Carolina Gold BBQ sauce brings tangy South Carolina mustard barbecue flavor to chicken, pork, ribs, and sandwiches. Make it in minutes, then brush, dip, or glaze.
Why You'll Love This Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce Recipe
This sauce gives you a regional BBQ flavor that feels bold and simple to make. It has enough tang to cut through rich meats, enough sweetness to glaze well, and enough body to use as both a cooking sauce and a table sauce.
- South Carolina style: The mustard base gives this sauce its golden color and tangy regional BBQ flavor.
- Fast to make: The sauce only needs a short simmer, so you can make it the same day you plan to use it.
- Easy to use: Brush it on near the end of cooking, serve it as a dip, or spoon it over pulled pork and sandwiches.
Ingredients Overview
Any brand of yellow hot dog mustard will work here, so use the one you already have on hand. Honey and brown sugar round out the sharp mustard flavor, while vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and spices keep the sauce tangy, savory, and balanced.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Add everything to one saucepan, whisk until smooth, and simmer briefly until the sauce comes together. Once cooled, transfer it to a jar and use it for brushing, dipping, glazing, or storing.
Step 1: Add the yellow mustard, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, salt, cayenne, and black pepper to a 1 quart sauce pan. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Heat over medium high until you reach a low boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from heat and pour into a tub or mason jar until ready to use. Keep unused barbecue sauce refrigerated.
Step 4: Brush the sauce on chicken, ribs, or pork during the last part of cooking so the sugars can caramelize without burning. Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.
💡 Pro Tip - Brush Near the End
For grilled or baked meat, brush this sauce on during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking so the honey and brown sugar glaze without scorching.
Serving Suggestions
Use Carolina Gold BBQ sauce anywhere you want tangy mustard barbecue flavor. Brush it on chicken wings, chicken drumsticks, pork ribs, pulled pork, sandwiches, or sliders.
For a Southern-style plate, serve it with classic potato salad, old fashioned coleslaw, or smoked baked beans.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few easy ways to adjust the sauce:
- Use a different mustard: Yellow mustard gives the classic color and tang, but spicy brown mustard or Dijon can make the sauce sharper.
- Adjust the sweetness: Add a little more honey for a sweeter dipping sauce, or reduce the brown sugar slightly for a tangier sauce.
- Change the vinegar: Apple cider vinegar gives mild fruitiness, but white vinegar or red wine vinegar can be used for a sharper finish.
- Add more heat: Increase the cayenne, add hot sauce, or stir in red pepper flakes if you want a spicier mustard barbecue sauce.
- Add smoky flavor: A small dash of liquid smoke can add barbecue flavor when using the sauce for oven-baked chicken or pork.
Tips for Success
A few small details help the sauce come out smooth and balanced.
- Use yellow mustard: Classic yellow mustard gives Carolina Gold BBQ sauce its familiar color and tang.
- Whisk until smooth: Stir well before heating so the brown sugar, honey, and spices blend into the mustard.
- Simmer gently: Once the sauce reaches a low boil, lower the heat so it thickens without sticking to the pan.
- Taste after simmering: Add a little more honey for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or cayenne for heat.
- Let it rest: The flavor improves after the sauce cools and sits in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Storage Options
Store the sauce in a clean jar or airtight container once it has cooled.
- Refrigerate: Store Carolina Gold BBQ sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, leaving a little space for expansion.
- Thaw: Thaw frozen sauce in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- Reheat gently: Warm the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat or microwave in short bursts, stirring often.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Carolina Gold BBQ sauce is a mustard-based barbecue sauce from South Carolina. It is tangy, lightly sweet, and usually made with yellow mustard, vinegar, sugar or honey, and spices.
Yes, Carolina Gold BBQ sauce is a type of mustard BBQ sauce. The mustard base gives it its golden color and sharp, tangy flavor.
Carolina Gold BBQ sauce tastes tangy, sweet, and mildly spicy. It has more mustard flavor than tomato-based barbecue sauce, with sweetness from honey and brown sugar.
Carolina Gold BBQ sauce is tied to South Carolina barbecue traditions, especially the mustard-based sauces used in the Midlands region. The golden color comes from the mustard base.
You can use it as a quick coating or glaze, but it works best as a sauce brushed on near the end of cooking. The honey and brown sugar can burn if cooked over high heat for too long.
Carolina Gold BBQ sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks when stored in a clean jar or airtight container. Stir before using.
Grilling and BBQ Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Pint Mason Jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard French's or any other brand of yellow hot dog mustard.
- 4 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or garlic granules
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper fine ground
Instructions
- Add the yellow mustard, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, salt, cayenne, and black pepper to a 1 quart sauce pan. Stir to combine.1 cup yellow mustard, 4 tablespoon honey, ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cayenne , ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon ketchup
- Heat over medium high until you reach a low boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and pour into a tub or mason jar until ready to use. Keep unused barbecue sauce refrigerated.
Notes
- Use yellow mustard: Classic yellow mustard gives Carolina Gold BBQ sauce its familiar color and tang.
- Whisk until smooth: Stir well before heating so the brown sugar, honey, and spices blend into the mustard.
- Simmer gently: Once the sauce reaches a low boil, lower the heat so it thickens without sticking to the pan.
- Taste after simmering: Add a little more honey for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or cayenne for heat.
- Let it rest: The flavor improves after the sauce cools and sits in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Nutrition
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Anonymous says
Delicious, I'm making this again!