Alabama White Sauce: Recipe and 4 Serving Ideas

Alabama white sauce—also known as Alabama white barbecue sauce—is a mayonnaise-based vinegary condiment, which originated in Decatur, a city in Northern Alabama. Cooks in Alabama use it as a marinade, a basting liquid, and a dipping sauce.

Bob Gibson popularized the sauce at Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q, his Northern Alabama BBQ joint. The story goes that Gibson was making smoked chicken and, at the last minute, basted it in this fantastic rich concoction to keep the meat succulent and moist. The current head chef at Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q, pitmaster Chris Lilly, has carried on that tradition, and Alabama white sauce remains popular at BBQ joints across the state.

Alabama white sauce has a creamy, tangy flavor that sets it apart from most barbecue sauces, which often have a tomato or ketchup base, with brown sugar, molasses, and hot pepper running through them for sweetness and spice. Imagine mayonnaise thinned with irresistibly savory, spicy, and sour seasonings: Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar add a tangy bite that cuts through the creaminess, while cayenne pepper, horseradish, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper add heat.

Here are some ways to enjoy Alabama white sauce, Alabama-style and beyond:

1. 1. Basting proteins: Toward the end of the cooking process, brush the sauce onto meats—like chicken thighs, brisket, or pulled pork. Basting meat in Alabama white BBQ sauce keeps it moist as it cooks. Alternatively, marinate chicken in the sauce for flavor and tenderness. Generously coat the meat and let it soak in the marinade overnight before grilling, roasting, or smoking.
2. 2. Dipping appetizers: Use Alabama white sauce as a dipping sauce for chicken wings, tater tots, or any finger food.
3. 3. Dressing salads and coleslaw: Try Alabama white sauce as a salad dressing for Caesar salad or in place of other creamy dressings. Instead of mayonnaise, add Alabama white sauce to your favorite coleslaw recipe. The cooling cabbage and slivered vegetables bring a refreshing texture to the rich sauce.
4. 4. Serving Southern comfort food: Drizzle Alabama white sauce over Southern comfort food staples, like chicken and biscuits or chicken and waffles. Let Chef Thomas Keller guide you through making the best fried chicken.

This white BBQ sauce brings heat and tang to the pit. Here are some tips to make it your own.

1. 1. Create your preferred consistency. Traditionally, the Alabama white sauce is on the runny side, but if you want to use it as a dipping sauce and don’t want it to be too drippy, add less liquid or even a spoonful of sour cream for thickness.
2. 2. Use it as a marinade and table sauce. The versatility of Alabama white sauce makes it great for marinating raw meat or slathering it over cooked meat. If you want to use the sauce as both a marinade and a dipping sauce at a barbecue, discard any leftover marinade that has come into contact with raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
3. 3. Add even more flavor. Add a pinch of nutmeg for subtle warmth or a few dashes of hot sauce to spice up Alabama white sauce. Yellow mustard, Dijon, or spicy brown mustard aren’t part of the original recipe, but they each add terrific heat and depth to the sauce.