# Steve's Carolina style BBQ sauce for PP



## smokinstevo27 (Oct 28, 2010)

This is my take on Lexington style dip. In places I won't give exact measurements so if you decide to make it you can tweak it out to your own taste. This is battle tested and always meets with approval from my guests. I make 2 quarts at a time and store in Quart Mason jars. I like it to rest seven days so the flavors meld together. Please let me know what y'all think about this sauce if you decide to make it.

1 QT apple cider vinegar

1 QT distilled white vinegar

1/2 or 1 cup ketchup (adjust to a whole cup if you want to cut vinegar more, personally I like it tangy)

Red pepper flakes to taste

Coarse black pepper to taste

TBS cayenne pepper

TBS garlic powder

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

Hot sauce to taste (Texas Pete since its made in W-S)

In a large pot cover and bring to a simmer letting the sugars dissolve. Transfer after cooling to two self sealing mason jars. Refrigerate for a week. Get your butt outside fire up the smoker, wait 12-15 hours on your duff drinking beer, pull the pork, drizzle sauce and mix in. I hope you guys enjoy this sauce on your sandwiches as much as I do.

Steve


----------



## thepruitt21 (Oct 28, 2010)

Sounds really good. I make one kinda like it, but there is no need to heat it. Just whisk it together and put in fridge to let flavors blend.

1 Cup Cider Vinegar

1 Cup Distilled Vinegar

1 TBL Brown Sugar

1 TBL Cheyenne Pepper

1 TBL Pepper Sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot)

1 TEA Kosher Salt

1 TEA Black Pepper

I found it on Allrecipe.com. Its freaking good. Nothing but this on ANY pork for me....if I choose to use sauce that is.


----------



## squirrel (Oct 28, 2010)

Oh yay, thanks Steve! I have been wanting to try a recipe like this. I'm gonna do some butts this weekend and I'll make a batch.


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Oct 28, 2010)

Squirrel said:


> Oh yay, thanks Steve! I have been wanting to try a recipe like this. I'm gonna do some butts this weekend and I'll make a batch.


Go for it girl. Everything you fix looks phenomenal!


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Oct 28, 2010)

I like both of these. Its the old east carolina/western carolina debate. Eastern purists say no tomato anything just vinegar. I grew up on Lexington style BBQ. The restaraunteurs there add a little ketchup into the mix. In Cackalacky its whole hog and vinegar sauce in the east and whole picnics and Lexington Dip in the Piedmont. Mountain people do thick tomato or mustard sauces. My girlfriend is from them there hills and I tell her they're cue doesn't count. She got me back after I had cooked a butt when her family was visiting us by announcing my opinion in front of her father at the dinner table. I got tongue tied!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			







thepruitt21 said:


> Sounds really good. I make one kinda like it, but there is no need to heat it. Just whisk it together and put in fridge to let flavors blend.
> 
> 1 Cup Cider Vinegar
> 
> ...


----------



## deannc (Oct 28, 2010)

Both do look good.

A buddy of mine has been insisting I give his mustard sauce recipe a try for weeks now and I finally did last weekend....I'll keep my vinegar, ya'll can keep that ketchup and mustard off my pork!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Thepruitt give some red pepper flakes a try in your recipe and see if you like it.  I think it adds nicely especially if the sauce has had a couple days to rest.


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Oct 29, 2010)

DeanNC said:


> Both do look good.
> 
> A buddy of mine has been insisting I give his mustard sauce recipe a try for weeks now and I finally did last weekend....I'll keep my vinegar, ya'll can keep that ketchup and mustard off my pork!
> 
> ...


HAHA Dean. You can't even tell the ketchup is there in my sauce, it just cuts that vinegar bite a little. As long as its still thin I'm all for it. I can't understand taking the time to slow smoke butts and then drowning them in a thick, sickly sweet bbq sauce. Sauce should enhance PP and not drown out all of those nice subtle flavors you have worked hard to achieve. I will say that I have made a ground pork burger recipe where I used carolina mustard sauce in the patties and it was good. But thats a grilled burger and not a beautiful 15 hour smoked pork butt. At least you are willing to try stuff once!


----------



## ugaboz (Oct 29, 2010)

might try it sometime


----------



## nwdave (Oct 29, 2010)

Well, since I live w-a-y out on the left coast, far away from consideration of whose side of the hills I might live on, thanks to all submitters for their contributions.  I'll be giving all a try soon.  Always looking for a good side to compliment my efforts.


