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sauce essentials: south carolina bbq sauce

Andy59 avatar
Recipe by
Andy Anderson !
@Andy59
Wichita, KS

South Carolina is home to four main barbecue sauces: mustard, vinegar & pepper, light tomato, & heavy tomato. The sauces are sometimes mopped on during the cooking process or can be served on the side. I was serving up short ribs last Sunday (I called it a first full day of Autumn party), and decided I needed a good sauce. So, I use aspects of South Carolina sauces with a few modifications of my own. Came out really tasty. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

yield serving(s)
prep time 5 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For sauce essentials: south carolina bbq sauce

  • PLAN/PURCHASE
  • 1 c
    apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 c
    ketchup, homemade, if possible
  • 2 Tbsp
    coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp
    dehydrated onions
  • 1 tsp
    hot sauce, i prefer franks
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt, kosher variety, fine grind
  • 1/8 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp
    white pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 - 2 pinch
    red pepper flakes
  • 1 Tbsp
    sweet butter, unsalted, cut into 4 cubes

How To Make sauce essentials: south carolina bbq sauce

  • 1
    PREP/PREPARE
  • 2
    What will you need? A saucepan, no lid needed, and a non-reactive jar to store it in.
  • 3
    What is it? This is similar to a South Carolina vinegar sauce… lots of tang, along with a bit of heat. I also added some dehydrated onions that give it an “earthy” flavor. Play with the ingredients and make it your own.
  • 4
    What to serve with it? It works great with smoked and baked pork dishes; however, I designed it to be friendly to things like beef and chicken. As a matter of fact the ribs I made on Sunday were beef ribs, and everyone loved it.
  • 5
    How to store it? Because homemade sauces do not contain any preservatives, it is important to store them properly. Non-reactive (glass) containers with tight-fitting lids are a must. I love using Weck jars. They are glass, come in all sizes and shapes, and have excellent leakproof lids. If you shop online, you can go to Amazon, type in “Weck Jars” and you will find a ton of them. They last forever, unless you break them, and they are very reasonable, price wise. Sauces, in most cases, should be stored in the fridge. If properly stored, this sauce should last 12 – 14 days. FYI: This sauce can be frozen, and in which case it will last for several months. If you freeze things like this recipe, I suggest getting a plastic ice tray and measure out individual portions then freeze, pop out the frozen sauce, and put them into a freezer bag. Easy/Peasy.
  • 6
    Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
  • 7
    Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan (except the butter) over medium heat.
  • 8
    Whisk until combined.
  • 9
    Allow to slowly simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • 10
    While the sauce is simmering, add the butter and whisk to combine. The butter creates a smooth, silky feel to the sauce.
  • 11
    When I use it at the table, I like to put it a squeeze bottle. Like this one.
  • 12
    Optional Step My recipe uses dehydrated onions, so if you do not want those visible bits in the sauce, then after it cooks, use a blender to smooth the sauce out. I prefer smooth, so I blend-baby-blend.
  • 13
    PLATE/PRESENT
  • 14
    Use at a mop while smoking or baking and/or as a condiment at the table. Enjoy.
  • Stud Muffin
    15
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
  • Peace to all
    16
    Namasté
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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