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Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce is tangy, spicy, and is the ultimate sauce when you’re serving pork! Originating in North Carolina, this sauce is easy to make with just 6 ingredients. This traditional sauce is for anyone who takes their pork BBQ seriously.
In This Post
Where I’m from, it’s just not a proper Southern pulled pork sandwich without Carolina Vinegar Sauce.
In North Carolina, we’re famous for our pulled pork that’s chopped, loaded onto a soft bun, and topped with this sauce that packs a punch. It brings out all the beautiful flavors of smoked meat without overshadowing it.
Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce Is:
- tangy with a peppery kick
- easy to make with just 6 ingredients
- a classic sauce for pulled pork
- is great to serve with chicken and ribs
- totally addictive!
The base of the recipe is apple cider vinegar which brings a strong acidic flavor that goes so well with rich, smoked pork. With the addition of ketchup and brown sugar, the flavor of the vinegar mellows just a bit. To take the sauce over the top, red pepper flakes and black pepper gives it a spicy kick that’s irresistible.
Ingredients For This Recipe
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Ketchup
- Brown Sugar
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Black Pepper
- Salt
PRO TIP: You can adjust the heat level by cutting back on the red pepper if you’re not a fan of that much heat.
How To Store Homemade BBQ Sauce
Once you’ve made the sauce and let it cool, you can store it in the refridgerator for up to 2 weeks. I keep mine in a mason jar but any glass container with a lid will work.
What To Serve With Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce
I always serve Carolina Vinegar with pulled pork and ribs. It’s also delicious drizzled on grilled chicken and as a dressing for slaw.
If you love good BBQ and all the good eats that go with it, then THIS post is for you. You need to save, pin and print these recipes to make the best pork BBQ and sides using this sauce that your friends and family will ever eat.
More Recipes You’ll Love…
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Smoked Pulled Pork
- Sweet Heat Grilled Chicken
- BBQ Red Slaw
- Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer cooking for 2 minutes until sugar and salt dissolves.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Store in a covered jar or bottle in the refrigerator until ready to use. It can be stored for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition
5 Days of Fall Cooking
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Kimberly L.
Hello! I am having surgery next week and will be on the “disabled list” for awhile. I want to make some pulled pork and other dishes to put in the freezer so my hubby and sons don’t starve to death while trying to figure out how to turn on the stove. My question is will this sauce recipe work if I combine it with the pork and then bag it and freeze or will it get wonky upon thawing? I’m just not sure what the acid base will do to the meat. If anyone has any insight I thank you in advance.
Yes, add the sauce and freeze. It will turn out great. I hope your recovery goes well.
~Donya
Alyson
Because I was doing the shoulder in slow cooker I added just 2 drops of liquid smoke to the sauce.
Pauline Jarvis
Awesomeness, in a jar.love this recipe, keep up the good recipes. Thank you for sharing6
Thanks!
~Donya
Sha
By the way, I make a dry rub, rub it in all over then wrap pork up and put in the fridge overnight.
Sha
I polled all my southern cousins to ask for the pulled pork BBQ sauce recipe. All agree apple cider vinegar, Franks hot sauce with some butter. Although I think this recipe tastes great with shredded low and slow smoked pork butt. Yummy
Terry Maines
Excellent
Brenda Streed
I wanted to use this as a regular style BBQ sauce to be brushed on ribs. I added 1 tsp of xanthum gum to thicken it and keep it keto.
Kelli Grubb
This is the closest to my moms I’ve had. Thanks. It is darn hard to duplicate something that was never written down. I may need to tweak it ever so slightly to get it closer to my moms, but this is dang close!
DOUGLAS BATTJES
Please let me know if you tweak it some and what you did to it, agree that the best recipes were never written down
stony
I know how goo it is, I just drink it . yummy