the sauce's the thing...

Lexington-Style Barbecue Sauce

Yield: 3 cups (approximately)

Preparation: 5 minutes

From Taste of the South, June/July 2009

Recipe excerpted from Grillin’ with Gas by Fred Thompson (Taunton Press, 2009)

Ingredients

1. 2 cups apple-cider vinegar
2. 1/2 cup water
3. 1/2 cup ketchup
4. 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
5. 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
6. 2 teaspoons crushed red chile flakes
7. 2 teaspoons kosher salt
8. 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, water, ketchup, brown sugar, hot pepper sauce, chile flakes, salt, and pepper, whisking until sugar and salt dissolve. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Shake before using.

Slow-Cooked Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce

Yield: 4 cups (approximately)

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cook: 2 hours

From Taste of the South, June/July 2009

Recipe excerpted from Grillin’ with Gas by Fred Thompson (Taunton Press, 2009)

Ingredients

1. 1 (24-ounce) bottle ketchup
2. 1 1/2 cups water
3. 1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar
4. 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5. 1/3 cup granulated sugar
6. 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
7. 2 teaspoons granulated onion
8. 2 teaspoons dry mustard
9. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10. 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine ketchup, water, vinegar, both sugars, pepper, onion, and mustard. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring sauce occasionally.
3. Add lemon juice and Worcestershire. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, though Fred Thompson doubts it will last that long.

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

Yield: 2 cups (appropximately)

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cook: approximately 10 minutes

From Taste of the South, June/July 2009

Recipe excerpted from Barbecue Nation by Fred Thompson (Taunton Press, 2007)

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cups yellow mustard, such as French’s
2. 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3. 1/2 cup tomato paste
4. 5 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
5. 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6. 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
7. 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
8. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine mustard, brown sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire, cayenne pepper, garlic, and black pepper. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate. Sauce will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

Big Daddy’s Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce

Big Daddy says, "This is Carolina style barbecue sauce." This means that it is vinegar and mustard based, as opposed to the ketchup and molasses based sauces of the mid and southwest. The combination of sweet and tangy flavors brings out the absolute best in grilled or smoked pork or chicken.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 3/4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (hickory flavoring)

Mix all except soy, butter and smoke. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes.
smokin ronnie's take on this recipe:
also try red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead of cider vinegar.
and maybe use a little ketchup to mellow out the mustard.
some people don't like the hickory taste. leave it out.
little less mustard and a little more vinegar also.

Carolina Lemon Mop

This vinegar based mop has a nice lemon flavor that works really well with a Carolina Barbecued Pork. You can adjust the heat by changing the amount of Tabasco.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco
• 1 teaspoon cayenne

Alabama White Sauce

Yield: 1 1/4 cups (approximately)

From Taste of the South, Web Exclusive

Ingredients

1. 1 cup mayonnaise
2. 1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar
3. 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
4. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5. 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6. 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
7. 1 teaspoon corn syrup
8. 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, black pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, corn syrup, and red pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with Whole Smoked Chicken.