----------



## deannc (Oct 29, 2010)

Steve, I'm definitely gonna give a shot or two of ketchup a try...but I do like the tang and twang of some vinegar...mmmm!  I'm with you, I don't like to mask or overpower the flavors I worked so hard for during a long smoke with some thick sauce of any kind.  Sorta like a juicy naked rib eye fresh off the grill that some in my family insist on drowning in steak sauce!  I just don't get it! lol


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Oct 29, 2010)

DeanNC said:


> Steve, I'm definitely gonna give a shot or two of ketchup a try...but I do like the tang and twang of some vinegar...mmmm!  I'm with you, I don't like to mask or overpower the flavors I worked so hard for during a long smoke with some thick sauce of any kind.  Sorta like a juicy naked rib eye fresh off the grill that some in my family insist on drowning in steak sauce!  I just don't get it! lol


Thats why I don't keep steak sauce in my house, I don't want anyone tempted. The reason steak sauces were invented way back when was because of the awful quality of the meat people had to mask the taste. If you have to use steak sauce then the cook shouldn't have been allowed near a decent cut of steak. The worst is when I see people order a well done steak and put ketchup on it! But as they say "to each, his own"


----------



## qdog (Nov 1, 2010)

smokinstevo27 said:


> Thats why I don't keep steak sauce in my house, I don't want anyone tempted. The reason steak sauces were invented way back when was because of the awful quality of the meat people had to mask the taste. If you have to use steak sauce then the cook shouldn't have been allowed near a decent cut of steak. The worst is when I see people order a well done steak and put ketchup on it! But as they say "to each, his own"


I hear ya brother!   During one of our steak nights at the club this year I sat by a guy that did just that, well done and gobs of steak sauce and ketchup...ekkk!   And the ribeyes were fantastic cuts!

But on topic.  I have never been around this type of sauce.  Question it sure seems similar to some finishing sauces I have read about and going to try this weekend.   Do you serve as a side?


----------



## raptor700 (Nov 1, 2010)

Thanks for sharing your recipe, I love all types of sauces. I personaly like a nice vinegar sauce as a side for dippin' my smoked birds and butts in!


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 1, 2010)

QDog I use it as both a finishing sauce and I add more when I put my sandwich together. The other thing I really love to use it for is grilled or smoked chicken. Its got a little sweet, a little heat, and some vinegar tang and twang as our friend DeanNC put it. If you have never been exposed to this kind of sauce I would higly reccomend it. Its a very nice change of pace from thick BBQ sauce. Thank you for your comments!


QDog said:


> I hear ya brother!   During one of our steak nights at the club this year I sat by a guy that did just that, well done and gobs of steak sauce and ketchup...ekkk!   And the ribeyes were fantastic cuts!
> 
> But on topic.  I have never been around this type of sauce.  Question it sure seems similar to some finishing sauces I have read about and going to try this weekend.   Do you serve as a side?


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 1, 2010)

Your welcome and your right vinegar sauces are great with the yardbirds and butts.
 


raptor700 said:


> Thanks for sharing your recipe, I love all types of sauces. I personaly like a nice vinegar sauce as a side for dippin' my smoked birds and butts in!


----------



## wntrlnd (Nov 1, 2010)

i'm looking forward to trying out your recipe, Steve!  thanks for sharing it!

i'm deeply thankful i wasn't taking a sip of Pepsi when i read that your wife announced your opinion about her family's Q at dinner with her parents!

OMG that's funny!  she totally got you!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	













thanks again for the recipe


----------



## scarbelly (Nov 1, 2010)

DeanNC said:


> Both do look good.
> 
> A buddy of mine has been insisting I give his mustard sauce recipe a try for weeks now and I finally did last weekend....I'll keep my vinegar, ya'll can keep that ketchup and mustard off my pork!
> 
> ...




 Ketchup is not allowed past the front door in my  house.  I might give the second one a try but I can not handle anything with ketsup period. No disrespect Steve but Ketchup is evil to my taste buds


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 1, 2010)

Yeah she sure did. She is much smarter than I am.


wntrlnd said:


> i'm looking forward to trying out your recipe, Steve!  thanks for sharing it!
> 
> i'm deeply thankful i wasn't taking a sip of Pepsi when i read that your wife announced your opinion about her family's Q at dinner with her parents!
> 
> ...







