Alabama

The White Sauce Revolution

Alabama BBQ is defined by one man and one sauce: Bob Gibson. In 1925, “Big Bob” Gibson created a mayonnaise-based white sauce to keep his pit-smoked chickens from drying out. Today, Alabama White Sauce is a cult favorite and the defining characteristic of the state’s BBQ scene.

The Secret of the White Sauce

The sauce is a mixture of mayonnaise, cider vinegar, black pepper, and sometimes lemon or horseradish. It’s thin and tangy, with a significant pepper kick. Smoked chickens are often dunked whole into a vat of the sauce immediately after coming off the pit, which creates a flavorful, creamy glaze as it cools.

Meats of Choice

• Smoked Chicken: The primary vehicle for white sauce. It is usually served halved or quartered.
• Pork Shoulder: Often served sliced or pulled, sometimes with a more traditional red sauce or a splash of white sauce.
• Ribs: Usually smoked over hickory and served with a tangy red sauce.

The Hickory Smoke

Alabama pitmasters almost exclusively use hickory wood. It provides a strong, traditional smoke profile that stands up well to the bold flavors of the white sauce and the richness of the pork.

Beyond the Sauce

While the white sauce gets the headlines, Alabama is also home to some of the most historic ‘brick pit’ BBQ joints in the South, where meat is still cooked over direct heat from hardwood coals in deep, open pits.