The Lexington Collection
 
Pretty Polly
 
  Making barbecue in the backyard.
 

Few, if any, joints are in a talking mood when it comes to their barbecue sauces. Wayne Monk at Lexington Barbecue says that he makes his Smokehouse sauce on Sunday when nobody is around and keeps the only written copy of the recipe locked up in a safety deposit box at the bank. So it is that the following recipes for finishing sauces are approximations, opinions, and guesses of what might constitute a proper finishing sauce for North Carolina pulled pork barbecue. Try them and, by all means, tinker with them. Before you can say "pulled pork", you will have found that secret sauce of your very own!


 
Eastern Sauces
English ketchups made with vinegar, mushrooms, and sometimes oysters (but never tomatoes) were the likely ancestors of these eastern North Carolina barbecue sauces.
 

 
Dennis Rogers Version
(Rogers is a popular columnist for the Raleigh News & Observer and self-proclaimed "Oracle of the Holy Grub".)
1 gallon cider vinegar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoon red pepper
3 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar or 1/2 cup molasses
Preparation: Mix them up together and let stand 4 hours.


The Thrill of the Grill Version
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Preparation: Just mix them up together and use.


Southern Food Version
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon hot pepper flakes
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup water
Preparation: Combine in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for an hour. Strain to remove the peppercorns if you like.


Jack Daniels Old Time Barbecue Cookbook Version 1
1 cup apple-cider vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Preparation: Combine all ingredients and let stand at least 4 hours, preferably 4 weeks!


Jack Daniels Old Time Barbecue Cookbook Version 2
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation: Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.


Smoke & Spice Version
2 cups cider or white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar or brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne or hot red pepper flakes
Preparation: Combine in a bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.


Barbecued Ribs, Smoked Butts and Other Great Feeds Version
1 pint cider vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
Preparation: Combine all ingredients and let stand several hours before using.

 

 
Western Sauces
All these contain some ketchup!
 

 
Lexington Barbecue #1
1 gallon water
1 qt. ketchup
1 qt. vinegar (amber 4% acidity)
10 oz sugar
8 oz salt
4 oz black pepper
4 oz crushed red pepper
Pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)
Preparation: "Combine all ingredients into a 1.5 gallon stock potand bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Spoon the piping hot dip onto the prepared meat just prior to serving. This is a very thin sauce, but it is the same formula that has been used around here for generations." Allen Hege, Lexington Barbecue #1

NOTE: This is NOT the recipe for the Smokehouse table sauce that Mr. Monk guards so carefully!


Jack Daniels Old Time Barbecue Cookbook Version 1
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.


Jack Daniels Old Time Barbecue Cookbook Version 2
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
1 small onion
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.


Jack Daniels Old Time Barbecue Cookbook Version 3
1 cup apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon celery salt
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup water
Preparation: Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.


Smoke & Spice Version
1-1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon cayenne or hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoons salt
Preparation: Combine in a bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.


Barbecued Ribs, Smoked Butts and Other Great Feeds Version
1-1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1/8 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer and stir sugar until dissolved.


The Westport Neighbor's Club Cookbook Version
(On Lake Norman in Denver, NC)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 chopped onion
Preparation: Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for one hour.


Yadkin County (NC) Homemakers Extension Club Cookbook Version
1-1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1 chopped onion
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoons red pepper
Preparation: Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and boil slowly for 15 minutes.


"Stick me with a fork -- I'm done!"
Smokey Pitts, BBQ philosopher

 
 

The Lexington Collection