli salad with bacon. You can't go wrong.
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this Carolina mustard bbq sauce:
- yellow mustard
- light brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- honey
- Worcestershire sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- ketchup
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, whisk together the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and ketchup in a medium saucepan.
- Then, cook over medium heat until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Hint: Simmer the sauce low and slow to prevent it from burning.
Substitutions
Check out these simple ingredient substitutions:
- Yellow mustard - Substitute Dijon mustard for classic yellow mustard. It will have a sharper flavor, so if you want something more mellow, add a little more honey or even honey mustard.
- Light brown sugar - I prefer the mild molasses flavor of light brown sugar but you can use dark brown sugar if you'd like.
- Apple cider vinegar - Instead of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar or rice vinegar can work in a pinch.
- Honey - Maple syrup or agave nectar are good alternatives for honey.
- Worcestershire sauce - If you're out of Worcestershire sauce, try soy sauce or coconut aminos for that umami kick.
- Ketchup - Add a little tomato paste and a pinch of sugar as a substitute for ketchup.
Variations
This Carolina bbq sauce recipe is easy to change up. Here are some ideas:
- Spicy - This sauce already has a little bit of a kick but feel free to increase the cayenne or add some hot sauce to make it spicier.
- Smoky - Stir in a smoked paprika to give the sauce a smoky flavor.
- Peach Mustard BBQ Sauce - As a Southern girl, you know I love peaches. Stir in ¼ cup peach preserves for a fruity twist.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this Carolina gold bbq sauce recipe:
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- medium saucepan
- whisk
Storage
To refrigerate: Store leftover sauce in a mason jar or airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Freeze in small portions in a freezer-safe container (ice cube trays work great!) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before using.
Tasty Tip
This sauce is easy to double and is great to keep on hand.
Frequently asked questions
It has a mild kick, but it's not overly spicy. You can increase the heat by adding more cayenne or hot sauce.
Absolutely! The barbecue sauce actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have a chance to meld together so I actually prefer making it ahead of time.
The great thing about this sauce is that it goes with so many things. Pork chops, pulled pork, grilled chicken, ribs, sausage — it even works on hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches.
Yes! As long as you use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, this bbq sauce is gluten-free.
All you need to do is simmer it a bit longer. Or, combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon cold water (cornstarch slurry) and whisk it into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes or until it thickens.
For sure! Add a little more honey or brown sugar to balance the acidity of the vinegar. Remember that it'll taste a little different once you add it to food.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this tangy mustard-based sauce:
🍽Get the recipe
The Best Tangy Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- medium saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a jar or airtight container. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
- Low and Slow: Don’t rush it— a gentle 10-minute simmer melds the flavors and prevents the sugar and honey from burning.
- Taste as You Go: Everyone’s mustard and vinegar tolerance is different — adjust to your liking.
- Use a Whisk: A whisk helps dissolve the sugar and blend the sauce into a smooth texture.
- Double Up: This sauce keeps well — make a double batch and keep in the fridge for nights when you don't know what to make for dinner. Grilled chicken or pork chops are great when basted with this sauce.
- Cool Before Bottling: Let the sauce cool completely before storing.
RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
FOOD SAFETY
Don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe:
- Cover and refrigerate any leftovers--don't let them hang out at room temperature for too long.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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