Artificial Food Coloring Free Eastern Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce
Tangy, fiery, and deeply rooted in tradition, this Eastern Carolina-style vinegar sauce is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste better. The ingredient list is refreshingly short — just two vinegars, a trio of peppers, sugar, and salt — which means there's nowhere for unwanted additives to hide. Store-bought BBQ sauces are notorious for sneaking in artificial dyes and colorings to achieve that glossy, caramel-toned look, but this one gets all its character from real spice and acid alone. A quick simmer dissolves the sugar and salt, then the pepper flakes steep as the sauce cools, building a slow, layered heat that no bottle from the grocery shelf can replicate. It's sharp, it's bold, and it cuts right through rich pulled pork or smoked chicken the way only a true Carolina sauce can. Make a batch, stash it in a glass jar, and you'll have a clean, vibrant condiment ready to go for up to four weeks.
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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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