How to Make Alabama White Sauce (2024)

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How to Make Alabama White Sauce (7)
  • Wild Foods
  • Recipes

Lukas Leaf

  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Serves

    4

Chef’s notes

I made a whole mess of these fried beauties at a fundraising dinner last fall, and they did not disappoint. It was a fun scene watching the group of upland hunters wrangle the whole-fried quail, dripping with the Alabama white sauce and at the same time trying to manage a cold drink. It made for perfect party fare and is an excellent addition to any barbecue or potluck-style meal.

Brining in pickle juice is a killer way to tenderize and add great flavor to the game birds before taking an extended bath in seasoned buttermilk. The Alabama white sauce is, of course, not native to my Midwest stomping grounds. Still, the tangy combination of mayo and apple cider vinegar is a welcomed variation from the more traditional style of BBQ sauce. The folks down South got it pegged on this one, and I promise, after trying the sauce, you'll always want a jar on hand.

How to Make Alabama White Sauce (9)

Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 quail, plucked and trimmed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 qt. whole-fat buttermilk
  • 2 cups dill pickle juice
  • Lousiana hot sauce
  • Homemade cajun spice
  • Canola oil for frying

Cajun Spice

  • 2 tbsp. ground chili (cayenne, chipotle, or Arbol)
  • 2 tbsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. dry thyme
  • 2 tbsp. dry oregano
  • 2 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp. onion powder
  • 2 tbsp. smoked paprika

Alabama White Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. stone-ground or dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. creamy horseradish
  • 2 tbsp. Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
  • 1½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1½ tsp. cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Also works with

Any small gamebird

Preparation

  1. Trim and pluck the quail. Firmly press down on the breast bone and flatten. Flattening the bird will help it fry evenly and hold its form during the frying process.
  2. Put the quail in a large Ziploc bag. Pour the pickle juice into the bag and remove as much air as possible. Place the quail in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour and up to two, flipping halfway through.
  3. While the quail is in the brine, make the Alabama white sauce. Combine all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the sauce into a jar and place it in the refrigerator.
  4. After 1 to 2 hours, remove the quail from the pickle brine. In a large container, pour in the quart of whole fat buttermilk and season with salt, pepper, and a heavy dash of Louisiana hot sauce. Put the quail in the buttermilk and press down to ensure they are covered. Allow the quail to marinate in the buttermilk for at least two hours or overnight.
  5. While the quail is taking its buttermilk bath, prepare the breading. Mix the flour, cornstarch, and cajun spice mix. Add the flour mixture to a large brown paper bag.
  6. Remove the quail from the buttermilk, one at a time, pouring off any excess juices, and add them to the brown paper bag with the flour. Shake the daylights out of the bag. Remove the quail and add them to a sheet tray lightly coated with the flour mix. Let them sit in the refrigerator for thirty minutes to an hour.
  7. Pull the quail and toss them a second time in the seasoned flour mix. A second toss in the breading will give you an extra crispy and evenly-fried finished product.
  8. Pour about three inches of canola oil into a dutch oven. Heat the oil to 340ºF. Fry the quail in two batches for about five minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF. Make sure to maintain the oil temperature so it doesn't fall below 325ºF or go above 350ºF. Test the temperature of the meat by inserting a thermometer into the center of the bird's cavity. Let the quail rest for ten minutes and serve with the Alabama white sauce.

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Recipe by: Lukas Leaf

How to Make Alabama White Sauce (28)
  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Serves

    4

Chef’s notes

I made a whole mess of these fried beauties at a fundraising dinner last fall, and they did not disappoint. It was a fun scene watching the group of upland hunters wrangle the whole-fried quail, dripping with the Alabama white sauce and at the same time trying to manage a cold drink. It made for perfect party fare and is an excellent addition to any barbecue or potluck-style meal.

Brining in pickle juice is a killer way to tenderize and add great flavor to the game birds before taking an extended bath in seasoned buttermilk. The Alabama white sauce is, of course, not native to my Midwest stomping grounds. Still, the tangy combination of mayo and apple cider vinegar is a welcomed variation from the more traditional style of BBQ sauce. The folks down South got it pegged on this one, and I promise, after trying the sauce, you'll always want a jar on hand.

How to Make Alabama White Sauce (29)

Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 quail, plucked and trimmed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 qt. whole-fat buttermilk
  • 2 cups dill pickle juice
  • Lousiana hot sauce
  • Homemade cajun spice
  • Canola oil for frying

Cajun Spice

  • 2 tbsp. ground chili (cayenne, chipotle, or Arbol)
  • 2 tbsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. dry thyme
  • 2 tbsp. dry oregano
  • 2 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp. onion powder
  • 2 tbsp. smoked paprika

Alabama White Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. stone-ground or dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. creamy horseradish
  • 2 tbsp. Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
  • 1½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1½ tsp. cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Also works with

