BBQ Sauce – Alabama White
The Quirky Foodster Team

Ingredients
- Mayonnaise — 250 g (1 cup)
- Apple cider vinegar — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Prepared horseradish — 15 g (1 tbsp)
- Fresh lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp)
- Black pepper, coarsely ground — 5 g (1.5 tsp)
- Garlic powder — 3 g (1 tsp)
- Salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp)
- Cayenne pepper — 1 g (1/4 tsp)
Method
- Combine mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in horseradish and lemon juice.
- Add black pepper, garlic powder, salt and cayenne.
- Whisk thoroughly; chill at least 30 minutes before using as a dip or baste.
Cultural Background: A mayonnaise-based barbecue sauce unique to Alabama, white sauce was created by pitmaster Big Bob Gibson in Decatur, Alabama in the 1920s, traditionally used to dip and baste smoked chicken, a striking departure from every other regional American BBQ sauce style.
Tips: • A generous amount of coarse black pepper is essential to the traditional flavour and appearance. • This sauce is traditionally used to dunk whole smoked chicken directly into it right off the smoker.
Variations: • Adjust horseradish quantity for more or less sharp bite. • Add a splash of hot sauce for extra heat.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Reheating: Not applicable; served cold. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 95 kcal, 0.2 g protein, 10 g fat, 0.5 g carbohydrate per 15 ml serving.
FAQs: What is Alabama white sauce traditionally used for? Dipping and basting whole smoked chicken, a signature Alabama barbecue tradition. Why is it white instead of red? It's built on a mayonnaise base rather than tomato, a distinctive regional innovation credited to pitmaster Big Bob Gibson.
- Mayonnaise — 250 g (1 cup)
- Apple cider vinegar — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Prepared horseradish — 15 g (1 tbsp)
- Fresh lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp)
- Black pepper, coarsely ground — 5 g (1.5 tsp)
- Garlic powder — 3 g (1 tsp)
- Salt — 3 g (1/2 tsp)
- Cayenne pepper — 1 g (1/4 tsp)

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