Rodney's Sauce

With the perfect balance of tangy vinegar and spicy black pepper, this is BBQ pitmaster Rodney Scott’s signature sauce recipe that is typical of the whole hog barbecue typical in South Carolina. He uses it not only for dressing meats, but also for making salad vinaigrettes and as a secret ingredient in his collard greens. Rodney kindly shared the recipe with us, and it is also available in his cookbook “Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ” (Clarkson Potter).

1 gallon distilled white vinegar

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1/2 cup ground black pepper

1/2 cup cayenne pepper

1 1/4 tablespoons red pepper flakes

2 cups sugar

In a small stockpot, warm the vinegar over medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, when the vinegar reaches 150°F on an instant-read thermometer, just before it starts to simmer, add the lemon slices and continue to cook until the lemon peels begin to soften and wilt, about 10 minutes more.

Whisk in the black pepper, cayenne, pepper flakes, and sugar. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce reaches 190°F, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to completely cool before using. Once the lemon is removed, the sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks.