Alabama White Sauce Recipe - Smoked BBQ Source (2024)

FAQs

What is Alabama white barbecue sauce made from? ›

What is white BBQ 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.

Alabama white BBQ sauce is a mayonnaise-based dressing that also includes horseradish and cayenne pepper for a good amount of heat. Two packed tablespoons of brown sugar add some sweetness to the mix, while apple cider vinegar and lemon juice provide some flavorful acidity.

Smoker – For a low-heat preparation that hovers around 275ºF, create a perfectly sticky protein by basting your meat with BBQ sauce starting about 30 minutes before it is finished—any longer than that could cause it to burn.

INGREDIENTS: TOMATO SAUCE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), BROWN SUGAR, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, MUSTARD (DISTILLED VINEGAR, WATER, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, SPICE, GARLIC POWDER), SUGAR, VINEGAR, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOUR, SPICES, SALT, APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, LIME JUICE CONCENTRATE, GARLIC, ONION, NATURAL FLAVOUR.

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.

Béchamel sauce has its beginnings in Tuscany during the renaissance era, when it was referred to as the 'glue sauce' thanks to its sticky, thick consistency. The creamy white sauce was introduced to France in 1533 by the chefs of Catherina de Medici (wife of Henry II).

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.

The homemade white bbq sauce is white with a mayo base, but unlike the dressing you would use on classic coleslaw or broccoli salad, it is not sweet. It has a more robust savory flavor thanks to the vinegar's tang and the black pepper and horseradish's mild heat.

Alabama white sauce

It is believed to have been invented by Bob Gibson at the Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur in 1925. The sauce's popularity was mainly confined to northern Alabama until 1994 when it began to be bottled and sold commercially.

The science

As we smoke our chicken at a lower temperature for a much longer period of time, the myoglobin doesn't fully break down. This creates a pink tinge to the meat – the same reaction that causes the smoke ring you see on our brisket and ribs. This doesn't mean it's undercooked, just that it's been smoked.

What is the best temperature for smoking BBQ? ›

Meat smoking is best in the range of 200 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. To be safe, most meats need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees and poultry to 165 degrees. However, to get real tender barbecue you want a higher final temperature, say around 180 degrees.

Smoke is made up of gases, water vapor and small solid particles from the fuel. Burning wood breaks down molecules called lignans, and these turn into smaller organic molecules – including syringol and guaiacol – that are mainly responsible for the quintessential smoky flavor.

Liquid Smoke

Liquid smoke is a naturally occurring substance made from real smoke. By burning wood pellets and condensing the smoke, manufacturers capture it as a liquid. Once it has been distilled and filtered, liquid smoke is one of the simplest ways to add pure smoke flavor to your foods.

Is Alabama White Sauce the same as Ranch Dressing? No. Besides being a white condiment, these two sauces really have nothing in common. Ranch dressing is a creamy, herby dressing, while Alabama White Sauce is a tangy sauce with spice.

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.