Piedmont Barbecue Sauce Recipe

This is a classic carolina-style barbecue sauce from the piedmont or lexington area of western north carolina. It is typically served at the table to go on smoked pulled pork or added to pulled pork sandwiches that are topped with slaw. This thin, vinegar-based sauce has tons of flavor yet lets the delicious pork essence come through. You can also use this sauce with pulled chicken. If you are visiting western north carolina, you may also find this sauce used in red slaw, which is made by substituting this barbecue sauce for mayonnaise. Piedmont barbecue sauce is also called lexington dip. The lexington style is to use only the pork shoulder when making smoked pulled pork. This is believed to be due to the influence of german street stand entrepreneurs in lexington during world war i. Shoulder was easier to sell from a stand, as opposed to whole-hog barbecue. It also mimics german pork shoulder with a sweet and sour vinegar sauce. You can vary the sauce in making it sweeter or spicier to your taste.