Tennessee Red Finishing Sauce for Pork Recipe

This is a “red” vinegar sauce that I mix with all my BBQ sauces 1:1.

It’s thin, tart, tangy, sweet, and a little spicy – elevating any BBQ sauce you add it to.

Ingredients for Tennessee Red Finishing Sauce

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup heinz ketchup
• 1/2 cup pure cane syrup
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground mace

Note: This sauce is my “copycat” of Blue Hogs Tennessee Red.

I’ve tested tons of other copycats and most leave out sugar, but this sauce needs the extra white sugar or it’s just a neutral “tart” flavor from the ACV.

Heat and Reduce the Sauce

In a medium pot whisk the ingredients together under medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes.

This sauce is meant to be thin – you can reduce for as long as you’d like though.

You’re mainly just ensuring the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are incorporated.

Be mindful of the heat as this sauce is basically doctored-up sugar and will burn easily.

Transfer to a mason jar or similar container and store overnight.

Recipe Notes on Certain Ingredients

The Cane Syrup is a Substitute for High Fructose Corn Syrup

Most of these “red-vinegar sauces” you’ll find are sweet due to high fructose corn syrup.

I like cane syrup more because I like the taste of molasses – only cane syrup is less bitter than molasses.

I’ve also tried this sauce with corn syrup (not high fructose) and it’s not even close to the same, even with tons of white sugar added.

Ground Mace?

If you don’t have this ingredient, you can omit BUT it tastes better with it.

This is from the outer covering of nutmeg – it’s commonly used in baking.

It has a citrus-y, warming, sweet flavor and works well when used in sauces for fatty smoked meats.

You also don’t need much to make an impact.

Print Pin Recipe

Tennesse Red Vinegar Sauce

Cut your favorite BBQ sauce with this 50/50 for a pop of tangy, sweet heat.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Active Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: sauce

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 cup ketchup
• ▢ 1/2 cup pure cane syrup
• ▢ 2 tbsp white sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1/4 tsp ground mace

Instructions

• In a medium pot combine the listed ingredients and whisk together.
  1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup pure cane syrup, 2 tbsp white sugar, 1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp ground mace
• Simmer on medium-low for 5-10 minutes.

  The sauce is meant to be thin – we're just heating to help the sugar to dissolve and to help the flavors incorporate.
• Once combined, transfer to a mason jar or similar container.

  Flavors will improve overnight.

Notes

This sauce is meant to be thin. 

Use in a 1:1 ratio with a BBQ sauce; So 1 cup of BBQ sauce to 1 cup of this sauce or 1/2 cup to 1/2 cup, etc.