Seed Oil Free Eastern Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce
Tangy, fiery, and deeply rooted in tradition, this vinegar-based BBQ sauce is the real deal — no shortcuts, no fillers, just pure Carolina heat and acid doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Most store-bought BBQ sauces are loaded with refined vegetable oils, emulsifiers, and other additives you'd rather not think about, but this one sidesteps all of that entirely. Every single ingredient here is clean and intentional: two types of vinegar, a trio of peppers, a pinch of sugar, and salt — that's it. The double vinegar base gives it that signature sharp bite, while the cayenne and red pepper flakes build a slow, satisfying heat that lingers in the best way. You just whisk everything together in a saucepan, let it cool, and the steeping does the rest of the work. It's incredible mopped over pulled pork, drizzled on grilled chicken, or used as a dipping sauce straight from the jar. Make a batch on Sunday and you'll have a bold, pantry-friendly condiment ready to go for 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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