This Alabama white sauce is a tangy, creamy white BBQ sauce made with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a few other spices. It works as a cold sauce for slathering smoked meats, wild game, grilled chicken, pork, ribs, and smoked shrimp. Takes just 10 minutes to put together.
Quick Look: Alabama White Sauce
- Ready in: About 10 minutes
- Yields: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 1,080
- Main ingredients: Mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery seed, thyme, black pepper
- Method: No cook, one bowl sauce.
- Best uses: Used as a dipping or slathering sauce for grilled and smoked meats like chicken, pork, shrimp, and turkey. It also doubles as a marinade or as a base for coleslaw.
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Alabama white sauce is universally known for pairing with smoked chicken and smoked turkey legs. But I’m here to tell you that’s not doing this sauce justice. I use it anywhere smoked or grilled meats and seafood are on the table.
This goes for anything from lean smoked venison to fatty smoked pork chops
Why This Recipe Works
Last-minute preparation: Perfect for elevating your weeknight dinners. This sauce comes together in less than 10 minutes if you’re organized.
Versatile: I like to think of this stuff as ranch dressing, but for adults. Meaning you can use it as a dipping sauce, dressing, or marinade.
Long Shelf Life: This sauce is roughly 50% vinegar. This gives it great preservation qualities. I have no problem storing this sauce in my fridge for 1 week. This means you can make double batches with less worry about spoilage.
Lower in Sugar: Compared to traditional tomato-based barbecue sauces, Alabama white sauce is low in sugar. Rather than a main component, just enough sugar is used to balance the acidity.
Notes on Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Raw apple cider vinegar: This gives the sauce its tang and thins the mayonnaise into a pourable white BBQ sauce. This offers more flavor than white vinegar. Just be sure to use a quality brand. Cheaper vinegars tend to be harsh-tasting.
Fresh lemon juice: Lemon brightens the mayo’s flavor and keeps the sauce from tasting flat.
Worcestershire sauce: A small amount adds savory depth and helps round out the mayo, vinegar, and lemon.
Vinegar-based hot sauce: This adds a little heat without being overpowering. I like to use Louisiana or Mexican-style hot sauces.
Celery seed: Celery seed gives the sauce a sharp vegetable note, which is a signature flavor profile.
Substitutions and Additions
Use another sweetener: You can swap the sugar for honey, maple syrup, sorghum, or agave. I like to use smoked sugar. It adds a depth of smokiness, which is welcomed if you don’t have time to smoke your meats. Just be sure to add any sweetener substitutes gradually.
Add horseradish: For a sharper bite, whisk in around 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish. This makes it an even better pairing for beef and venison.
Add more heat: Add a pinch of cayenne or chipotle chile powder for some smoky heat.
Add fresh basil: If you plan to use it on chicken, fish, or shellfish dishes, try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped basil. It offers bright herbal notes that are excellent with white-fleshed meats. Perfect for summertime.
Use it as a slaw base: This sauce already has most of the key components of a good Southern Coleslaw. Just sub this sauce for your normal slaw marinade.
How To Make Alabama White Sauce
1. Mix the sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Stir thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved. Season to taste with kosher salt.
Chef Tips & Troubleshooting
- Rest in the fridge. You can eat the sauce right away, but it tastes much better after 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Thin it slowly. If you want a sauce that’s on the thicker side, add the vinegar slowly. Stop once you achieve your desired consistency. Just keep in mind that using less vinegar will give you a richer sauce.
- Balance sharpness with sugar. If the sauce tastes too acidic, you can add a little more sugar than I recommend in this recipe. Just be sure to taste as you add.
- Toast and grind whole peppercorns. If your goal is to make the best sauce possible, this is a well-kept secret. Toast whole black peppercorns in a dry skillet over low heat. Let them cool and then grind in a spice grinder.
- Use a high-quality mayo: Your sauce will only be as good as the ingredients you use. Pick a high-quality mayonnaise made with a neutral oil. In my old restaurant, we used Kewpie mayo. This has a small amount of msg, which delivers a pop of flavor you just can’t get with regular mayo.
Alabama White Sauce FAQs
What does Alabama white sauce taste like?
Alabama white sauce tastes creamy, tangy, peppery, and lightly sweet. It has more bite than ranch and is much less sweet than a tomato-based barbecue sauce.
Who made the original Alabama white sauce?
Alabama white sauce is generally credited to Bob Gibson of Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. The original sauce was used with chicken, which remains the classic pairing.
How long does Alabama white sauce last?
Keep Alabama white sauce covered in the refrigerator for about 1 week. Stir it before serving if it separates slightly.
Can you make Alabama white sauce ahead of time?
Yes. This sauce is a good make-ahead recipe. Make it 1 day ahead if you want the flavors to develop even more.
Is Alabama white sauce spicy?
Generally speaking, this isn’t a spicy sauce. Recipes can vary, and spice levels depend on the amount of black pepper, chile powder, and hot sauce added.
What to serve with Alabama White Sauce
- Smoked boneless turkey breast: This sauce works especially well with lean smoked turkey. The mayo has enough creamy fat to elevate even the driest of wild turkeys.
- Fried turkey nuggets: Use it as a dipping sauce for turkey nuggets. It’s lighter than honey mustard and doesn’t cover up the flavor of the turkey.
- Ribs: I like to brush it on top of smoked wild boar ribs as soon as they come off the smoker. The meat will absorb a little of the sauce while they are still warm.
- Oysters: Oysters pair well with vinegar-based sauces. You could dip char-grilled, smoked oysters, or steamed oysters in this sauce. It’s a good creamy substitute for mignonette.
Meats For Dipping in the Sauce
Tried this Recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love to hear from readers! And if you have any cooking questions or want to share your latest food photos, give me a shout on Instagram at @larry__white.
Alabama White Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar-based hot sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (finely chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk until thoroughly combined and the sugar has dissolved. The sauce should be smooth and pourable.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to a covered non-reactive container and refrigerate until needed. The sauce can be eaten right away or left to rest in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors develop.
NOTES
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
