• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
State of Dinner
  • Recipes
  • Kitchen Tips
  • State Dishes
  • Start Here
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Kitchen Tips
  • State Dishes
  • Start Here
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Kitchen Tips
    • State Dishes
    • Start Here
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauces and Condiments

    Western North Carolina BBQ Sauce

    Published: Jul 6, 2021 · Modified: Apr 17, 2023 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    • Share
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    Western North Carolina BBQ Sauce is a vinegar-based tangy sauce that is balanced with the sweetness of ketchup. It is easy to make your own sauce, with only 1 recipe step, and less than 20 minutes of cooking time!

    wooden bowl with bbq sauce in front of a wooden platter of shredded pork.
    Jump to:
    • What is North Carolina Barbecue?
    • Ingredient Information
    • How to Make North Carolina Sauce
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    What is North Carolina Barbecue?

    North Carolinians love their barbecue! But even across the state, the term "good barbecue" has very different meanings. There are a few things that all North Carolinians can agree on. The first is that barbecue sauce belongs on pulled pork. And the second is the (not so) secret ingredient - apple cider vinegar is used in their sauce. Let's take a look at the different types of barbecue sauce you will find in North Carolina.

    Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce: In Eastern North Carolina, where they believe you should barbecue the whole hog, they keep the barbecue sauce very simple. Eastern sauce is made of vinegar, brown sugar, and spices. It is used as a mop sauce to baste the pig while it is cooking and is also used as a sauce while serving.

    Western Carolina BBQ Sauce: This is one sauce with many names. You may hear it called Piedmont sauce or Lexington-style. Some even refer to it as Carolina Red!

    This sauce adds ketchup to the mix. It still features the tangy vinegar base and the sweet and spicy complexity of an Eastern-style sauce. But the ketchup adds body and a little extra sweetness. It is most often used as a finishing sauce, as well as being served alongside the pork.

    On the western side of the state, they typically cook the pork shoulder, instead of the whole pig. While pit masters pride themselves on the hours spent outside over a hot grill, my favorite way to cook pork shoulder is following this sous vide pork recipe! It gives you the most tender and juicy pork every time!

    Carolina Gold: This style of barbecue sauce often gets mistakenly associated with North Carolina barbecue, but it has its roots in South Carolina. Carolina Gold adds yellow mustard instead of ketchup and often replaces the brown sugar with molasses.

    And if you are looking for something completely different from these BBQ styles, take a look at this Texas-Style BBQ Sauce, which is a rich and savory tomato-based sauce.

    Ingredient Information

    Apple Cider Vinegar - This vinegar is the heart of North Carolina barbecue sauce. It is tangy, with a little bit of sweetness from the apples.

    Ketchup - You can leave this ingredient out if you want an Eastern-style barbecue sauce, but it is a key ingredient for this recipe. If you do not have ketchup on hand, you can use 6 ounces of tomato paste, and add ¼ teaspoon of garlic and ¼ teaspoon of paprika.

    Brown Sugar - Either light or dark brown sugar can be used in this recipe. Dark brown sugar will give you more of a molasses flavor, which can be preferable in a barbecue sauce.

    Hot Sauce - Hot sauce is another highly controversial topic among North Carolinians! While some use Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce, many folks claim that Texas Pete's is the only hot sauce worth using!

    Overhead photograph of labeled ingredients.

    How to Make North Carolina Sauce

    It could not be more simple to make your own vinegar barbecue sauce!

    Simply whisk all of the ingredients together in a saucepan, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

    Saucepan with all of the bbq sauce ingredients in it.

    Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, then pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate.

    Pouring sauce from the pan into a mason jar.

    Serving Suggestions

    For a true North Carolina meal, enjoy this sauce with some pulled pork, coleslaw, and a side of hush puppies! And no southern meal would be complete without a slice of creamy sweet potato pie!

    Make your own Lexington-style coleslaw, known as red slaw, by adding 1 cup of this Western NC BBQ sauce to a head of shredded cabbage. Toss the sauce into the cabbage and let chill for 20 minutes before serving.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I store Western North Carolina vinegar barbeque sauce?

    Barbeque sauce should be refrigerated in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 2 months.

    How do I adjust the heat of the sauce?

    If you are very sensitive to spice, cut the hot sauce proportion in half, using only 1 ½ teaspoons. You can always add more later! If you want more spice, add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, or ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the sauce before simmering.

    Is this BBQ sauce sweet?

    The primary flavor of this sauce is tanginess from the vinegar. It does have a subtle sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter sauce then you can increase the brown sugar to up to a half-cup.

