Uncle Bubbas Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce is a quick, no-cook condiment that comes together in about 10 minutes and often tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld. Bright and tangy, this sauce works exceptionally well as a grilling binder and a browning agent, adding shine and flavor to meats as they cook. It’s equally at home as a dipping sauce for wings, a topper for burgers and sandwiches, or even a dressing for raw or roasted vegetables.
Like many regional favorites, Carolina Gold takes many forms depending on family traditions and local tastes. This recipe is our take—Uncle Bubbas’ version—simple, reliable, and full of character. It’s adaptable, forgiving, and designed to be made in minutes whether you’re firing up the grill or preparing something indoors.
For us, cooking is part of nightly ritual. Patti and I reserve one evening each week for a date night—an opportunity to make something special, often on our Green Mountain wood pellet grill/smoker, or sometimes inside if the weather doesn’t cooperate. We dine on the patio, surrounded by our rainforest-themed décor, soft lights, candles, and music. A good bottle of wine or a strawberry margarita, a favorite playlist, and occasionally a dance make the meal as memorable as the food.
Backyard BBQ — A Wood Pellet Grill Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients: Uncle Bubbas Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
- 2 cups yellow mustard
- 1 ½ cups honey
- 2/3 cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked garlic sauce (or your favorite smoked garlic condiment)
Directions: Uncle Bubbas Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
This sauce is effortless. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the balance of sweetness, acidity, or smokiness to suit your preference. If possible, let the sauce rest overnight in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend; you’ll notice greater depth and harmony the next day.
Store the finished sauce in a quart jar or an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps well and is convenient for brushing on meats during the last minutes of grilling, dipping wings, or spreading on sandwiches and burgers.
About Our Recipes
We develop our recipes on the patio where we keep a lineup of grills and smokers: Green Mountain, Uuni wood-fired pizza oven, Sawtooth, Louisiana, Royall, Memphis, Traeger pellet grills, Char-Griller side box smoker, Saber, Charmglow, Char-Broil, The Big Easy, Lodge Sportsman’s, Brinkman, and Weber. We call this our “Wall of Grill.” Our approach emphasizes healthy, lower-fat grilling techniques that translate well across pellet, gas, wood, and charcoal setups. Most recipes can be adapted to different equipment, though outdoor cooking brings unique flavors you won’t get indoors.
The two most important variables in barbecue are time and temperature. You can prepare many dishes in an oven or crock pot when necessary, but when a recipe calls for smoke and char, the grill is best. That said, recipes are guidelines—feel free to tweak them to match your taste and available ingredients. Make them yours and enjoy the process.
Live your passion and do what you love,
Ken & Patti
Check Out Our Cookbooks
We publish illustrated, step-by-step barbecue picture books designed for home cooks who want clear guidance and great results. Our resources show techniques, equipment options, and serve as inspiration for date nights, backyard gatherings, and everyday meals.
Acknowledgments
We appreciate the support of many companies and products we use while developing recipes and content. They help make our experiments and outdoor cooking possible and enjoyable.
