Why Carolina Gold Sauce Works Well On More Than Just Pork

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There are multiple types of barbecue sauce that are popular in South Carolina, but a tangy, yellow-hued version might be the most versatile of the bunch. Carolina gold sauce has origins in the 18th century when German immigrants arrived and began to settle in the United States, particularly in South Carolina, bringing with them their beloved pairing of mustard and sausages. Carolina gold sauce is tangy and bright without being too spicy, as its base and color come from mostly yellow mustard combined with apple cider vinegar, sweetener, and spices. That sweetener often includes honey, and the can have ketchup or tomato puree in, too, as well as Worcestershire sauce. Never tried it? Fans of honey mustard will surely love this golden sauce. 

Carolina gold sauce is obviously great for improving your pulled pork sandwiches and barbecued meats, especially meats with a high fat content, as the acidity in the sauce balances out the richness in most meats. But there are so many other great applications for the tangy sauce other than just rich, slow-cooked meats.

Carolina gold sauce is a great marinade for chicken, as the acid from apple cider vinegar helps tenderize the meat without breaking it down beyond recognition. Alternatively, just toss your freshly baked or fried chicken wings in a bowl with gold sauce. Even hearty fish like halibut or swordfish could benefit from a very brief marinade in gold sauce followed by a low and slow oven-bake so that the sugars in the sauce don't burn with high heat. 

We're always looking for ways to add more flavor to roasted vegetables, and a batch of hot, charred vegetables would be the perfect vehicle for Carolina gold sauce. Once your vegetables have come off the grill or out of the oven, immediately toss them with a few splashes of the yellow sauce to flavor them deeply. You could purchase a bottle of gold sauce (Amazon sells a trio of Lillie's Q sauces, including the gold version), or you could try making your own at home with our Carolina BBQ-style honey mustard sauce recipe. Play around with the spice and heat levels, and add a dash of Tabasco or something similar if you're looking for more kick.

Other than hot applications, Carolina gold sauce would make an excellent dipping sauce for cooked sausages, bratwursts, or soft pretzels, leaning into its German origins, or even chicken nuggets and chicken tenders. Alternatively, swirl some Carolina gold sauce into other condiments, like yogurt or sour cream, for a milder dip for vegetables. 

When making potato salad, mix some gold sauce into the mayonnaise, or skip the mayo entirely and use just the sauce to coat the potatoes for a potato salad with mustardy zing. Similarly, Carolina gold would be an excellent addition to coleslaw if you're looking for a sharper, less creamy slaw, and the sauce can be used to make salad dressings as well.