This Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce is an amazing mustard-based barbecue sauce. It gets its namesake, “gold,” from tangy mustard. I love a sweet red ketchup-based BBQ sauce, but Carolina Gold is so very good! Move over traditional BBQ sauce; there’s a golden new kid in town! Actually, my favorite way to use this sauce is to make it as directed, then mix one part of the gold with 1/2 part hickory BBQ sauce. If you’ve ever eaten at the amazing BBQ restaurant, Salt Lick, in Driftwood, Texas, this combo sauce reminds me a lot of their house BBQ sauce! The combo is off the chart yummy!
My family goes crazy for it. We love to spend time on the South Carolina beaches during the summer, and that’s where we first fell in love with this sauce. The first time we had it was at a little gem of a restaurant in Charleston. It was golden delicious! I love that it’s made with simple ingredients, has a uniquely fantastic taste, and that my homemade version doesn’t have a single preservative or chemical to make it shelf-stable!
Whatever your regional preferences, the best BBQ sauces are complex—a little sweet, tangy, savory, and peppery. This one is great slathered on sandwiches, pork chops, pork ribs, French fries, brisket, burgers, shredded chicken, beef ribs, potato wedges—you name it. It only takes a few minutes to put together, and it’s all done in one pot. It’s time to pull out your BBQs, grills, and smokers. Whatever you grill, wherever you are—this sauce turns everything to gold.
Try more of my favorite homemade sauces. I promise you won’t be disappointed: Awesome sauce, burger sauce, enchilada sauce (which takes 5 minutes to put together!), and last but not least, my favorite bang bang sauce!
History Of Carolina Gold Barbecue Sauce
This is a BBQ sauce from South Carolina that was brought to the U.S. by German immigrants who settled in the Carolinas in the 1700s. In Germany, smoked meats are served with mustard. The golden sauce is most often made with cane sugar instead of molasses. The Bessinger family commercialized it.
What Is Carolina Gold Flavor?
Mustard barbecue sauces tend to be much less sweet than their tomato-based cousins. This sauce is tangy, slightly sweet, and complex. In some recipes, add a little tomato paste to add even more layers of flavor.
Is Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce spicy?
No, it’s tangy and peppery rather than spicy,, with a mild sweetness that creates a flavorful experience. It has the perfect balance.
How To Use Carolina Gold Barbecue Sauce
This homemade BBQ sauce is great for just about any grilled meat. I especially like it on fattier meats like pulled pork, grilled chicken wings or thighs, brats, and grilled salmon.
My hubs actually loves it served on pulled rotisserie chicken! Now that makes dinner easy!
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- Yellow Mustard
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Honey or Molasses
- Butter
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Tabasco
- Salt
Variations
Spice It Up: Add cayenne pepper to taste. If cayenne is too hot for your family, you can use paprika to add pepper flavor. I have just a little bit of Tabasco already in the recipe for balance, but you can add any hot sauce you like. The amount I use doesn’t really add any heat, but you could increase this to taste as well. Just whisk in what you like!
Storing + Make-Ahead
- Storing: Let the sauce cool completely and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I like to store it in a Mason jar. I generally keep it for a week, but I’ve read it can last for a month. I haven’t been able to find any sites with empirical data to back that up, though.
- Make-Ahead Tips: The sauce is very easy to make, so no make-ahead preparation is needed. It can be refrigerated and used later.
How To Make Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
- Measure. Measure all the ingredients
- Boil. Combine and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer.
The complete instructions are below.
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Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco optional
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan stir together all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat immediately then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
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I had a bbq party yesterday, this sauce was a hit!
Woohoo! Thanks, Kim! I’m glad it was a hit 🙂