Scarbelly said:


> Ketchup is not allowed past the front door in my  house.  I might give the second one a try but I can not handle anything with ketsup period. No disrespect Steve but Ketchup is evil to my taste buds


No offense taken Scarbelly. I hate ketchup but in this sauce its such a small amount you honestly can't taste it. It adds color and acts against the bite of the vinegar. I have also used tomato paste to the same effect but since the old lady is a ketchup nut its always on hand in our house. You sure I can't make a convert out of you?


----------



## scarbelly (Nov 1, 2010)

smokinstevo27 said:


> Yeah she sure did. She is much smarter than I am.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Might give it a try with the tomato paste but the evil red will never enter my house. Just ask my kids and grandkids. They go to McD's and want to bring that evil concoction in the house for fries and I make them take it out and we use Bone Suckin sauce - in the end they agree it is much tastier LOL


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm with ya boss! LOL
 


Scarbelly said:


> Might give it a try with the tomato paste but the evil red will never enter my house. Just ask my kids and grandkids. They go to McD's and want to bring that evil concoction in the house for fries and I make them take it out and we use Bone Suckin sauce - in the end they agree it is much tastier LOL


----------



## qdog (Nov 2, 2010)

Ha!  Sounds like my wife!   We are have tried so many BBQ recipes and most have ketchup in them as a base and if she knows it is in there she will not like it!


Scarbelly said:


> Ketchup is not allowed past the front door in my  house.  I might give the second one a try but I can not handle anything with ketsup period. No disrespect Steve but Ketchup is evil to my taste buds


----------



## squirrel (Nov 2, 2010)

Steve! I made up a batch of your sauce. It's resting in the fridge as instructed, but I gotta tell ya I already had a little on some butts I did over the weekend. It is very, very good. I am thinking of doing a few shots of it later. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 2, 2010)

Thanks Squirrel! Its good as soon as its done, I just find that it really takes off after resting. I shake it a few times a day while its resting and sometimes I sneak some when I open the fridge.






 


Squirrel said:


> Steve! I made up a batch of your sauce. It's resting in the fridge as instructed, but I gotta tell ya I already had a little on some butts I did over the weekend. It is very, very good. I am thinking of doing a few shots of it later.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## andrew82 (Nov 9, 2010)

You is a mark!


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 9, 2010)

wow I love the name.

 


GRS69 said:


> You is a mark!


----------



## andrew82 (Nov 9, 2010)

Why Dont you go and GRS!


----------



## raptor700 (Nov 9, 2010)

> Might give it a try with the tomato paste but the evil red will never enter my house


  Hey Scar, Does that mean you don't like a nice Mater Sammie?


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Nov 18, 2010)

I've been browsing around the internet and have seen some retched looking ideas for lexington sauce. The recipes I've seen have a almost equal ketchup to vinegar ratio. Lexington is about 25 minutes away from my town and I can promise you these places aren't serving that. At least Speedy's and Lexington BBQ aren't. Just wanted to post this in case anyone was thinking of making the sauce I posted and adjusting the ketchup amounts. DON"T TAKE ADVICE ON CAROLINA CUE FROM BOBBY FLAY! Not knockin him, he just doesn't know bbq. Ok got it out, end of rant.


----------



## alelover (Jun 10, 2011)

Your recipe is very similar to mine Steve. I don't know my amounts though. I kept messin with it til the wife said it was authentic. She was born and raised here. I don't cook mine. I let it sit in the fridge a day or two then pour it through a strainer into a squirt bottle. I prefer the thick stuff better myself but when in Carolina...


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Jun 19, 2011)

Its not about amounts man you just play with it til ya like it! I never thought about straining it thats not a bad idea. I like to heat it to disolve all the sugars and keep it thin. I don't mind the thick stuff on some things but I don't want it anywhere near my pulled pork haha. You know the saying, "when in Cackalacky..." Sorry about the late reply I just saw this today.

Steve

 


alelover said:


> Your recipe is very similar to mine Steve. I don't know my amounts though. I kept messin with it til the wife said it was authentic. She was born and raised here. I don't cook mine. I let it sit in the fridge a day or two then pour it through a strainer into a squirt bottle. I prefer the thick stuff better myself but when in Carolina...


----------



## SmokinAl (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks Steve, gonna give it a try!


----------



## smokinstevo27 (Jun 20, 2011)

Your welcome Al, I hope yall enjoy it.
 


SmokinAl said:


> Thanks Steve, gonna give it a try!


----------



## bubba watson (Jul 19, 2014)

doing a butt next week. I like both eastern and Lexington style but my wife is a pure Lexington girl....we only live about 30 minutes from Lexington...


----------

