Dip, Dab & Slather: Spread this tangy, mayo-based condiment over chicken and any barbecue dish
Words and photo by Darby Doyle
Think of it as the ranch dressing of the Deep South. I had my first addicting taste of this pale-golden elixir circa 1990 while I attended college in Memphis, Tenn. A friend from Huntsville, Ala., proudly shared a jar of his homemade sauce to marinate and slather on grilled chicken and smoked pork during a hot and humid summer afternoon with friends. The tangy white sauce studded with lots of cracked black peppercorn cut the richness of smoked pork butt and cranked the juiciness of the chicken to 11. Cut with a little more vinegar, it’s a primo salad dressing or coleslaw binder. And it’s a superlative dip for anything deep fried: okra, pickles or french fries—especially if served with a cold draft beer. College keg party nostalgia optional. Note: No Southerner worth his or her salt would make this with anything but Duke’s mayonnaise (available online).
Alabama-style White Barbecue Sauce (makes about 3 cups)
Ingredients
2 cups mayonnaise
1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 heaping tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
(use a mortar & pestle or set a grinder to the coarsest setting possible)
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
Method
Add all ingredients to a quart mason jar with lid. Shake well to combine. Taste, and adjust seasoning (err toward more pepper!). Keep refrigerated for up to a week.