Carolina BBQ Gold Sauce

A slightly sweet, mustard-based barbecue sauce popular in South Carolina for use when grilling or roasting chicken and pork. Recipe is for a mild version - with an optional Hot version. If you like really browned chicken, start basting early; otherwise, baste frequently after the first 30 minutes of grilling. For crockpot BBQ, add 1 cup of sauce the crockpot with Boston butt, and cook until very tender. Remove and discard excess fat from pork. Chop or shred pork, place in buns, and serve with extra sauce.(serving=1/4 cup)

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients

• 2  cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 cups prepared mustard
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1⁄2 cups Splenda granular or 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 2  tablespoons molasses
• 1  cup water
• 1  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 -2  teaspoon onion powder or 1⁄2 cup  finely minced onion, sauteed
• 1  tablespoon paprika
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

• OPTIONAL Add for HOT Version of Sauce

• 1⁄4-3⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 -3  teaspoons  louisianna  hot sauce (optional)

Directions

1. In saucepan, whisk together all dry ingredients.
2. Add mustard, tomato paste, and molasses.
3. Slowly add vinegar, whisking till blended.
4. Add water and whisk to blend.
5. Heat over medium-low heat till hot; lower to simmer and simmer 30-45 minutes.
6. Cool, then pour into glass bottle or other non-reactive container.
7. Refrigerate, if desired.
8. Our favorite way to use this sauce (1) poured over chopped pork on buns or (2) to baste bone-in chicken when grilling.
9. The sooner you baste, the more browned the chicken gets, and we like it browned and charred (not burned), so we baste early and frequently.