Dukes Style BBQ Sauce Recipe (2024)

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South Carolina is blessed when it comes to BBQ.

In SC, barbecue is often defined by the sauce it is served with. South Carolina — arguably the birthplace of BBQ — can brag about having four distinct sauce regions. In the map below, you will see how the state divides according to the sauce type you would historically find in those areas.

SC BBQ Sauce Regions

In the heart of mustard country, you will find Orangeburg County. It could easily be argued that this is the birthplace of the sauce unique to South Carolina, the mustard sauce.

Without getting too deep into the history behind it, know that Joe Bessinger may have been the first to create a mustard sauce near Holly Hill, in rural Orangeburg County. Joe’s sons later spread the family’s BBQ greatness across the state.

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They each opened several different BBQ restaurants, including Maurice’s with a number of “Piggie Park” locationsin Columbia. In addition, you’ll find Melvin’s on James Island and in Mt. Pleasant.Thomas Bessigner opened Bessingers Bar-Be-Que West of the Ashley in Charleston.

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Also, there isJoe Bessinger’s in Summerville, and Robert’s in North Charleston. All were founded by Big Joe’s descendants.

But that’s not the whole story of Orangeburg County’s importance in SC’s barbecue heritage.In and around the city of Orangeburg, the Dukes BBQ family empire evolved.

Dukes serves what many South Carolinians would instinctively call a mustard sauce, but really there is more to it than that, as you will see in the recipe below. (If you’re looking for a sauce built on mustard only, check out this Carolina Gold BBQ sauce recipe from Maurice’s Piggie Park.)

Earl Dukes, the progenitor of the Dukes brand, opened his restaurant after his brother Danny opened the original Dukes restaurant.

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Earl Dukes, founder of The Original Earl Dukes BBQ

His sauce, and the type of sauce that you will find in all Dukes restaurants, is what some refer to as “Orangeburg Sweet” sauce.Tony Kittrell, who formerly ran the Dukes Barbecue on Whitman Street in Orangeburg, calls it: “Rust Gravy.”

Whatever you call it, it is a clear SC favorite. If you decide to hit the road, you need to make it to a Dukes to try at least one version of this recipe.

Michael Ott, who originally grew up in Orangeburg County, the heart of Dukes BBQ country, provided us with this recipe.

“You can post the mustard sauce recipe because it really is my version. None of my recipes are from Dukes. They are not going to tell anyone — including family members — their recipes,” Michael said.

Here is his version:

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Dukes BBQ Sauce

Mixing time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This Dukes BBQ style mustard-based barbecue sauce recipe is a SC favorite from one of the most important names in SC BBQ.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, Duke's brand, of course
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, or 1/2 part if you like it with a little kick
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, or more if you like it sweeter
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete, to taste

Instructions

  1. Mix mustard and mayo in a bowl until it turns a light creamy color.
  2. Add ketchup, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well.
  3. Slowly add soy sauce while mixing until the sauce turns a little darker. Discard remaining soy.
  4. Add Texas Pete until you can slightly taste a little heat.
  5. Refrigerate and serve.

Notes

This mustard sauce is a serving sauce, not a basting sauce. It's easier to follow if you start with one cup of mustard and adjust the rest accordingly, but if you just think of it in "parts" as in a ratio, it is easy to adjust to any quantity. As written above "cup" could simply be "part." In that case, you may use four tablespoons of soy. "You can go with 2 tablespoons. I don’t really follow a recipe. I just add till the color is right. Two tablespoons are probably plenty," Michael said. Note the instructions do say: "Slowly add soy sauce while mixing until the sauce turns a little darker. Discard remaining soy."

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 64Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 24Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 131mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 0g

Want More Authentic SC BBQ Recipes?

Check out our SC BBQ Cookbook. Complete with over 150 pages of recipes from generations-old family cookbooks and today's top pitmasters.

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Interested? Just send me an email.

Check out theseother SC BBQ sauce recipes we’ve published on destination-bbq, and we’ve published even more sauce (and rub) recipes in the SCBBQ Recipes: Going Whole Hog Cookbook.Read more about that here.

Sauces and Rubs:

Vinegar-Pepper Sauces
  • Jay Phillips’ Whole Hog Sauce Recipe
  • Dad’s Mop Sauce Recipe
  • Eastern SC Vinegar-Pepper Sauce Recipe
  • Moore Family’s Little Fisher Hog Sauce Recipe
  • Lowcountry Vinegar Sauce Recipe
Mustard Sauces
  • Dukes BBQ-Style Sauce Recipe
  • Dukes BBQ Sauce – “Actual Recipe”
  • Simple South Carolina Mustard Sauce Recipe
  • Bessinger’s-Style Gold Sauce Recipe
Tomato-Based Sauces
  • John Padgett’s Kansas City BBQ Sauce Recipe
  • Honey-Hickory Barbecue Sauce Recipe
  • Bullies BBQs Thin Basting Sauce Recipe
  • Cherrywood Signature BBQ Sauce Recipe
  • “Carolina Red” Light Tomato Barbecue Sauce Recipe
  • Basic Tomato Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Other Sauces
  • Home Team BBQ Alabama White Sauce Recipe
  • Moe’s Original BBQ’s Alabama White Sauce Recipe
  • Brisket Mojo Sauce Recipe
  • Roller Family Hot Sauce Recipe
  • Salsa Verde with Avocado for Pulled Pork Recipe
Rubs
  • Sticky Fingers’ Basic Dry Rub Recipe
  • JB’s Smokeshack-Style Spicy Dry Rub Recipe
  • Sticky Fingers’ Texas Rub Recipe
  • BlackJack Barbecue Dry Rub Recipe
  • Sticky Fingers’ Sweet Rib Rub Recipe
  • Home Team BBQ Dry Rub Recipe for Chicken Wings Recipe
  • John Lewis BBQ-Style Brisket Dry Rub Recipe

Learn More About our SC BBQ Cookbook

Dukes Style BBQ Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Dukes BBQ sauce? ›

Water, Sugar, Distilled and Cider Vinegar, Spices (Includes Mustard Seed), Hot Sauce (Aged Cayenne Peppers, Vinegar, Water, Salt, and Garlic Powder), Salt, Tomato Paste, Natural Flavors, Turmeric, Onion*, Garlic*, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Xanthan Gum, Oleoresin Paprika. *Dehydrated.

