Grocery Basket
mustard, agave nectar, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, chili powder, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke
Method
Grill
Category
Barbecue
Cook Time
15 minutes
We like our Carolina barbecue! It’s tangy and zingy, with mustard and vinegar at its heart. So, next time you head to the grocery store, skip the store-made barbecue sauce, which is choc-full-o’ nasty preservatives you don’t need or want, and give this zippy sauce a try.
Our Carolina BBQ sauce recipe is quick, simple, and will make your grilled meats worlds tastier! And as a bonus, this versatile sauce is perfect for marinating, basting, topping, and all your other yummy needs.
Ingredients
1 cup yellow or Dijon mustard
½ cup agave nectar
¼ cup water
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder (you can add more for extra kick)
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon hickory-flavored liquid smoke or hickory powder
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients (save for the liquid smoke) and bring to a simmer—cooking just long enough to dissolve all dry ingredients.
Stir thoroughly.
We advise that you taste the sauce before adding the liquid smoke/powder. If you like it, leave out the smoke. If you definitely want it smoky, then stir in the liquid/powder smoke after removing the saucepan from the stove.
If you want a thicker version of the sauce, turn the heat up and whisk constantly as the sauce reduces. (You can also add in a little flour–like a teaspoon–to help the thickening process).
Marinate your meats in the sauce or brush it on and go to town on that grill! Be sure to save a little sauce for extra topping when you’re done cooking.
Recipe Note
Pro Tip 1:
Dijon mustard adds a slightly different taste profile to this dish than the yellow mustard, so we strongly recommend giving it a try both ways.
Pro Tip 2:
We like to marinate our meats in large Ziploc bags, which we leave in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.