Traditional North Carolina BBQ Sauce

The Essential Pulled Pork Sauce Recipe

This traditional North Carolina BBQ sauce recipe is intended to be served with North Carolina Pulled Pork. While amazingly square and simple, this classic hot and sour brew has the power to raise the dead...

Keep away from children and fresh paint!

Photo of traditional North Carolina barbecue sauce - by Hot Smoke BBQ. Traditional Eastern North Carolina barbecue sauce, ready for use

Eastern North Carolina?

In case you didn't know: believe it or not, but the barbecue tradition of "Eastern" North Carolina (the flat coastal region) is completely different from the western half of the state of North Carolina (the hilly "Piedmond") where they add ketchup to their sauce...

And please do not mix them up with South Carolina, where - in the eyes of all North Carolinians - the barbecue tradition is doubtful, and where the sauce is spoiled by adding mustard...

The recipe on this page was inspired by:

holy smoke

The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue

By John Shelton Reed, Dale Volberg Reed and William McKinney

Without a doubt, this is one of the better barbecue books around. More than just a cook book, it's also a history book and a travel book. The lore, the food, the people - very inspiring.

"Holy Smoke" gives us a deep view into the fine barbecue traditions of North Carolina, exploring both the Piedmont and the Eastern cultures.

Written with humor, the book is filled with facts, interviews, historical anecdotes, inspiring illustrations, pit construction ideas, original barbecue recipes, and great side dishes.

As you can see on this page, we found the dead simple recipes from this book to be irresistable...

NC BBQ Sauce Ingredients

For this Traditional North Carolina barbecue sauce recipe you need the following ingredients:

2 cups

3 tablespoons

1 teaspoon

2 teaspoons

Apple Vinegar

Fresh Red Chile Pepper, crushed or minced

Black Peppercorns, ground medium-coarse

Salt

Photo of red pepper for making traditional North Carolina barbecue sauce - by Hot Smoke BBQ. We like to finely chop the fresh red pepper to split most of the seeds, and then crush it to release the full aroma.

NC BBQ Sauce Preparation

Preparation of this Traditional North Carolina BBQ sauce recipe is real easy:

-	Chop and crush the red chile pepper;
-	Add all ingredients in a bottle or sealable jar, shake well to blend aromas;
-	Let rest overnight (keeps well outside the fridge), shake regularly;

Photo of traditional North Carolina barbecue sauce - by Hot Smoke BBQ. Shake well before use

The PitBoss Suggests:

Photo of North Carolina Pulled Pork served on a Bun with Coleslaw - by Hot Smoke BBQ. We tested the traditional Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce on North Carolina Pulled Pork. A sure winner!

North Carolina Pulled Pork

Try this North Carolina pulled pork recipe and discover how simplicity can lead to excellence.
And that hunk of meat will give you something to talk about (or to ;o) while sipping your beer!

North Carolina Coleslaw (Seven-Day Slaw)

This easy North Carolina Coleslaw recipe combines amazingly well with pulled or chopped pork. And - in the absence of mayonaise or eggs - this slaw is safer for outdoor parties.