Honey gold sauce, also known as Carolina gold, is a barbecue sauce that originated in South Carolina. The flavor combines the sweetness of honey with the spicy, vivid flavor of mustard. The most famous brand is the Bessinger family’s Carolina Honey Gold, made from a old family recipe. The exact combination of ingredients are can vary significantly — even different members of the Bessinger family interpret it differently — but its primary combination of ingredients includes honey, mustard, sugar and various seasonings.
Honey
One of the key ingredients in honey gold barbecue sauce is honey, a sweet, viscous liquid produced naturally by bees from flower nectar. According to the National Honey Board, honey contains 64 calories in a tablespoon-sized serving, with 17 grams of carbohydrates. Honey contains antioxidants like flavonoids and helps sooth sore throats. In addition, honey is a natural energy booster, making it a good part of your diet, not just an ingredient in Carolina honey gold sauce.
Mustard
Carolina honey gold barbecue sauce’s yellow color comes primarily from the mustard base. The flavor of mustard comes primarily from the seed of the mustard tree mixed with various seasonings, which vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Mustard is naturally high in nutrients like thiamin, manganese and selenium; however, it is unfortunately high in sodium. Too much sodium can contribute to chronic heart problems like elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Vinegar
Vinegar provides some of the tartness of a good Carolina honey gold barbecue sauce. The vinegar used in honey gold barbecue sauce is usually apple cider vinegar, which is made from apple juice; however, other fruits can also be used to make other vinegars. Vinegar is produced when a group of bacteria ferments the juice, and then a second group of bacteria converts the fermented juice into acid. Vinegar is low in fat, and contains some nutrients like riboflavin and thiamin.
Seasonings
The exact seasonings of Carolina honey gold barbecue sauce will vary, but most versions of the sauce contain at least sugar, salt and pepper. It is best to use this barbecue sauce sparingly, due to the high sodium and sugar content. Sugar does not add any vitamins or minerals to the sauce, but it does add calories. If you buy store-bottled sauce, other ingredients could include xantham gum, which acts as a thickener, and possibly other preservatives.
References
- The New York Times: A Confederacy of Sauces
- Maurice's BBQ: Maurice's Southern Gold BBQ Sauce
- Derby City Sauces: Kentucky Gold Barbeque Sauce
- Honey.com: Nutrition Facts
- Honey.com: The Many Benefits of Honey
- CalorieLab: Mustard, Prepared, Yellow
- American Heart Association: Sodium (Salt or Sodium Chloride)
- The Vinegar Institute: Frequently Asked Questions
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