If you’ve ever lovingly grilled a perfect piece of chicken… only to drown it in store bought BBQ sauce and blow half your daily carbs in two spoonfuls, this one’s for you.

Your chicken is innocent. The sauce is the problem.

Most bottled barbecue sauces have 8-12 grams of carbs per serving. That’s basically sugar in a cute smoky costume. Alabama white sauce, on the other hand, is creamy, tangy, peppery, and clocks in at under 1 gram of carbs per two tablespoons.

And it takes about five minutes to make. In one bowl. No cooking. No drama.

Let’s do it.

Why Alabama White Sauce Is Keto Gold

Alabama white sauce is a mayo based BBQ sauce. Which means:

• Mayo = mostly fat, almost no carbs
• Vinegar, mustard, horseradish, spices = basically zero carb
• Result: big flavor, tiny carb footprint

Compare that to a sticky Kansas City style sauce full of sugar, molasses, and corn syrup. Two spoonfuls and your macros are sobbing quietly in the corner.

This sauce? You get that smoky BBQ vibe without spending your carbs on condiments. Save those for actual food.

What You’ll Need (No Fancy Stuff)

Before you sprint to the store, check your fridge and pantry. This is a “use what you’ve got” situation.

Mayo (The Star of the Show)

Any full fat mayo works, just:

• Check the label – some sneaky brands add sugar (rude).
• If you’re avoiding seed oils, go for avocado oil mayo.

I like Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods – zero carb, nice and creamy.

Acid + Mustard

This is where the tang comes from.

• Apple cider vinegar – softer, more complex.
• White vinegar – sharper and more in your face.
• Lemon juice – optional, but bright and lovely.

I usually start with 2 tablespoons of acid per cup of mayo and tweak from there.

For mustard:

• Dijon = deeper, a little fancy.
• Yellow = classic BBQ, “we’re eating off paper plates” vibe.
• Ground mustard works too and disappears right into the sauce.

Horseradish (Where the Magic Happens)

This is what takes it from “mayonnaise with opinions” to actual Alabama white sauce.

• Use prepared horseradish (from the refrigerated section).
• Skip creamy horseradish sauce – that usually has extras you don’t need.
• Start with 1 tablespoon. Add more if you like to feel your sinuses.

And no, you don’t get bravery points for making it so strong you can’t taste your meat.

Sneaky Sugar Check

Just a tiny label PSA:

• Worcestershire: about 1 g sugar per tablespoon, but you’re using a teaspoon-ish, and the flavor payoff is worth it.
• Hot sauce: some brands add sugar. Look for ones like Frank’s or Tabasco without it.
• Garlic/onion: powder is great; jarred minced sometimes has starch.

Take 30 seconds to read. Your future macro counting self will want to hug you.

5 Minute Keto Alabama White Sauce Recipe

This is the fun part. One bowl, one whisk, zero stress.

Base Recipe

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

• 1 cup full fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (or less if you’re spice shy)

Now taste homemade white barbecue sauce.

Is it too sharp? Too mild? Don’t be polite with your own sauce. Adjust it now, not when you’re already sitting at the table pretending it’s “fine.”

Adjusting the Heat

You’re in charge here:

• Milder:
• – Reduce or skip the cayenne

– Use just ½ tablespoon horseradish

• Spicier:
• – Add more cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce

– Bump horseradish up to 2 tablespoons

Give it a final whisk, then let it hang out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes if you can. The flavors settle down and get friendlier with time.

Make It Your “House Sauce” (Easy Variations)

Once you nail the base recipe, you can start playing. A few simple tweaks and suddenly you’re That Person people ask for the recipe from.

1. Extra Tangy

Amazing with smoked pork or turkey.

• Add 1 more tablespoon vinegar
• Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice

2. Spicy Horseradish

For beef, steak bites, or that one friend who says “nothing’s ever spicy enough.”

• Use 2 tablespoons horseradish
• Add 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

3. Herb & Garlic

This one leans ranch-y. Great on grilled chicken or as a veggie dip.

• Add 2 tablespoons fresh minced dill
• Add 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• A little extra garlic powder

4. Smoky Chipotle

For when you want drama in your sauce, not in your life.

