This mustard based Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, also known as Golden BBQ Sauce, is a tangy, spicy, slightly sweet punch of flavor. This condiment combines simple ingredients and is ready in minutes. Slather it on chicken wings, dip veggies in it, or spoon it over pulled pork sandwiches.
What is Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce?
Often called Golden BBQ Sauce, it is a mustard based condiment which comes from South Carolina. You can thank German immigrants for this one, they were known for making vinegar and mustard sauces like this one. Unlike traditional Ketchup based BBQ sauces, this one has a little more apple cider vinegar for tang and cayenne for spice to go along with the mustard. It is used in many of the same ways as traditional BBQ sauce… but I think you may like this one a little more.
What makes this Golden BBQ Sauce Recipe So Special?
- The flavor. It is spicy, tangy, with a little bit of sweet which makes it totally irresistible.
- Few, simple ingredients. This condiment is made with basic pantry ingredients, so the likelihood you have all you need right now to make it are high.
- Many uses: For dipping, coating, marinading, and smothering anything from chicken wings to french fries to BBQ pulled pork to fresh veggies. The possibilities are endless.
Video Tutorial:
Ingredients for Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
- Yellow Mustard
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Honey
- Tomato Paste
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Cayenne
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
How To Make Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Golden BBQ Sauce is great to mix together on the spot or in preparation for BBQ parties and meal prepping. It is super simple to make and is made the same way as traditional BBQ sauces, just with different ingredients.
- Add the ingredients to a saucepan: yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Heat over medium- low heat for 30 minutes. Make sure you are stirring it quite frequently or it will burn to the bottom of your saucepan.
- Remove from heat and let the Golden BBQ Sauce cool.
- Store in a glass jar or container.
What is Golden BBQ Sauce used for?
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce reminds me of a spicy honey mustard, so it goes well with so many things. Some proteins it tastes great with are chicken, pork, turkey, sausages, and even steak. Try it as a marinade and you will be surprised how much moisture and flavor it adds to your meat. It is great on potato wedges/ fries, basically anything grilled or smoked, and even salads.
You have got to try it with:
- pulled pork sliders- You can use my recipe for BBQ pork sliders (just substitute the sauces).
- chicken wings- I have a baked wings recipe that is super crispy (again, substitute the sauce).
- smoked cream cheese- use my recipe and smother it with this sauce instead.
- grilled beer brats and burgers
- fresh veggie tray
- steak fries
- turkey and cheese sandwich
- chicken nuggets
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
The flavor is unbeatable! It is a mustard based BBQ sauce that is tangy and spicy with a little bit of sweet. I like this sauce a little spicier but you can definitely reduce the amount of cayenne pepper to make it even less spicy.
If stored in the refrigerator and in an airtight glass container or jar, it will last up to one month. It never lasts that long in our house and I would be surprised if it did in yours too.
Yellow mustard is the traditional mustard used in this sauce. I use French’s or even off-brand yellow mustard and it still tastes just as great.
Try More of My Condiment and Sauce Recipes:
- Horseradish Aioli
- Yogurt Dill Sauce
- Sriracha Aioli
- Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
- Chipotle Southwest Sauce
- Hot Honey Sauce
Other Savory Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Buffalo Crab Dip
- Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Lemon Feta Fries
- Fried Dill Pickle Dip
- Tomato Chutney Bruschetta
- Feta and Onion Hot Dip
Thanks for dropping in! Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter for fun NEW CONTENT and CONVERSATION delivered to your inbox. If you love this recipe save it now so you can find it later. Thank you for your support!
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mustard
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon cayenne; if you want it with less spice add ¼ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan: yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Simmer and reduce over medium- low heat for 30 minutes. Stir the BBQ sauce often to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from heat and allow the BBQ sauce to cool to room temperature.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container or jar for up to one month.
Video
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
If you make my Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, don’t forget to leave this recipe a rating, comment, or like. Tag me on social media using the hashtag #EntirelyElizabeth when sharing your own personal photos making this recipe. I would love to see your version and know your thoughts!
This BBQ sauce made my pork BBQ so vibrant and delicious! It was packed with flavors and is sure to please the guests! Planning to use this next on to our fav chicken wings!
My son loves mustard and wanted a dipping sauce to go with his chicken tenders — we tried out your recipe, omitting the cayenne and it was super delicious! Thank you for sharing!
The Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce is so good! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. I like to marinate my chicken in it, then grill it and serve with that sauce over top.
This Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce is a true flavor powerhouse! I used it when we grilling a chicken and it was absolutely delicious.
We made chicken wings and used your Caroline gold BBQ sauce, and it was the perfect hit. We all loved it and I wish I would have made more.
Rich in flavor, I love mustard, and not too spicy either, which was perfect for me.
Thank you for a great share.