Carolina Mop Sauce

Carolina Mop Sauce is a thin, vinegary sauce used for basting slow-smoked pork. Use it when making Smoked Boston Butt, Smoked Pork Chops, or Smoked Spare Ribs. Apply it periodically after an hour of smoking. It will penetrate the meat and keep it moist while it cooks, while infusing the meat with flavor.

This mop sauce will impart a tangy sweetness and bite, and will help to develop a nice bark on smoked meats. Carolina Mop Sauce is not a finishing sauce, such as Gaspard’s Gold Barbecue Sauce.

Carolina Mop Sauce

Scott James Gaspard

A tangy, sweet, and spicy basting sauce for smoked pork.

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 1 smoke

Calories 239 kcal

Equipment

• 1 small saucepan
• 1 sauce mop

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar – packed
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes – optional
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper – finely ground

Instructions

 

• Mix all ingredients into a small saucepan. Keep warm, and use for hourly basting of pork while in the smoker.
  1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp mustard powder, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
  

Notes

Tastes great on smoked pork ribs, pork chops, or a Boston Butt.

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Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1665mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 2396IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg

More Information

When and how often should I apply Carolina Mop Sauce?

Don’t apply the mop sauce until a couple of hours into the smoke. You want your dry rub to have a chance to begin forming a bark. After a couple of hours, apply the mop sauce about every 45 minutes, or until the previous application of the mop sauce has dried.

How do I apply the Carolina Mop Sauce?

Use a sauce mop, but just dab the sauce on. Don’t paint it on like you’re using a paint brush. If you paint it on, you risk washing off the rub. Just a light dabbing – enough to moisten the outside of the meat is enough.

How do I control the heat of the sauce?

Adding red pepper flakes to the sauce will result in a peppery flavor. Leave it out, or use less if you want less heat.

Oops, I added too much red pepper. My ribs are ruined!

Don’t fret. As long as you catch the mistake early, you can replace the mop sauce with apple juice, and continue to mop. Most of the red pepper flakes will wash away by the end of the smoke.

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