This traditional Alabama white barbecue sauce is unlike any other barbecue sauce you might be familiar with. First of all, it’s white, rather than red, and not made with a tomato or fruit base, but mayonnaise instead.
It’s creamy, tangy, peppery, and slightly sweet if sugar is added with a rich flavor that is a great addition to most grilled foods but especially chicken, turkey, smoked pork, and grilled fish.
Just like a red sauce, this white sauce can be used to marinate or grill, or as a table sauce. But it has a leg up on the red stuff because white sauce makes a great dip, salad dressing, baked potato top, and even a binding agent for coleslaw and potato salad.
As with many barbecue sauces, you want to apply this only at the very end of your grilling or smoking, especially if you add sugar to the basic ingredients. Not only will it break down and separate if it is heated too long, but the sugar will burn instead of becoming nicely caramelized.