Alabama white sauce is a tangy, creamy white BBQ sauce and a Southern barbecue classic best known for serving with smoked or grilled chicken. Its bold flavor is a nice change from traditional tomato-based barbecue sauces.
This easy white BBQ sauce recipe comes together in minutes with pantry ingredients and is perfect for chicken, pork, turkey, and more.
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😊 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What is it? Alabama white sauce is a tangy mayonnaise-based white BBQ sauce best known for serving with smoked or grilled chicken.
Why you'll love this recipe: It uses simple pantry ingredients, is ready in a few minutes, and adds bold flavor to chicken, pork, turkey, and more.
How to make it: Just whisk everything together, chill if time allows, and serve with your favorite grilled or smoked foods.
🧂 Ingredients
- Mayonnaise — The base of Alabama white sauce. Use your favorite brand.
- Apple cider vinegar — Adds the signature tangy flavor.
- Lemon juice — Optional, but adds a little extra brightness.
- Prepared horseradish — Traditional in many versions and adds a subtle kick.
- Seasonings — Sugar balances the vinegar while salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper round out the flavor. Adjust the cayenne to your taste.
🤔 What Is Alabama White Sauce?
Alabama white sauce is a tangy, mayonnaise-based white BBQ sauce that originated in northern Alabama. Unlike traditional tomato-based barbecue sauces, it gets its flavor from mayonnaise, vinegar, and seasonings, making it creamy, zesty, and perfect for grilled or smoked meats.
The sauce was made famous by the historic Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, which has been serving it on smoked chicken since the 1920s. While chicken remains the classic use, Alabama white sauce is also excellent on pork, turkey, seafood, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Making and Using Alabama White Sauce
Mixing the Alabama White Sauce
Mix all ingredients until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate for a few hours if you have time to let the flavors blend.
Using the Sauce on Chicken
Brush a generous amount on chicken near the end of cooking or immediately after removing it from the grill or smoker.
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🍗 How to Use Alabama White Sauce
Alabama white BBQ sauce is most often served on grilled or smoked chicken, but it is also delicious on turkey, pork, seafood, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce. You can even use it as a dressing for coleslaw or potato salad.
What Chicken Works Best?
Almost any chicken works well with Alabama white sauce, including:
- Whole chicken
- Butterflied (spatchcocked) chicken
- Chicken drumsticks
- Chicken thighs
- Split chicken breasts
- Chicken wings
Season the chicken with your favorite BBQ rub or simple salt and pepper before grilling or smoking. Hickory is the traditional smoking wood, but other smoking woods work well.
❄️ Storage
Store Alabama white sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Because it is mayonnaise-based, it should not be left at room temperature for extended periods. Freezing is not recommended.
❓FAQs
No, unlike more traditional tomato-based BBQ sauces, it is not cooked. It is mixed and used cold. It can be brushed on chicken near the end of grilling for a few minutes after reaching 165° or applied after removing it from the grill.
Alabama white sauce is creamy, tangy, and slightly peppery. The mayonnaise provides richness while vinegar adds a sharp tang. Depending on the recipe, horseradish and cayenne pepper can add a mild kick.
Yes. In fact, many people prefer making it a few hours ahead or even the day before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
Yes. While traditionally served on smoked chicken, Alabama white sauce is also excellent on pork, turkey, seafood, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce.
📖The Recipe Card
Alabama White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice - optional
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix ¾ cup mayo, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon horseradish, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- For the best flavor, refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
- Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Lemon juice is optional but recommended. I generally use 1 tablespoon; 2 tablespoons gives a stronger lemon flavor.
- Alabama white sauce is traditionally served on smoked chicken but is also excellent on pork, turkey, seafood, sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce.
- Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
This version was inspired by Cooks Country White BBQ Chicken (subscription required), which I simplified a bit and added lemon juice back that was removed but is classically used.
Editor’s Note: Originally published July 9, 2010. Updated with a sauce-focused rewrite, refreshed photos, and expanded tips for using Alabama white sauce.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jil,
Welcome to the blog.
You are so right, it is not there. I "broke out" the sauce and it's discussion to another post and didn't fix this one years ago.
The sauce here is modeled after an American Test Kitchen recipe. That recipe had no lemon juice. Most other Alabama White BBQ sauce do. So it is there as an "option". In practice, I add 1 tablespoon and feel that 2 tablespoons is a bit much. I think ATK was wrong to leave it out.
As soon as I post this reply. I'm fixing both recipes.
Dan
Sage says
I have a feeling I will be learning great new ways of preparing our meals for 2 here; I will be back.Love the way you present your recipes.
Rita
Dr Dan says
The whole chicken... sounds like a plan.
The smoke seemed to add a lot more to chicken quickly then other meats. A blank slate I guess.
I'm going to see what happens with skinless but don't have high hope for the smoke adding like it did here.
Chris says
I LOVE Alabama White sauce but like you, only grilled with it for two years. We like it that way.
This spring, I took a class from Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibsons and tasted his smoked chicken. It was amazing, some of the best chicken I have ever had.
It is very good grilled, but some time when you have the extra time, try it on a whole smoked chicken.