Home Canned Carolina Barbecue Sauce

This tangy, zesty Carolina Barbecue Sauce is a Southern classic, preserved through home canning for year-round enjoyment.

Made with a vibrant blend of apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and spice, this sauce delivers a bold, lip-smacking flavor with every drop.

This sauce is based on the original Carolina Barbecue Sauce recipe that I have made for over a decade, and has been dubbed “Awesome Sauce” by an old army wife friend. You can see it in her own words:

“I have to share our funny moving story. The packers were supposed to come Friday to start packing. So I planned to stop dinners then. I have food for breakfast and lunch, but I did not want to search through boxes to cook dinners. Not this time! LOL Well, they say they will pack in 1 day on Monday. So back to cooking. And family are coming into town for Denny’s graduation. I said I’d do Pulled Pork for ease. Denny says, “But we do not have enough Awesome Sauce.” (Your Carolina Style BBQ Sauce) I said, “Well, I guess you have to use regular this time.” Que blank stare. He says, “Nay, I think you should make some, and we will just have to add a little cooler to transport it in the move.” You have created a monster, my friend. LOL” ~ Becca

For a long time, I thought that it would be nice to be able to can this “awesome sauce” and make it shelf-stable. Then one day I had a subscriber reach out and ask as much.

So I spent some time doing my homework and worked out a way to safely can this Carolina barbecue sauce to have it in the pantry any time we wanted it.

To make this recipe canning-ready, I did have to make some minor adjustments to the original, other than increasing it in quantity.

First, the original recipe used butter in it. I omitted the butter because canning butter is not recommended. Fats and oils have a tendency to go rancid over time, even when it is canned.

Recipe Note: If you would like to add the butter to the sauce, simply melt 2 Tablespoons of butter each time you open a jar, and pour it in. Put the lid back on and shake the jar well, then use as usual.

Second, I reduced the overall amount of liquid smoke, because smoke flavor intensifies in the canning process.

I typically add new content every week. Sign Up Here to get Cosmopolitan Cornbread in your Inbox, and Never Miss a Thing

To Make This Recipe You Will Need:

• yellow mustard
• granulated sugar
• apple cider vinegar
• water
• brown sugar
• chili powder
• liquid smoke, hickory flavor
• black pepper
• soy sauce
• cayenne pepper
• red pepper flakes, optional
• Hot Water Bath Canner or Steam Canner
• large non-reactive pot
• whisk
• Canning Tools
• pint canning jars with lids
• small dish
• damp cloth
• kitchen towels
• white vinegar

CLICK HERE to Shop my favorite Superb Canning Lids, and save 20% off on your order, with my discount code: CORNBREAD20

Watch Me Make this Recipe in the Video Below

Making the Carolina Barbecue Sauce

To begin, wash and prep all of your canning supplies. Jars should be washed and inspected for flaws and warmed.

Combine all of the Carolina barbecue sauce ingredients in a large, nonreactive pot. Whisk them together and bring the mixture up to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Ladle the sauce into prepared, hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.

Remove air bubbles with a bubble wand and adjust the level of butter to maintain the headspace.

Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp cloth that is dipped in white vinegar to remove any residue.

Close the jar with a lid and ring and place it into your canner. Repeat with all of the Carolina barbecue sauce.

Process your jars for 20 minutes.

When canning in a hot water bath canner (or steam canner) always make note of the processing time. If the recipe only has one time shown, that is generally for 1-1,000 feet of elevation. Visit this article to learn how to make adjustments to the recipe for YOUR elevation: How to Adjust Canning Recipes for Elevation

If using a hot water bath canner, remove the lid of the hot water bath canner, and let the jars rest for 5 minutes.

If using a steam canner, turn off the heat, but leave the dome lid on, and wait for 5 minutes.

After the jars are processed, transfer them to a line surface in a draft-free location.

Allow the jars to cool for 12-24 hours.

Remove the rings, test the seals, wash the jars, label, and store in your pantry.

Enjoy!