Alabama White Sauce Belongs On Your Next Burger

A burger may seem like a simple meal, but there are so many different ways to customize the sandwich. If you want to make the perfect burger, then you might want to consider this white sauce your secret weapon. 

For the sauce's origins, we have to head down South to Alabama. The sauce was reportedly invented by Robert "Big Bob" Lee Gibson of Decatur, Alabama, who ran Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que after leaving the railroad industry in the 1920s. There's a good reason that Alabama white sauce goes well on your burger patty. It's mostly made of mayonnaise, which is already a popular burger condiment. Gibson got the idea of combining mayo with the smokey elements of barbecue sauce to give his pork and chicken an added kick. With that same reasoning, the white sauce makes for a juicy burger, as well. 

There are very few things you can't slap this sauce on, with some people even eating it with veggies. However, the tangy creaminess of the sauce balances especially well with the hearty, savory taste of beef.

While you could go to Decatur, Alabama, to get the white sauce, it's incredibly easy to make at home. As mentioned, you will need mayonnaise to give the sauce its creamy texture, but apple cider vinegar is the other half of the recipe, giving white sauce its tanginess.

You can also add lemon juice as well as a host of seasonings to give the sauce a bit of zest. Common seasonings include horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. It's important not to add too much horseradish or Worcestershire sauce, as they could turn your sauce from tangy to sour very quickly. A little bit goes a long way. Likewise, you don't want to make your sauce too thick, so make sure not to add too much mayo that could overwhelm the apple cider vinegar. When combined, the sauce should give your burger an extra, well-balanced kick.

To transform your burger even more, consider combining white sauce with pineapple salsa. The tang from the sauce goes well with the sweetness of the pineapples.