This pulled pork table sauce will add incredible flavor to your pulled pork sandwiches. This is a must-have condiment for your next cookout or party!
What is a pulled pork table sauce?
Traditional smoked pulled pork is served with tasty sauce on the side. That way, you can add as much or as little as you like. This BBQ sauce is a delightful combination of different flavors that work well together. It may contain tomato sauce or ketchup for its redness, vinegar for tartness, brown sugar for sweetness, and cayenne for a little kick of heat. Now pair this with smoky pulled pork, and it’s pure heaven.
Try our Piedmont Sauce recipe if you prefer a less sweet, vinegar-based sauce.
Ingredients for pulled pork table sauce:
- Apple juice
- Cider vinegar
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar (use dark brown sugar for a deeper, richer molasses flavor)
- Butter
- Yellow mustard (optional)
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
How to make a pulled pork table sauce:
We recommend preparing this table sauce at least 30 minutes before serving your pork. Doing this will allow the flavors to bloom. Let the sauce to reach its full potential by making it the night before. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and warm it before serving.
- Simmer apple juice, vinegar, ketchup, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the mustard (optional), black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the sauce from the heat, cover, and keep warm for 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a condiment bottle and serve this delicious table sauce when dinner is ready.
Tips:
- Sugar: If you’d like your sauce a little sweeter, add 1-2 more tablespoons of brown sugar to the sauce while it is simmering.
- Mustard: The mustard adds depth to the sauce, but this ingredient is purely optional. If you’re not a fan of mustard, simply omit it from the recipe.
- Usage: Squeeze (or spoon out) your desired amount on top of the pulled pork.
Storing:
If making this sauce ahead of time, let it cool completely before placing it into an airtight container. Store in your refrigerator for up to a week. Warm the table sauce before using. Double or triple this recipe if you’re feeding a large group!
Pulled Pork Table Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar see instructions
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add apple juice, vinegar, ketchup, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir often. Add mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Give the sauce a taste. If you need to up the sugar, add 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons or more to achieve the desired sweetness. Let the sauce simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
- Let the sauce cool for about 30 minutes before using. If making ahead of time, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week after preparation. Rewarm to room temperature before using.
- Use this sauce on pulled pork or pulled chicken.
Nutrition
Try our method for making pulled pork on a pellet grill.