    More Recipes

    • Wrapped Kalua Pork with Salt
      Smoked Kalua Pork Recipe
    • Vacuum sealed pork shoulder in sous vide cooker.
      Sous Vide Pork Shoulder Recipe
    • basket of old fashioned buttermilk biscuits.
      Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
    • Rocks glass with hot honey margarita, chili-salt rim and a lime and hot pepper wedge.
      Hot Honey Margarita Recipe
    Pulled pork sandwich with pools of bbq sauce and a jar of sauce in the background.

    Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind-the-scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!

    Recipe

    Spooning some bbq sauce out of a small wooden bowl.

    Western North Carolina BBQ Sauce

    Recipe by: Erin
    This vinegary sauce is also known as Lexington-style bbq. It is sweet and tangy, and is delicious when served on pulled pork.
    4.93 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 18 minutes mins
    Course Condiments
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24 ounces
    Calories 22 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
    • ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
    • ¾ cup ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (like Texas Pete's)
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Mix all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once it is simmering, reduce to low heat and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
    • Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 2 months.

    Notes

    For an even spicier sauce, add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
    For a sweeter sauce, increase the brown sugar to up to ½ cup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Share a photo of your creation with your friends!Mention @stateofdinner or tag #stateofdinner!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Barbara

      April 03, 2023 at 8:28 pm

      4 stars
      I love this sauce but it is a bit too tart for my personal taste, next time I'll reduce the vinegar just a little and then it'll be perfect for me and my family. We also tried the Carolina gold recipe but hands down, this was the sauce for us. Thank you

      Reply
      • Erin

        April 07, 2023 at 8:35 am

        I'm glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed the Western North Carolina BBQ Sauce recipe, despite it being a bit too tart for your taste. Adjusting the amount of vinegar to your liking is a great way to personalize the recipe to your specific preferences, and I'm sure it will turn out even better the next time you make it. Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Pat

      November 10, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      Love it

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 11, 2022 at 9:47 am

        Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    3. Freya

      July 07, 2021 at 12:57 am

      5 stars
      I loved this! I used it on pulled jackfruit and it was so good! I enjoyed reading about the differences in sauces too

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 07, 2021 at 9:22 am

        Jackfruit sounds like a wonderful pairing for this bbq sauce!

        Reply
    4. Kay

      July 07, 2021 at 12:53 am

      5 stars
      Awesome sauce! Enjoyed by us all! I got to try out the mustard carolina gold too.

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 07, 2021 at 9:22 am

        How did you like the Carolina Gold?

        Reply
    5. Agnieszka

      July 06, 2021 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      We love trying different kinds of BBQ sauce and this one was amazing. Had it on pulled pork. So delicious!

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 07, 2021 at 9:23 am

        That is wonderful! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    6. Kayla DiMaggio

      July 06, 2021 at 9:25 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this was so good! I put it on some pulled pork I had made and it was absolutely delicious! I had no idea that there was a difference between Western and Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 07, 2021 at 9:23 am

        Thank you so much for sharing!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Photo of Erin Gierhart

    Welcome! I'm Erin: Wife, mom, lover of great food, and former food safety administrator. I am passionate about cooking mostly from scratch recipes that bring comfort, without spending all day in the kitchen. Most recipes on this site can be made in under 30 minutes! This approach to cooking allows me to provide delicious meals for my family while freeing up time to spend with those I love.

    Let's Get Started→

    Popular Recipes

    • Overhead of a bowl of pork green chili on a plate with a lime wedge.
      Colorado Pork Green Chili
    • Pulling a serving of casserole from the pan, with chicken dripping off the server.
      Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole
    • Using a whipped cream dispenser to pile whipped cream in a jar.
      Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe for a Dispenser
    • Arizona lemon pie on a plate, topped with whipped cream and a lemon slice, and some lemon slices around it.
      Arizona Sunshine Lemon Pie (Blender Pie)
    • Pillowy whipped cream in a bowl with a spoon.
      How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Cream of Tartar
    • Stack of 3 no bake peanut butter buckeye bars with a plate of bars in background.
      No-Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars

    Spring Favorites

    • A pile of boneless parmesan garlic wings on a rectangular platter, chicken in center has a bite out of it.
      Crispy Garlic Parmesan Boneless Wings
    • Spinach caprese salad being served with wooden salad servers.
      Spinach Caprese Salad with Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Street Tacos with Fresh Pico De Gallo
      Street Tacos with Fresh Pico De Gallo
    • Texas margarita garnished with lime and orange wedges.
      Texas Margarita
    • Close up of cherry pie with cream cheese filling in a graham cracker crust.
      No-Bake Cherry Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
    • Slice of no-bake vanilla cheesecake on a plate with whipped cream and a half of a strawberry on top.
      Easy No-Bake Vanilla Cheesecake

    As Featured In

    Logos of the various publications where State of Dinner has been featured.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Get Started Here
    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer

    Accessibility

    • Accessibility Policy

    Let's Work Together

    • Collaboration

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 State of Dinner