Alabama White Barbecue Sauce
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Alabama white barbecue sauce is a regional specialty that has received national acclaim for good reason! Uniquely sweet yet tangy, let me show you how to make it for yourself at home. One bite and you’ll be serving it with every meal!
Today, I’m bringing you a real rarity. In fact, it is pretty much unheard of outside of North Alabama. Even my husband (who is from a town in Georgia only four hours away) had never heard of it. A lot of folks in South Alabama have never heard of it.
I’m talking about Alabama white bbq sauce. This is truly a regional thing, but also a regional requirement. Every BBQ restaurant in North Alabama features white bbq sauce on their menu, their meats, and their tables and North Alabamians eat it with everything from French fries to bread to chicken and ribs. My husband loves to smother his chicken in Alabama white barbecue sauce. Personally, I like to use so much that my food is always swimming in it.
So, what makes this homemade white bbq sauce so irresistible? Well, it has a uniquely sweet yet tangy flavor, thanks to the combination of mayonnaise, lemon juice, white vinegar, and sugar. Let me tell you, it truly is the perfect compliment to just about everything. So how about we make up a batch for you? This recipe has the simplest ingredients and instructions ever, after all – mix and serve. That’s my style!
Recipe Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Lemon juice
- White vinegar
- Sugar
How to Make Alabama White Barbecue Sauce
Place mayonnaise in a small bowl and add the vinegar and lemon juice.
Next, add salt, pepper, and sugar to the mixing bowl.
Mix all ingredients together with a whisk or just put all of your ingredients into a large jar with a lid and give it a really good shake. That’s all there is to it!
You have just made Alabama white barbecue sauce!
Before you go wow your friends, get a French fry or a piece of chicken and give it a good dunking so you can be the first to taste it. YUM!
I could just live on this y’all, honest!
Storage
Pop the sauce in a mason jar or airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. But we all know it’s not gonna last that long! Lucky it only takes 5 minutes to whip up another batch (or you can always simply double the recipe).
Recipe Notes
- If you like, substitute white sugar for brown sugar or use a combination of both.
- Another substitution is using apple cider vinegar (or a combination again) instead of white vinegar.
- Some white sauce recipes also include prepared horseradish. If that’s your thing, I’d go with just a couple of teaspoons.
- Some also add in mustard, so if you like you can add 2 teaspoons of yellow mustard, dijon mustard, spicy brown , or even .
- For an extra pop of flavor, go ahead and add 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning, like Cajun seasoning or Old Bay seasoning.
- For a lighter version, replace half of the mayo with sour cream or Greek yogurt. It won’t affect the taste.
- Want to add some heat? If you’re going to add the prepared horseradish, opt for hot horseradish. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to make things extra spicy.
Recipe FAQs
Where did Alabama white BBQ sauce originate?
We have Robert Gibson from Big Bob Gibson’s Bar B-Q in Decatur, Alabama to thank for introducing us to Alabama white sauce way back in 1925.
What do you serve with Alabama white barbecue sauce?
Alabama white sauce tastes fantastic with any grilled or barbecued meat, like grilled chicken tenders or , pork chops, Southern-style pulled pork, beef brisket, crockpot beef ribs, North Alabama-style pulled chicken, steak kabobs, and air fryer chicken wings. You can baste it on the meat two or three times towards the end of cooking, or simply pour it over the top when serving.
It also tastes great as a dipping sauce with fries and veggies, like my baked zucchini fries, parmesan oven fries, and roasted sweet potato wedges. Another option is to use it as a salad dressing. It tastes absolutely amazing with potato salad, coleslaw, and roasted vegetables.
You may also enjoy these sensational sauces:
Homemade Pretzels and Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 6 tablespoons white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and stir well.2 cups mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons black pepper, 6 tablespoons white vinegar, 6 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 tablespoons white sugar
Nutrition
Hey, Christy, Yes, this is a North Alabama tradition:) One thing I do different is I use powdered sugar rather than granulated. I like the way it blends better. Either way White Sauce cannot be beat! My children grew up eating it and would put it on anything I would allow them to. BTW, I live in Decatur, AL and we are the home of Bob Gibson’s BBQ. They are world known for their white sauce which is sold in stores and can be ordered from them:)
I also live in decatur al . i love greenbrier white sauce. wish i knew their recipe.
I remember this one time when I was in Northern Alabama for some military training, I went to a restaurant with a friend and was told I absolutely HAD to try the white BBQ sauce. I looked at her like she was crazy (and I still think she is hehe) because BBQ sauce is NOT supposed to be white!!! Well, I tried it nevertheless and it was pretty darn good! Now that I have finally read how it’s made I understand why! You see, I’m from WAAAY upstate NY and we have this thing for vinegar up there. We put it on everything just about. I also happen to love mayo. Hmmm…put the two together and add some seasoning and I can see why it’s so good!! lol
Thanks for bringing this post back to life Christy!! I may have to use some during one of my cookouts this summer!
Christy:
I’ve shared your site with many friends and we all love it! Can’t wait to try this Alabama white barbeque sauce! Thanks so much and keep sharing your great southern recipes.
I LIVE IN ATHENS. I DIDNT KNOW ABOUT THE NEW BBQ PLACE BUT WILL HEAD THAT WAY TO TRY IT. I EAT THE WHITE SAUCE AT LAWLERS ON 72 IN THE LITTLE LOG CABIN LIKE BUILDING WITH THE AWESOME FOOD!! BEST LOADED BAKED POTATOES I EVER HAD VERY BIG. I GET MINE WITH BBQ TURKEY ON IT. THEN I PUT THE WHITE BBQ SAUCE ON IT. YUM! WE GO THERE ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. MY FAV BBQ RESTURANT EVERYTHING IS DELICOUS! THE PEOPLE, FOOD AND CHARMING ARMOSPHERE THAT REMINDS YOU OF A FISHING CABIN IN THE WOODS OR THE MOUNTAINS IS DIVINE.
Thanks so much for posting this! I love white bar b q sauce. I have a recipe that requires cooking on the stove, and three times I have tried to make it, and just as I get ready to take it off the eye, it curdles! I believe I can handle making your recipe! Once again, Thanks!
I first had white bbq sauce when we lived in Birmingham. A place call Steak Out had it on their menu and I loved it on the baked potatoes. They called it Billy’s of Mountain Brook white BBQ sauce. (If I remember, Billy’s is a restaurant in Mountain Brook. After we moved to Atlanta, I never saw it again. I made my own version on occasion.
I love this stuff but my husband fusses at me for using too much mayo. (My favorite is Dukes because it has no sugar. Elixir of the gods.) Love the vinegar-y taste and the mayo.
This surely proves that a good sauce has no limits. I’ve been using this as the dressing for a broccoli salad for years, and it is absolutely delicious with raw vegetables. There’s never any salad left when I take it to parties, and one friend always asks for it no matter what the occasion. Hadn’t used it with meats yet, but I sure will try it! The only difference between recipes is that I add some garlic, nolemon juice. I’ll try it next time with the lemon juice.
Hi,
This is the same dressing I use for my Broccoli Salad as well!
Plus I use it on a spinach salad with onions and bacon (and a hint of warm bacon fat at the last minute).
Wow…now I can use it for baked potatoes and chicken.
Thanks a bunch!
Love from Paradise……..fort lauderdale,
Joyous