Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

Smother your chicken or ribs in something fun, flavorful, and perfectly spicy; this Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is exactly what your food needs!

This top-notch BBQ sauce will not only elevate anything you smoke but will be everyone’s new favorite sauce!

Made with yellow mustard, cider vinegar, hot sauce, and everyone’s favorite herbs and spices, this BBQ sauce is something to talk about.

Get saucy with other mouth-watering homemade sauces like Homemade Imperial Stout BBQ Sauce, Southwestern Ranch Dipping Sauce, and Best Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing.

The Best BBQ Sauce

There is a valid argument that exists in the world of barbecue… what is the most important part of BBQ?

Well, allow me to clue you in on my opinion.

First and foremost, having perfectly cooked, barbecued, or smoked meat is the pinnacle. You want something flavorful and juicy.

However, the second most important part of BBQ is serving up your meat with incredible barbecue sauce!

That said, this mustard-based BBQ sauce is hands down a favorite!

The process of making this sauce is easy, the ingredients are staples you probably already have, and the flavor will blow your mind.

Mustard BBQ Sauce Ingredients

Wet Ingredients. This recipe comes together with a handful of pantry staple wet ingredients like ½ tsp Hot Sauce, 1 cup cider vinegar, ½ cup yellow mustard, 1 T Worcestershire sauce, and 1 T butter.

Herbs and Spices. Spin those spice racks and pull out ¼ cup of diced onion, 2 cloves of garlic (diced), ½ tsp black pepper, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, and ½ tsp salt.

How to Make Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

Mix. After gathering all of your ingredients, mix them all in a saucepan.

Simmer. Let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Cool. Allow to cool slightly, and then add to a food processor and pulse until a bit thin.

Thicken. Add butter to thicken a bit.

Jar. Once your sauce has reached the perfect consistency, serve or grab a mason jar and toss it in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy it.

Where is Mustard-Based BBQ Sauce from?

Like you probably assumed from the name, this mustard BBQ sauce originated in the Carolinas.

In the 1700s, Germans populated South Carolina and brought with them, you guessed it, mustard!

Recipe Tips, Tricks, and Variations

Add Sweetness. Looking to add some sweetness to your sauce? You can do so by adding honey into the mix.

Add Heat. Looking to kick up the heat? You can add more hot sauce, add more cayenne pepper, or add some chili flakes or crushed red pepper flakes.

Reduce the heat. If heat isn’t your thing, you can reduce some of the heat in this recipe by substituting cayenne pepper with smoked paprika and swapping out the hot sauce for ketchup.

What Does Carolina Mustard Taste Like?

This mustard sauce has the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors.

The apple cider vinegar and yellow mustard provide a great tang, which is balanced with sweetness from brown sugar.

Where does the spice come from, you ask? The hot sauce and the cayenne are those subtle but present spicey notes.

How to Enjoy Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

You can enjoy this sauce with literally everything – lather up chicken breasts, ribs, smoked pulled pork, and more!

However, you can’t forget to complete the meal with the perfect side dish.

Serve up your meal with Pellet Grill Smoked Baked Potatoes, Best Steakhouse Wedge Salad, Mediterranean Coleslaw with Blood Orange Vinaigrette, and Corn and Avocado Summer Salad.

Looking for more side dish recipes that are always a hit? Check out the Top 25 BBQ Sides for the 4th of July!

Other Popular BBQ Recipes

• Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
• BBQ Corn Ribs Air Fryer Recipe
• How to make Smoked BBQ Popcorn
• Caribbean Jerk Grilled Chicken Tenders
• BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
• BBQ Beef Rub with Ground Coffee