What is the name of the South Carolina mustard-based barbecue sauce?

The South Carolina mustard-based barbecue sauce is commonly called Carolina Gold sauce.

Carolina Gold is a yellow barbecue sauce built primarily from prepared mustard, vinegar, sugar, and spices. Its bright color and tangy-sweet flavor distinguish it from Alabama white sauce, which is mayonnaise-based, and from Eastern North Carolina sauce, which is primarily vinegar and pepper.

The sauce is especially associated with central South Carolina, often called the state’s “Mustard Belt,” stretching through areas around Columbia, Orangeburg, and Newberry. German immigrants who settled in South Carolina during the 18th century are frequently linked to the region’s mustard tradition, although the sauce evolved through local barbecue practice over time.

South Carolina barbecue commonly centers on pork, including smoked shoulder and whole-hog barbecue. Carolina Gold is used as both a finishing sauce and a table condiment. Recipes differ: some emphasize yellow mustard and vinegar, while others add brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, or hot pepper. “South Carolina mustard sauce” is also correct descriptively, but Carolina Gold is the standard quiz answer.