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Honey Gold BBQ Sauce: Delicious Carolina Inspired Recipe

This Honey Gold BBQ Sauce is tangy, slightly sweet, with a kick of heat. It's absolutely delicious as a finishing sauce for Pulled pork sandwiches and chicken wings.
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By Dylan Clay
December 4, 2024
honey gold sauce recipe

Ingredients for Dylan’s Honey Gold BBQ Sauce

This is my personal recipe for Honey Gold sauce:

  • 3/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup creamed honey*
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 4 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 tsp cobanero chili**
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic

*If you don’t have creamed honey, use regular honey.

**If you don’t have Cobanero Chili, use Cayenne OR Red pepper flakes.

How to Make Carolina Honey Gold Sauce

Combine the above ingredients in the specified quantities in a medium saucepan.

Place on your stovetop at low/medium heat. Your goal is to slowly incorporate the ingredients and to dissolve the honey and the dark brown sugar.

Once incorporated, bring to a slight boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for 5 minutes – whisking occasionally.

Allow the sauce to cool and serve.

When cooled you can also transfer the sauce to a mason jar or similar air-tight container to keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Carolina Honey Gold Barbecue Sauce

Tangy, Sweet, with a Kick of Heat
Prep Time5 minutes
Active Time10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Yellow Mustard French's
  • 1/2 cup Creamed honey OR Regular Honey
  • 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar OR Distilled White Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. Ketchup Heinz
  • 4 tbsp. Darkbrown sugar
  • 1 tsp Hot Sauce Frank's
  • 1 tsp. Cobanero Chili OR Cayenne OR Red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp Granulated garlic

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan at low/medium heat.
    Ensure the honey and dark brown sugar have dissolved and all ingredients have been fully incorporated.
    3/4 cup Yellow Mustard, 1/2 cup Creamed honey, 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp. Ketchup, 4 tbsp. Darkbrown sugar, 1 tsp Hot Sauce, 1 tsp. Cobanero Chili, 1 tsp Granulated garlic
  • Bring to a slight boil and then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Allow to cool and enjoy!
    Transfer to a mason jar or air tight storage container to store in your refrigerator.

Recipe Updated 5/24/2024:

Used regular honey instead of creamed honey and bumped the dark brown sugar to 4 tbsp instead of 1 tbsp. This sauce is much better with creamed honey.

Adjusted hot sauce from 1 tsp to 1 tbsp – if you find my recipe above too mild, use 1 tbsp instead.

Tried adding 1/2 tbsp and 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, minimal difference in taste.

4 comments

  • Tony Fletcher

    5 stars
    Opted to use red pepper flakes and regular garlic powder but bought some creamed honey – really solid sauce on pulled pork sandwiches!

    • A
      Dylan Clay

      Glad you liked it Tony! Pulled pork, honey gold, and dill pickles are my go-to.

  • Walter B Rees

    What a wonderful comprehensive BBQ site…. Nice job.

    • A
      Dylan Clay

      Thanks Walter! Your compliment is greatly appreciated.

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