White Sauce ingredients on rustic cutting board

Bama White Sauce

Name: Bama White Sauce (Alabama)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: ~
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Cup Mayo; ½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar; 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice; 1 Tbsp Prepared Horseradish (loose packed); 1 Tbsp Sugar in the Raw or Honey; 1 tsp Kosher Salt (to taste); 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper; ½ tsp Garlic Powder; ¼ tsp Cayenne (to taste); 1 tsp Worcestershire (optional - Umami flavor); 1-3 Tbsp Cold Water (can sub chicken jus)(used to thin as needed)

January 3, 2026

Born in Alabama smokehouses, this is a smokehouse signature—tangy, peppery, and built to wake up grilled chicken and turkey without turning them sweet. It should be thinner than ranch, clingy enough to coat, and bright enough to cut through skin and smoke. I dunk drums and quarters at the end, then serve more on the side so folks can paint their own plate.

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Bama White Sauce (Alabama)

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Author:

Chief Flame Tamer Michael McDearman

Servings

~ 2 Cups

Prep Time

10 minutes

The Meat Hook

Ingredients

1 Cup Mayo
½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Prepared Horseradish (loose packed)
1 Tbsp Sugar in the Raw or Honey
1 tsp Kosher Salt (to taste)
1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
½ tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Cayenne (to taste)
1 tsp Worcestershire (optional - Umami flavor)
1-3 Tbsp Cold Water (can sub chicken jus)(used to thin as needed)

Directions

Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon, horseradish, sugar/honey, salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, and Worcestershire until smooth. Thin with water or warm chicken jus to a light-coating consistency. Adjust salt/acid to taste.
Pitmaster’s Tip: Target “light nappe”—it should coat a spoon but run in a thin sheet when you tip it.
Rest 15–30 minutes for pepper and horseradish to bloom. Keep chilled until service. For finishing, dunk or brush in the last minutes off direct heat, then serve extra at the table.
Pitmaster’s Tip: Separate a clean bowl for dipping at the table. Keep a brushing bowl for the pit so you don’t cross-contaminate.

Recipe Note

— ✦ — ✦ —

Rookie ✦ Backyard Pro ✦ Pit Legend

Rookie

✦ Dunk grilled drumsticks right before you pull; serve more on the side.

✦ Toss pulled rotisserie chicken with a few spoonfuls to wake it up.

✦ Thin 1–2 Tbsp for a drizzle over smoked turkey sandwiches.

Backyard Pro

✦ Make a mop version: ½ cup sauce + 2–3 Tbsp water or cider—brush in the last 10 minutes.

✦ Pepper-pop: add ½ tsp extra coarse black pepper and let rest 10 minutes.

✦ Slaw play: ½ cup sauce + 1 Tbsp cider vinegar → dress crunchy slaw for chicken plates.

Pit Legend

✦ Board move: whisk in 1–2 Tbsp warm poultry jus right before service for a silky finish.

✦ Wing routine: cook wings dry, toss hot with a half-thinned white sauce, then quick kiss over moderate heat 60–90 seconds to set—no roaring flames.

✦ Turkey day: brush the last 5 minutes, rest, then drizzle a thinner version at the carve.

From the Fire

Credited to North Alabama pit tradition, Bama White rode out of poultry-heavy smokehouses: mayo for body, vinegar and lemon for cut, black pepper and horseradish for backbone. Built for dunking birds and passing the bowl.

Tips, Tricks & Techniques

Consistency: Thinner than ranch; heavy coats taste pasty. Thin a little at a time.Acid math: Sauce should taste slightly sharp in the bowl—it softens on hot meat.Emulsion rescue: If it breaks, whisk in 1 Tbsp mayo, then re-thin.Hold & safety: Refrigerate up to 1 week. If thinned with water/jus or used for brushing near raw poultry, keep that batch for the pit and discard after 3 days.Allergen swaps: Use tamari-based Worcestershire if needed, or omit. Gluten-free as written.Flavor dials: More heat? +¼ tsp cayenne or +1 tsp horseradish. More tang? +1–2 tsp cider vinegar.

Pair It (Serve & Sip)

Grilled chicken quarters • Smoked turkey breast • Rotisserie birdsCrisp slaw • Pickles • White breadZero-proof: Sweet tea–lemonade (half & half)Pilsner, Kölsch, or a light bourbon highball

Pitmaster/Grillmaster

Michael McDearman is a PitMaster/Grillmaster, Restaurateur, and Good Ol’ Country Boy with a Passport full of Cook-Offs and a Phone full of Grill Photos — not a backyarder playing PitMaster online. He’s represented 50+ Major BBQ & Grilling Companies, served 3 Years as Grillmaster for Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner., Won Contests Around the World, earned SIX Straight Golden Tickets to the Steak World Championship, and Judges Food Competitions on the World’s Largest Food Sport Stages.

Michael and Stoking the Coals are here to help busy families, new grillers and seasoned hosts get Pro level results without the chaos or catastrophes. We are in this together!

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