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eastern NC bbq sauce

Eastern NC BBQ Sauce Recipe

This Eastern NC staple is sharp, tangy, and fiery — the kind of sauce that soaks into chopped whole hog and lets the pork shine. Made with apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of sugar, it’s simple, bold, and refreshingly light. Perfect for pig pickin’s, pulled pork sandwiches, or as a zippy table sauce.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1-2 dashes of hot sauce optional
  • 1 tablespoon sugar optional, balances acidity

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or bottle.
  • Shake well until the sugar and salt dissolve.
  • Let sit for at least 4 hours (overnight is better) for flavors to meld.

Notes

By morning, you’ll have the kind of sauce that’s been poured over pork in Eastern North Carolina for generations — tangy and impossible to mistake for anything else.