Guest Post: White Barbecue Sauce

The color spectrum of barbecue sauce is rich and diverse--one reason why sampling different styles from all over the South is so much fun, and so delicious. Ask the average person the color of their favorite sauce and you'll probably get answers such as brick red, mahogany, or caramel. Shoot, ask somebody from Columbia, South Carolina, where mustard-based sauces are king, and you might even get, well, mustard-color.

Pose the same question to a resident of North Alabama, though, and you're sure to get only one answer: white. "It's the only sauce we know here, because it's what everyone grows up on," says world barbecue champion Chris Lilly, who's also a chef at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. For his part, Bob Gibson is credited with concocting "white sauce" back in 1925. Today, this tangy, mayonnaise-based condiment, traditionally used to dress chicken, is as synonymous with the state of Alabama as legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. "We marinate with it, use it to baste, plus we use it as an all-purpose table sauce," adds Lilly.

Yet, because white barbecue sauce is such a regional anomaly, and since grocery shelves are dominated by the myriad incarnations of tomato-based sauces, many Southerners have never tried it. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's time to get out the chicken and fire up your smoker or grill. Like its tomato-and-mustard-based cousins, white barbecue sauce comes in shades ranging from porcelain to putty. There are also differences in consistency. Some sauces flow like fat-free milk, while others are more reminiscent of a creamy dressing. As for the ingredients, well, purists such as Myra Grissom, owner of Miss Myra's Pit Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Alabama, insists there are only four: mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and coarsely ground pepper.

"Everyone says they have a special recipe, but there's really no secret. You start with the basics and you can't go wrong," recommends Grissom, whose family tree leads back to Decatur. She's been serving up her version of white barbecue sauce in Birmingham for more than 19 years. "I love it as a dip for pretzels," she says with a smile, "but we also use it to perk up salads, and to top pulled pork sandwiches and grilled fish."

Lilly and Grissom both admit, however, that it's not uncommon to find all sorts of additional ingredients, such as lemon juice, onion powder, and cayenne pepper, in some sauces. The recipe below begins with a traditional base, then calls on the flavor-boosting power of fresh garlic, prepared horseradish, Creole mustard, and a touch of sugar. The result is an eye-opening sauce with lip-smacking acidity and just the right amount of creaminess. One taste and you'll understand why Grissom says, "No Southern home should be without it."

White Barbecue Sauce
Makes 2 cups

If you prefer a thicker sauce, omit the water. You'll still get the same great flavor.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

Method
1. Whisk together all ingredients until blended.

For more white barbecue sauce recipes, check out MyRecipes.com. Do you have a recipe for white barbecue sauce you'd care to share? Know of a barbecue joint or shack making a great white barbecue sauce? Don't forget to subscribe to Eating My Words--it's free and delicious.

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Southern Living Executive Food Editor Scott Jones is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. Jones has received awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the James Beard Foundation. In addition, he holds a degree in magazine publishing and journalism from the University of Mississippi and is the author of the Southern Living Wine Guide and Journal.