South Carolina Style Mustard BBQ Sauce Recipe

The Palmetto state is home to a different kind of Barbecue sauce.  It’s Northern brethren in Western North Carolina have staked their claim in a vinegary thin and spicy sauce that cuts the fattiness of whole hog pulled pork.  But South Carolinian’s like to keep their options open and are in fact one of the only places you can find a different – mustard based style of barbecue sauce.

The origins of the mustard infusion is said to have been passed down from German influences from settlers on the Carolina coast.  In the mid 1700 the British Colony of South Carolina brought in thousands of  families to the area to settle in and make the state their home.  They brought with them a traditional German fair in food with the common use of mustard.  To this day most of the biggest names in South Carolina are of German decent including the Bessinger family who still wave the mustard flag in their BBQ joints in the Columbia and Charleston area.

Although the thought of a mustard sauce is foreign to many.  Barbecue fans tend to like this tangy take on a thick sweet sauce. There are hundreds of variations that can be created with different variety of mustard but tradition leans to a simple affordable yellow blend that we’ve adapted below.  This mainstream blend of mustard and vinegar makes for another tangy way to cut through fatty pulled pork at your next pig pickin’.

Print

South Carolina Mustard Sauce

Author Bill West

Also known as “Carolina Gold” this tangy and sweet sauce uses basic yellow mustard as the key ingredient. Serve this sauce warm, on the side, with pulled pork or mix below amount directly with one shredded/pulled Boston butt.

 

Ingredients

1 small white onion, minced Small 2 Tbsp butter1 clove of garlic, minced1 cup yellow mustard 3/4 cup brown sugar3/4 cup pickle juice or cider vinegar 1 tsp kosher salt1 tsp fresh ground black pepperHot sauce to taste

Instructions

Saute’’ garlic and onion until translucent. Add mustard and remaining ingredients and simmer for ten minutes until thickened. Strain out onion pulp (optional).