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What is a mop sauce?
Mop sauce shouldn’t be confused with BBQ sauce. Even though they’re both used on barbecue, they are completely different. BBQ sauce contains a lot of sugar and usually ketchup or mustard. It’s basted on meat toward the end of your cook and adds flavor on the outside.
Alternatively, mop sauce is more like a basting liquid. You brush it on the meat throughout the cook to add flavor to the meat itself, not just the outside. You can also use it as a braising liquid – like I do when I make Carolina Pulled Pork.
How to create this recipe
Just like my recipe for Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, this mop sauce can be made in 5 minutes flat. Simply pour everything into a bowl and stir. Or, place it all in a mason jar and give it a good shake. You can store it on the counter for a day or two, or keep it in the fridge for a good month.
What dishes go with Carolina Vinegar Mop Sauce
This Carolina Vinegar Mop Sauce is awesome on all things pork. I like to use it on pulled pork, baby back ribs and especially whole hogs, but it’s also great on grilled chicken wings. If you’re adventurous enough to cook up a whole hog, you’ll definitely want to make a few batches in a large bowl.Â
When using a basting mop sauce, the flavor of the meat turns out so rich and robust, you don’t always need to finish the dish with BBQ sauce. Try it sans sauce, I think you’ll like it.
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Carolina Vinegar Mop Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup white vinengar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 1/2 tsp hot sauce, optional
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp Christie Vanover's Pork Rub
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Use the sauce to baste your meat as it cooks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
great sauce. all i had was an old mop we used on the kitchen floor. i think it made the sauce even more tasty! my guests loved it.
I stopped at ketchup. Not to be rude but, no. please remove the word Carolina from this recipe, or the ketchup ingredient. Thats not how we do.
Perhaps you’re looking for my mustard-based recipe, which you can find here: https://girlscangrill.com/recipe/carolina-mustard-bbq-sauce/. If not, you can omit the ketchup in this recipe and use some cayenne pepper instead. However, it will definitely add more heat.
A great sauce we love using. I appreciate your willingness to combine styles to have a great product. I generally double or triple recipe to have enough for dipping after.
Awesome!
If you use this to braise, do you still need to mop? And how long would you leave the meat in the braise?