Any small gamebird

Preparation

  1. Trim and pluck the quail. Firmly press down on the breast bone and flatten. Flattening the bird will help it fry evenly and hold its form during the frying process.
  2. Put the quail in a large Ziploc bag. Pour the pickle juice into the bag and remove as much air as possible. Place the quail in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour and up to two, flipping halfway through.
  3. While the quail is in the brine, make the Alabama white sauce. Combine all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the sauce into a jar and place it in the refrigerator.
  4. After 1 to 2 hours, remove the quail from the pickle brine. In a large container, pour in the quart of whole fat buttermilk and season with salt, pepper, and a heavy dash of Louisiana hot sauce. Put the quail in the buttermilk and press down to ensure they are covered. Allow the quail to marinate in the buttermilk for at least two hours or overnight.
  5. While the quail is taking its buttermilk bath, prepare the breading. Mix the flour, cornstarch, and cajun spice mix. Add the flour mixture to a large brown paper bag.
  6. Remove the quail from the buttermilk, one at a time, pouring off any excess juices, and add them to the brown paper bag with the flour. Shake the daylights out of the bag. Remove the quail and add them to a sheet tray lightly coated with the flour mix. Let them sit in the refrigerator for thirty minutes to an hour.
  7. Pull the quail and toss them a second time in the seasoned flour mix. A second toss in the breading will give you an extra crispy and evenly-fried finished product.
  8. Pour about three inches of canola oil into a dutch oven. Heat the oil to 340ºF. Fry the quail in two batches for about five minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF. Make sure to maintain the oil temperature so it doesn't fall below 325ºF or go above 350ºF. Test the temperature of the meat by inserting a thermometer into the center of the bird's cavity. Let the quail rest for ten minutes and serve with the Alabama white sauce.
How to Make Alabama White Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is Alabama white sauce made of? ›

Alabama white sauce starts with a base of mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. Many variations exist but typical flavorings include mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar or honey, garlic and/or onion powder, and lots of black pepper.

How do you know if white sauce is thick enough? ›

Once you've finished adding the milk, the sauce will start to thicken fairly quickly, but it's not ready until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you're not sure, dip a spoon into the sauce. If the béchamel is properly thickened, it should stay on the back of the spoon.

How to make white sauce thicker? ›

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

Who made the original Alabama white sauce? ›

However, northern Alabama gets the credit for white barbeque sauce, a truly unique option. The origin of Alabama white sauce can be traced back to one man: Robert Lee Gibson, better known as Big Bob Gibson, of Decatur, Alabama. Gibson earned his nickname from his size — 6'4 and 300 pounds — and an appetite to match.

What is white sauce made of? ›

What Is In White Sauce? This traditional white sauce starts with a roux of equal parts all-purpose flour and butter, which gives the sauce a rich and creamy base. Whole milk thins the butter-flour mixture, turning the roux into a sauce.

Why is my white sauce not working? ›

Solution: First try and cook it for a bit longer and see if it thickens up. If not, make a little more roux in a separate saucepan (using equal parts butter and flour). Whisk the roux into the thin sauce and cook for another 5 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.

What is the thickening agent called when making a white sauce? ›

White and blond roux are the most common, used to thicken sauces, soups, and chowders. Brown and dark brown roux have more flavor, but less thickening power than white or blond roux.

Does milk thicken white sauce? ›

Adding milk to a sauce can help it thicken because of the proteins and fats present in the milk. When the sauce is heated, the proteins in the milk coagulate and cause the sauce to thicken. The fat in the milk also contributes to the thickness of the sauce.

How do you thicken white sauce without flour? ›

Cornstarch is reasonable the most widely recognized method for thickening sauces without flour. Arrowroot or Tapioca Flour. Both of these choices can be utilized similarly you'd involve cornstarch in a recipe.

How does white sauce thicken when heated? ›

As a white sauce is heated, the starch grains soften, they absorb liquid & swell. The starch grains break open & thicken the liquid by releasing amylose. The process of gelatinisation starts at 60◦, the sauce begins to thicken at about 85◦ but it's not fully completed until it reaches 100◦.

How much milk to add to roux? ›

For a medium thickness, you'd use 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour to 1 cup milk. For a really thick sauce, you'd use 3 tablespoons each of butter and flour. The roux is actually the base of starch and fat that is cooked for a short time before the liquid is stirred in.

What is Mission BBQ Alabama white sauce? ›

Our handcrafted Alabama White sauce is a creamy mayo-based classic with horseradish and cayenne. Starts out sweet, gets tangy in the middle, then finishes nice & spicy! Try some slathered on a Smokehouse Signature Salmon! I love your Alabama white sauce.

What is Alabama red sauce made of? ›

Liquid Ingredients: Making it easy to brush on

My Alabama BBQ sauce uses tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, and water.

What is the hallmark of Alabama style barbecue sauce? ›

Alabama Style BBQ - Smoked meat aficionados define Alabama style BBQ by its namesake white barbecue sauce. Alabama white sauce is mayonnaise-based and punctuated with apple cider vinegar, brown mustard, and horseradish.

What are the two white sauces? ›

Béchamel – milk-based sauce, thickened with a white roux. Beurre blanc – Reduction of butter, vinegar, white wine and shallots.

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