• Add 1-2 teaspoons chipotle powder, or
• 1 minced chipotle pepper from a can (check the label for carbs)

Stir, taste, adjust. Sauce is very forgiving – this is not soufflé.

What If You Miss Sweet BBQ Sauce?

Traditional Alabama white sauce is not sweet. It’s tangy, peppery, creamy, and that’s the whole vibe.

But if you’re used to super sweet bottled BBQ sauce, your taste buds might throw a little tantrum at first. In that case, you can:

• Add a tiny pinch of allulose, monk fruit blend, or erythritol
• Or a few drops of liquid stevia

Start small, taste, and stop as soon as the sharpness is softened. You want “balanced,” not “dessert mayo.”

Fixing Common Sauce Problems

If something feels off, you don’t have to start over. Try this:

• Too tangy?

Add 1-2 tablespoons more mayo. If needed, a tiny bit of keto sweetener helps round it out.

• Too thick?

Thin with water, vinegar, or lemon juice — a teaspoon at a time — until it pours the way you like.

• Too thin?

Whisk in cold mayo a tablespoon at a time, then chill. It thickens as it cools.

• Separated?

Most of the time, a vigorous whisk will fix it. Worst case, give it a quick blitz in a blender.

• Using it on the grill?

Mayo sauces can break over high direct heat, so brush this on in the last minute or two of cooking, or just use it as a finishing sauce.

No more sad, clumpy mystery sauce. You’re in control.

How to Use Alabama White Sauce (AKA: Put It On Everything)

You made the sauce; now don’t just let it sit there looking pretty.

Classic BBQ Move

In Alabama, the traditional way is to take smoked chicken hot off the grill and dunk it right into a bowl of white sauce. At home, the realistic version is:

• Grill or roast your chicken
• While it’s still hot, coat it generously in the sauce
• Let it rest a few minutes so the flavor soaks in

As a Marinade

• Coat chicken pieces in the sauce
• Refrigerate for 2-4 hours
• Don’t go overnight – too much time in acid can make the texture weird and mushy

Pat off excess before cooking if you’re worried about flare-ups after white sauce marinade steps.

As a Table Sauce

Serve it in a little bowl with:

• Grilled or smoked chicken
• Pork chops or tenderloin
• Turkey
• Firm white fish

Everyone can dip and drizzle as they please. (And yes, double dippers should be monitored.)

Beyond Meat

This is where it becomes a weekday workhorse:

• Dip for raw veggies
• Dip for pork rinds or keto crackers
• Thin with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice and use it as a creamy, low carb salad dressing

If you find yourself staring at your plate thinking, “This looks sad,” the answer is probably: add the sauce.

Storage, Safety & Macros

This part is not glamorous, but it is important. Mayo based sauces are not immortal.

Storage

• Store in a sealed container in the fridge
• Use within 7-10 days
• This is not shelf stable. Do not leave it out on the counter to “look rustic.”

Toss it if you notice:

• Weird or sour smell
• Visible mold (obviously)
• Slimy texture
• Liquid separation that doesn’t come back together with whisking

The ingredients are cheap. Hospital visits are not.

Please Don’t Can This

I know some of you are little food prep overachievers, but:

Do not try to can Alabama white sauce.

Mayo based sauces are not safe for water bath or pressure canning. The mix of fat and acidity can let botulism spores hang around. Keep it cold, make small batches, remake when you need more.

Macros (Approx. Per 2 Tablespoons)

Depending on your mayo brand, you’re looking at around:

• Calories: 180–200
• Fat: ~20 g
• Net carbs: 0.5–1 g
• Protein: ~0.5 g

Basically: it tracks like mayo, tastes like BBQ, and your carb count barely notices.

Dairy free note: Regular mayo is egg + oil, so no dairy. If you need egg free, use a vegan mayo (often made with aquafaba). Texture might be a little different, but the carbs should be similar.

Final Nudge

Mix up a batch this weekend and throw some chicken on the grill (or in the oven — I won’t tell).

The sauce is tangy, creamy, a little peppery, and it completely scratches that BBQ itch without the sugar crash. Once you realize how easy it is, you’ll start putting it on everything that holds still long enough.

Your grilled chicken, and your macros, are about to be very, very happy.