Almond Free Eastern Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce
If you love a BBQ sauce that bites back, this tangy, fiery vinegar-based condiment is about to become a staple in your kitchen. Eastern Carolina-style sauce skips the tomatoes and thick sweeteners entirely — it's all about that sharp, peppery punch from two kinds of vinegar, red pepper flakes, and a hit of cayenne. Every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free from tree nuts, so there's no label-scanning or cross-contamination anxiety to worry about. The method is beautifully simple: whisk everything together in a saucepan, let the spices steep as it cools, and you've got a sauce that tastes like it came straight off a competition pit. It's incredible drizzled over pulled pork, grilled chicken, or even roasted vegetables when you want that smoky-tangy contrast. Make a batch and stash it in the fridge — it keeps for up to four weeks and honestly gets better as the flavors deepen over time.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cayenne, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes.
- 2
Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, so the pepper flakes steep and the flavors meld.
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