Ah, barbecue. Barbecue is practically a religion in the South, and Alabama White Barbecue Sauce is quickly becoming a big deal all over. It debuted commercially in Decatur, Alabama at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que in 1925, but probably predates that. Barbecue in general has been popular in Alabama since the early 1800s at least. Admittedly, most of that featured the familiar lively, red, tomato-based sauce.
Southerners are a social bunch and we dearly love eating our barbecue with others. Barbecue is so popular that the word itself operates as several different parts of speech, depending on usage. It’s an adjective as in barbecued pork, barbecue sauce, etc. It’s a verb: “Hey, y’all! Let’s barbecue some ribs this weekend!” It can be a noun, as in, “Billy Ed and I had barbecue for lunch.” But it’s also a noun like this, “I’m going to the Wilkes’ barbecue at Twelve Oaks, and I will too eat like a field hand if I want! Stealing other girls’ boyfriends leaves me famished!”
Barbecues as we know them have been around a long time; grilled or smoked sauced meats were frequently served at both social and civic gatherings from the start. In the 1820s some or another party-pooper group actively opposed barbecue events, arguing that they fostered “political debasement”, usually featured alcoholic beverages, and were–oh, the horror!–fun. Everyone else put down their beer and spare ribs just long enough to point and laugh at these killjoys, then went right back to drinking beer and eating barbecue. We’ve never stopped.
Let’s get back to Big Bob Gibson: his signature white barbecue sauce is usually served on smoked chicken, but it really belongs on so many other things, too. I know what you’re thinking. Malia doesn’t like mayonnaise, so what can she possibly know about white barbecue sauce? Fair enough, but this sauce doesn’t taste like mayo at all. True, mayonnaise is the base, but every other ingredient works overtime to build a fantastic flavor and texture. With vinegar, horseradish, Worcestershire, and other seasonings, you won’t know mayo is even in there. Alabama White Barbecue Sauce is delicious no matter what you put it on.
What should you be putting Alabama White Barbecue Sauce on, you ask? Grilled chicken for sure. Grilled swordfish steaks. Broiled salmon. Roasted shrimp. Chicken wings. You can drizzle some on top of pulled pork, whether there’s red barbecue sauce on there already or not. Smoked ribs. French fries? Yes, definitely dunk your French fries in Alabama White Barbecue Sauce! Also zucchini fries, fried or roasted mushrooms, fried okra, steamed or roasted cauliflower and/or broccoli, and sweet potato fries. Potato chips, too. Chicken fingers? Yep! Alabama White Barbecue Sauce makes a delightful dressing for coleslaw, which is also delicious piled on any barbeque sandwich, by the way. It’s as versatile as Mississippi’s Comeback Sauce, and not too far removed from Louisiana’s White Remoulade, but it’s better than either, of course.
There are a lot of recipes for Alabama White Sauce out there; the one below is my interpretation. It’s not as spicy as some, and if you or your family members are really sensitive, you can omit the horseradish and pass the Tabasco at the table. Having said that, I personally recommend doubling the horseradish, which is what I do at home. After all horseradish is a vegetable, and we could probably all stand to eat more of those.
EDIT: I’ve just been informed that Alabama White Barbecue Sauce is better on fried green tomatoes than any other thing on planet Earth, and I didn’t even mention it. Mea culpa. So y’all should go whip up Alabama White Barbecue Sauce right now and spoon it all over some fried green tomatoes. ~M.M.
Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 T. brown sugar
- 2 t. Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ t. prepared horseradish, or to taste
- ½ t. onion powder
- ½ t. garlic powder
- ½ t. salt
- ½ t. black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients. Put any sauce you're not using immediately in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator up to 10 days.
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