Dress up that boring chicken, or step up that smoked chicken with this tangy Alabama white sauce.
Jordan Hanger
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Sometimes called white BBQ sauce, Alabama White Sauce is an outstanding complement to chicken but also pairs well with fish, pork, and everything in between.
Made famous by Big Bob Gibson Bar B Q in Decatur, Alabama. To this day, they are known for their white sauce and still dunk their entire chickens into a large vat of the titular sauce.
You probably have most of the ingredients already, and it’s quick and easy to whip up a batch, so give it a go and see for yourself!
Alabama white sauce
While most bbq sauces get their red color from a tomato base, Alabama white sauce gets its color from a mayonnaise base.
It has a bit of tang from the apple cider vinegar and a nice bite from cayenne pepper and horseradish. It’s a sauce that flies under the radar and might not be familiar to even someone who barbecues often.
However, once you try it, you may never go back!
Ingredients you’ll need
Mayonnaise
Apple cider vinegar
Cream style horseradish – I use store-bought but if you choose to use fresh, reduce the amount by half and taste first to make sure it’s not overpowering the sauce.
Spicy brown mustard – If you don’t have brown mustard, you can use dijon or regular yellow mustard.
Salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Cayenne pepper – Optional, could also use a touch of hot sauce
Some recipes use brown sugar or honey for a touch of sweetness. I find you don’t need it, but if you like your sauces sweet then 1-2 tablespoons will be fine.
The origins of Alabama White Sauce
Most people agree that Alabama white sauce was first popularized by Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, an iconic barbecue restaurant in Decatur, Alabama.
No one exactly knows how the source came about though. Chris Lilly, the executive chef theorizes that the fat in the mayonnaise helped keep the chicken from drying out. Nowadays you can buy Big Bob Gibson branded white sauce, but I think it’s easier to just make your own.
How to make Alabama white sauce
This is a super easy sauce to throw together, and unlike most sauces, you don’t need to simmer or boil to incorporate the ingredients.
All all of the ingredients to a large bowl and give it a good whisk until the sauce is smooth.
You can serve the sauce right away, but it’s best if it’s had an hour or two to meld together.
How to adjust the recipe
You can adjust the heat level easily by adding more cayenne pepper, some hot sauce or horseradish if you like it spicy.
If you want a thicker or thinner sauce, increase or decrease the amount of apple cider vinegar.
All variations are great, so feel free to experiment a little and cater to your tastes.
Alabama White Sauce Serving Suggestions
Alabama white sauce is typically served with smoked or grilled chicken. Most recipes will smoke or grill the chicken first, before finishing with a dunk in a bowl of white sauce. Or you can slather over the top.
I love white sauce with wings. If you’re feeding a crowd you can always have a bowl of white sauce to use for dipping as an alternative to blue cheese or ranch.
Another great option is to drizzle over a whole smoked chicken.
You don’t even have to stick with chicken. Next time you’re making a salad, try dressing with white sauce or serve with veggies like carrots and cucumbers, or drizzled over roasted potatoes. You also can’t go wrong serving with pork.
Try some of our other popular bbq sauces
Homemade BBQ Sauce
East Carolina Vinegar BBQ Mop Sauce
Kansas City-style Barbecue Sauce
Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
Addictive Mango Habanero Sauce
Alabama white sauce
With a mayonnaise base, this Alabama white sauce is a little bit tangy, a little bit spicy and the perfect accompaniment to your next smoked chicken.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment / Sauce
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutesminutes
Total Time: 10 minutesminutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Jordan Hanger
Ingredients
1cupmayonnaise
¼cupapple cider vinegar
2tspcream style horsradish
1tbspspicy brown mustard
½tspsalt
½tspground black pepper
¼tspgarlic powder
cayenne pepperto taste
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and give it a good whisk.
Transfer to a mason jar or sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
What is white BBQ sauce made of? Alabama white sauce starts with a base of mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. Many variations exist but typical flavorings include mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar or honey, garlic and/or onion powder, and lots of black pepper.
Our handcrafted Alabama White sauce is a creamy mayo-based classic with horseradish and cayenne. Starts out sweet, gets tangy in the middle, then finishes nice & spicy! Try some slathered on a Smokehouse Signature Salmon! I love your Alabama white sauce.
Alabama white BBQ sauce is a mayonnaise-based dressing that also includes horseradish and cayenne pepper for a good amount of heat. Two packed tablespoons of brown sugar add some sweetness to the mix, while apple cider vinegar and lemon juice provide some flavorful acidity.
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However, northern Alabama gets the credit for white barbeque sauce, a truly unique option. The origin of Alabama white sauce can be traced back to one man: Robert Lee Gibson, better known as Big Bob Gibson, of Decatur, Alabama. Gibson earned his nickname from his size — 6'4 and 300 pounds — and an appetite to match.
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What is Alabama white sauce made of? The key ingredients in Alabama white sauce are mayonnaise and vinegar. From there, the recipes differ slightly, but you'll often find black pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, among other ingredients.
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Our handcrafted Alabama White sauce is a creamy mayo-based classic with horseradish and cayenne. Starts out sweet, gets tangy in the middle, then finishes nice & spicy! Try some slathered on a Smokehouse Signature Salmon.
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I smoked a pork shoulder yesterday and put some of this sauce on it and wow, did it add the flavor I wanted! It is tangy with just a little bit of heat, so adjust as needed. The sauce is thicker than usual NC BBQ sauce.
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