How To Make Alabama White Sauce (2024)

Recipes | Sauce

ByLynda SelfPublishedUpdated on

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The tangy goodness of mayonnaise combined with apple cider vinegar and spices enhances everything that Alabama White Sauce is put on from chicken to seafood to turkey and everything in between.

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (1)

The best way to make your white bbq sauce is by following this easy recipe. It’s similar in flavor and consistency to Big Bob Gibson’s Original White Sauce, which everyone agrees on as being one of the top choices for barbecuing enthusiasts everywhere!

About White BBQ Sauce

It’s hard to pin down the first time that white bbq sauce was served, but it is known that ever since Bob Gibson opened his BBQ restaurant in 1925, it has been on the menu.

Today, many have heard of Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q, which is located in Northern Alabama, because of the awards that Pitmaster, Chef, and part-owner Chris Lilly has amassed for his delicious smoked chicken and barbecue.

If you are in Alabama or the southeast, you can easily pick up a bottle at your local grocery store.If not, then use this recipe to make your own homemade barbecue sauce. It’s a versatile condiment that is low-carb and tangy.

This BBQ staple is made with simple ingredients – it has a mayonnaise base, black pepper, horseradish, spices, and the addition of vinegar, making it a tangy sauce perfect for chicken breasts, pork chops, pork tenderloin, pulled pork, chicken wings, chicken thighs, bbq chicken, grilled fish, fried fish, hard-boiled eggs, and just about any piece of meat that you’d like.

Some people even use it as a dipping sauce for things like chicken nuggets and French fries.

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (2)

We all probably have all of the ingredients already in our pantry and it comes together in no time. The hardest part about making it is waiting a few hours for the flavors to meld before using it.

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (3)

Ingredients

To make your own creamy version of Alabama’s favorite white barbecue sauce, you need the following ingredients:

  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons horseradish

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover, and chill before serving. You can add additional apple cider vinegar for a thinner sauce with a bit more bite.

How easy is that?!

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (4)

Alabama White Sauce

Alabama White Barbecue Sauce is a must for grilling season. The tangy goodness of mayonnaisecombined with apple cider vinegar and spices enhances everything that it is put on.

4.63 from 200 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 127kcal

Author: Lynda – Southern Kissed

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons horseradish

Instructions

  • Combine in a bowl, cover and chill before serving. You can add additional apple cider vinegar for a thinner sauce with a bit more bite.

Notes

Recipe excerpted from Great American Grilling: The Ultimate Backyard Barbecue & Tailgating Cookbook, copyright 2016, and reprinted with permission.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 214mg

Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SouthernKissedBlog or tag #southernkissed!

My family and I like to use it on top of grilled chicken, though one family member loves it so much that she has been known to put Alabama White Sauce on hard-boiled eggs. It’s that good.

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (5)

Great American Grilling: The Ultimate Backyard Barbecue & Tailgating Cookbookhas 250 recipes for grilling, barbecuing, and tailgating. Kent Whitaker, the author, won the Emeril Live/Food Network Barbecue Contest, so he knows his stuff.

Throughout the book, Kent includes tips and tidbits about grilling and barbecuing. The book is divided into the following chapters:

  • Awesome Appetizers
  • Let’s Get Dipping
  • Grille Sandwiches
  • Foil Packet Magic
  • Pizza on the Grill
  • Dogs, Brats & Other Links

Though not mentioned in the chapter headings, there are also recipes for side dishes, desserts, sauces, rubs, and marinades, making the cookbook an invaluable resource when it comes to grilling.

Go ahead and make this Alabama White Barbecue Sauce. You will see why so many people in Alabama and around the South love it. Look for it at your favorite bookstore or Amazon.com.

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (6)

Before you go, don’t miss out on these Southern Kissed favorite recipes:

  • Quick and Easy Chicken and Dumplings
  • Zucchini Tots
  • Ooey Gooey Butter cake

Don’t forget to come back and tell us how your Alabama White Sauce turned out!

How To Make Alabama White Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is Alabama white sauce made of? ›

Alabama white sauce starts with a base of mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. Many variations exist but typical flavorings include mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar or honey, garlic and/or onion powder, and lots of black pepper.

Why won't my white sauce thicken up? ›

Cause: Ratios are wrong (too much liquid or not enough flour) or roux is cooked too long or too short. Solution: First try and cook it for a bit longer and see if it thickens up. If not, make a little more roux in a separate saucepan (using equal parts butter and flour).

Who made the original Alabama white sauce? ›

A staple of Northern Alabama barbecue, this sauce is primarily a mixture of mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper. It was invented by Robert Gibson at Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q in Decatur, AL, where freshly smoked chickens are pulled from the pit and then "baptized" in a pool of the sauce.

What are the two white sauces? ›

Béchamel – milk-based sauce, thickened with a white roux. Beurre blanc – Reduction of butter, vinegar, white wine and shallots.

What are the 3 types of white sauces? ›

It's easy to get lost when it comes to the creamy sauces of French cuisine. Learn the difference between a classic roux, béchamel, and mornay.

What is basic white sauce made of? ›

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste; cook and stir until golden in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup milk; cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes more. Add more milk to reach desired consistency.

What thickens a white sauce? ›

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

How do you keep white sauce thick? ›

To change the thickness of a white sauce, simply use more or less butter and flour (keeping them equal) while using the same amount of milk. Thin white sauce: Use 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour. Medium white sauce: Use 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour.

What happens if you overcook a white sauce? ›

If you turn the heat up too high, the mixture will be cooked through before it has properly combined, and something is likely to burn. You also run the risk of the sauce curdling or splitting, which happens when the proteins separate from the milk to form curds.

What if my white sauce is too runny? ›

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

Why is it called Alabama white sauce? ›

The creation of white barbecue sauce, often called “Alabama White,” is credited to Robert “Big Bob'” Gibson at Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q restaurant, in Decatur, Ala., in 1925.

Can I buy ready made white sauce? ›

BECHAMEL SAUCE READY TO SERVE - 1LTR

A full flavoured, ready to use versatile bechamel sauce enriched with butter. Perfect as part of a lasagne, pasta carbonara or chicken pie. This smooth and creamy sauce is very versatile and can also be used as a base for creating other sauces like Mornay sauce.

Does Alabama white sauce taste like ranch? ›

Classically white sauce drizzled over smoked chicken, but you can also use it on grilled or barbecued meats, wings, vegetables, pizza, burgers, and more. Does Alabama white sauce taste like ranch? No, Alabama white sauce is tangy with notes of vinegar and black pepper.

What does Alabama white sauce taste like? ›

The flavor of Alabama White Sauce

At first taste, Alabama white sauce has a slightly cool, neutral flavor thanks to the mayonnaise, with the tang of the vinegar to offset any spice. Before long, you start to pick up the exciting flavors from the spice blend, making you want to take another bite ASAP.

What is white sauce vs alfredo sauce? ›

White sauce – also known as béchamel – is made with flour, milk, and butter. It's a basic sauce that can be used as a base for other sauces or as a topping for dishes like lasagna. Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, is made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, and has a much richer flavour than white sauce.

Where is Alabama white sauce from? ›

Alabama White Sauce was created by Robert Gibson at Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama.

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