Where is Dukes BBQ sauce made? ›

The company's manufacturing facilities are in Richmond, Virginia; Mauldin, South Carolina; New Century, Kansas; and San Luis Obispo, California.

What gives BBQ sauce its distinct flavor? ›

Spices and seasonings: A variety of spices and seasonings are added to BBQ sauce to enhance its flavor. Common spices include paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder. These ingredients contribute to the distinct taste and aroma of the sauce.

What to add to my barbecue sauce to make it better? ›

To tone down the artificial smoke flavor

Citrus works well in barbecue sauce; orange is common, but apple and pineapple are also popular. Make sure to also add either some hot or sweet flavor to it or else you'll end up with a gross mess. Possiblities include hot sauce, honey, ginger, brown sugar, sriracha, etc.

What is the most common ingredient in BBQ sauce? ›

The base ingredients of barbecue sauce usually include tomato sauce or ketchup, vinegar, and sweeteners, such as molasses or brown sugar. Other common ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and various spices, which can include paprika, cumin, and chili powder.

What is the oldest brand of BBQ sauce? ›

The Georgia Barbecue Sauce Company in Atlanta was the first company to commercially sell barbeque sauce in 1909, and it turned out to be a huge success. Consumers ate it up, literally, and in 1940 Heinz became the first company to sell it by the bottle.

What flavor is Carolina Gold? ›

Cattlemen's® Carolina Tangy Gold™ BBQ Sauce blends signature flavors like zesty, creamy mustard, sweet molasses and sugar and tangy apple cider vinegar with hickory smoke notes and a hint of perfectly aged cayenne peppers for a complex, unmatched flavor profile and a rich, distinctive golden color.

Who owns Baby Ray's BBQ sauce? ›

In 1985, their fourth year of competition, Sweet Baby Ray's won second place out of a field of 700 competitors. The following year, the brothers incorporated as a business and began selling the sauce to consumers. The Raymonds sold the business in 2005 to Ken's Foods for $30 million.

What is the secret to good barbecue? ›

Ten Secrets to Being A Better BBQ-er
  • Clean Your Grill. We've said it before and we will say it again. ...
  • Read The Whole Recipe First. ...
  • Preheat The Grill. ...
  • Correct Tools. ...
  • Know The Difference Between Direct Heat & Indirect Heat. ...
  • Don't Crowd The Grill. ...
  • Pay Attention. ...
  • Finished Temperature Of Meat.

What thickens BBQ sauce? ›

You can use either flour or cornstarch to thicken BBQ sauce. Just mix together 2 tbsp (16 g) of flour and ¼ cup (62.5 mL) of water, or combine 1 tbsp (9 g) of cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water. Continue mixing the thickener until there are no lumps of flour or cornstarch.

What are the three types of BBQ sauce? ›

Generally, barbecue sauces is categorized into four varieties: tomato-based sauces, vinegar-based sauces, mustard-based sauces, and mayonnaise-based sauces. Each category can have a range of BBQ sauce styles, ranging from sweet and tangy to hot and spicy.

How to dr up barbecue sauce? ›

Adding garlic or onion powder are standard flavors for barbecue, but get a little creative and try out different chile powders, peppers, cumin, or dried herbs to add body to the sauce.

Is it worth making your own barbecue sauce? ›

The problem is that most store-bought barbecue sauces just aren't that stellar. They're off-the-scales sweet, packed with fake "smoke" flavor, or weirdly viscous like butterscotch. If you want to really elevate your barbecue, you're going to have to make your own sauce.

What spices go with barbecue sauce? ›

Spices For Barbecue Sauce

Popular spices and herbs to use for barbecue are; allspice, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Mexican oregano, mustard powder, nutmeg, paprika, sage, and thyme leaves.

What BBQ sauce does not have high fructose corn syrup? ›

Mad Dog & Merrill's #ONE Premium BBQ Sauce - HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP FREE. No High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavors or Preservatives! For 30 plus years, we created sauces for grillin'. Mad Dog & Merrill's #ONE is the first and favorite.

What are the ingredients in Dukes tartar sauce? ›

Soybean oil, dill pickles (pickles, distilled vinegar, salt, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate, alum, natural spice flavors), distilled and cider vinegar, eggs, sugar, water, salt, olives, capers, parsley, natural flavors, spice, xanthan gum, lactic acid, oleoresin paprika, lemon juice, calcium disodium EDTA added to ...

What are the ingredients in Joe's BBQ sauce? ›

Ingredients: Tomato Puree (water,tomato paste), Brown Sugar, Sugar, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor, Tamarind Paste, Onion Powder, Mustard Powder, Black Pepper, Paprika, Granulated Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, Ancho Chile, Celery Powder and Spices.

What are the ingredients in Sweet Ray's BBQ sauce? ›

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Modified Corn Starch, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Natural Smoke Flavor, Spice, Caramel Color, Molasses, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Garlic,* Mustard Flour, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Tamarind, Natural Flavor, Celery Seed.

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