How do I use Alabama white sauce on chicken?

Dunk the chicken into the sauce 30 minutes before the end of cooking, then put it back in the Charlie Oven. The heat turns the coating into a caramelised crust on smoked or grilled chicken.

Does Alabama white barbecue sauce need cooking?

No. Mix the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, paprika, hot sauce and salt together in a bowl until well combined. It is ready to use straight away and needs no time on the hob or in the oven.

How long does Alabama white sauce keep?

Up to three months in an airtight container in the fridge. Because it keeps so well, it is worth making a big batch to have ready whenever you cook chicken in the Charlie Oven.

Can I make the white barbecue sauce less spicy?

Yes. Adjust the hot sauce to your preferred heat level. The recipe uses 5g (1 tsp) with 500g of mayonnaise, so you can reduce it or leave it out without changing the character of the sauce much.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / American

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

Name: Alabama White Barbecue Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Yield: Multiple
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 500g mayonnaise; 250g cider vinegar; 10g paprika; 5g hot sauce; 5g salt

Alabama white sauce brings mayonnaise, cider vinegar, paprika and hot sauce to the barbecue. Sharp and creamy, it works especially well with chicken. Use it as the method describes before the final cook, or keep some for serving. It gives a very different finish to the usual sticky glaze.

Mark O'BrienChef

No cook

Prep5 minutes

CookNo cooking needed

ServesMultiple

DifficultyEasy

Oven temperatureNo cooking needed

RackNot needed, made off the oven

CharcoalNot needed, the sauce is mixed in a bowl

Ingredients

500g mayonnaise
250g cider vinegar
10g paprika
5g hot sauce
5g salt

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Charlie Charcoal Oven$6,400.00Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven
Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm$46.00

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
Decant into an airtight container. The sauce will last up to three months in the fridge.
Dunk chicken into the sauce 30 minutes before the end of the cooking process, then place back in the Charlie Oven to form a caramelised crust.

Tips

This sauce keeps for up to three months in an airtight container in the fridge, so make a big batch
Best used as a glaze for chicken: dunk the chicken in 30 minutes before the end of cooking for a caramelised crust
Works brilliantly with smoked or grilled chicken from the Charlie Oven
Adjust the hot sauce to your preferred heat level

More recipes

The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

How do I use Alabama white sauce on chicken?

Dunk the chicken into the sauce 30 minutes before the end of cooking, then put it back in the Charlie Oven. The heat turns the coating into a caramelised crust on smoked or grilled chicken.
Does Alabama white barbecue sauce need cooking?

No. Mix the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, paprika, hot sauce and salt together in a bowl until well combined. It is ready to use straight away and needs no time on the hob or in the oven.
How long does Alabama white sauce keep?

Up to three months in an airtight container in the fridge. Because it keeps so well, it is worth making a big batch to have ready whenever you cook chicken in the Charlie Oven.
Can I make the white barbecue sauce less spicy?

Yes. Adjust the hot sauce to your preferred heat level. The recipe uses 5g (1 tsp) with 500g of mayonnaise, so you can reduce it or leave it out without changing the character of the sauce much.