Name: Best Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup Mayonnaise; 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar; 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice; 1 teaspoon Prepared Horseradish; 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce; 1 teaspoon Coarse Black Pepper; 1 teaspoon Favorite BBQ Rub; 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder; 1/2 teaspoon Salt; 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Sauces and Rubs

Origin: American South

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Mason jar with Alabama White Sauce. — Quick and easy white BBQ sauce

This easy Alabama Style BBQ sauce has become a go to sauce for roasted and smoked chicken. Tangy and a little spicy, this is one of the best barbecue sauces for poultry, and a great way to mix things up versus a traditional barbecue sauce.

What is Alabama Style White Barbecue Sauce?

White BBQ sauce is a mayo-based BBQ sauce made famous in Alabama at restaurants like Big Bob Gibson's. The sauce gained popularity in northern Alabama shortly after its creation by Bob Gibson and soon its popularity spread. This mayonnaise-based BBQ sauce is thinned with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar with an added kick from coarse ground black pepper, hot sauce and horseradish.

Making Homemade Alabama White Sauce

Pulled chicken sandwich with a zesty white BBQ sauce. — Epic smoked chicken sandwich with zesty white BBQ sauce

This super easy BBQ sauce can be whipped up and ready for your cookout in under 5 minutes. To make the Alabama White BBQ sauce you will need mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, coarse black pepper, lemon juice, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and prepared horseradish.

Hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and lemon on a table.

What is the best mayonnaise for white BBQ sauce?

When you are making Alabama White Sauce from scratch, you want to use the best ingredients. Duke's mayonnaise is our absolute favorite mayo for making white barbeque sauce. You definitely want to use real mayonnaise for this recipe.

Lemon, Mayo, horseradish, salt, and garlic powder on a wood table.

You can use your favorite hot sauce in the recipe, but we typically stick with Frank's or Tabasco. For the apple cider vinegar, we really love using vinegar with honey for a touch of sweetness.

Making Alabama sauce from scratch is super easy. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.

Ingredients for white BBQ sauce being mixed in a bowl.

Once combined, place the sauce in a mason jar or salad dressing carafe. Refrigerate until needed.

Jar of homemade Alabama White BBQ Sauce. — Tangy homemade Alabama white barbeque sauce

What is Alabama White Sauce Used For?

One of the great things about white BBQ sauce is its versatility. It can be used as a marinade to keep your chicken moist and juicy, or as a finishing sauce. Alabama barbecue sauce is perfect over smoked chicken, and can even be used as a spicy and tangy salad dressing.

Pulled chicken sandwich with tangy white BBQ sauce. — Pulled Smoked Chicken Sandwich with homemade Alabama White BBQ Sauce

BBQ chicken sandwich with Alabama white sauce.

How long does Alabama White Sauce last in the refrigerator?

Homemade white BBQ sauce will typically keep about 2 weeks in the refrigerator if you made it with fresh ingredients. We almost never have much leftover anyway though.

Pulled chicken slathered in White BBQ Sauce.

If you are looking for more great American style BBQ recipes, be sure to check out a list of some of our favorites:

Pulled BBQ chicken sandwich with Alabama style white sauce.

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