bash: the condiments, pickles, and slaws. It’s typical Southern tradition to have this trio on hand, and most ’cuing festivities dedicate an entire table to these accoutrements, so it’s only fitting that we give them a chapter of their own.
Often in Southern restaurants, your starters are pickles and slaw. A heaping bowl of each usually hits the table as soon as you sit down, keeping diners contented as they nosh on crunchy bites while perusing the menu. Cucumbers steeped in brine or vinegar have adorned plates, burgers, and other dishes since pickling was first invented. These delicious and salty treats are often a standard accompaniment to Southern fare and, when battered and fried, are elevated from being a garnish or side dish to the main plate. (Our version of the latter, Frickles, is on this page.) And pickles often come out with each dish in our restaurants, because when you’re eating heavy barbecue food, there’s nothing like a bite of a bright, crisp pickle to refresh your mouth.
Whether you like them whole, sliced, raw, or fried—or soaked in Kool-Aid and dubbed Koolickles, as kids in the South call them—pickles always round out the palate nicely. It doesn’t always have to be a cucumber that’s getting the pickling treatment. We’ve got some other favorite brined-and-canned options for you. Simply pick your favorite veggie and get to picklin’.
As for coleslaw, it’s not only a creamy side in its own right, but also an integral ingredient in a number of our dishes. It tops our Classic Pulled-Pork sandwich and provides a perfect bed for our Garlic, Jalapeño, and Lime-Brined Chicken. The tanginess of the slaw really complements any number of smoked or grilled meats, and we’ve got a few slaw recipes for you in the coming pages, including our Rainbow Slaw, our original Creamy Coleslaw, and our Spicy Carolina Slaw, which has a nice kick thanks to the addition of our Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce.
Finally, there are condiments. Many of ours are multi-use. You can use our Blue Cheese Dressing as a dip for wings, to dress a salad, or to top our Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. We use our Buttermilk Ranch Dressing as a dip for our Chipotle Wings and as the sauce for our Jalapeño Poppers. Our Cajun Mayonnaise is the perfect sauce for our Popcorn Shrimp and is used as a spread on our Catfish Po’ Boys. We’ve got every sauce and dip in the coming pages, so no matter what your favorite condiment is, we’ve got you covered.
We use this dressing to make you want to eat your salad greens, but it also serves as a fantastic dip for just about anything—especially our Buffalo Wings (this page).
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Pinch of ground white pepper
¾ teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons sour cream
MAKES 1¾ cups
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. It’ll keep for 2 weeks in the fridge in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
If you do wing night right, you’ll end up wearing some of this, so opt out of donning white. It’s great for spicing up anything: Put it on your chicken or in your eggs, or with your home fries or on a hot dog. We use it as a dip for fried okra, too. It’s so versatile you’ll want to keep a jar on hand at all times.
1½ cups Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
MAKES about 2 cups
1 Pour the hot sauce into a small saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil.
2 In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cayenne, and chili powder. Whisk into the hot sauce, mixing well.
3 Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the butter into the sauce.
4 Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 weeks.
We pair this with our Jalapeño Poppers (this page), but it’s also great atop a salad or alongside a crudité platter.
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1¼ cups buttermilk
½ cup sour cream
2 scallions, green parts only, very thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
¼ teaspoon granulated onion
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
MAKES 2½ cups
In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. It will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
This pulls double duty as a dip for fried chicken or a salad dressing with some zing.
½ cup spicy brown mustard (like Gulden’s)
1 cup honey
¼ cup Brother Jimmy’s Original BBQ Sauce (this page)
1 tablespoon Buffalo Sauce (this page; you can substitute hot sauce if you like)
MAKES 1¾ cups
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. It will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator.
We use this as the accompanying dip for our Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Nuggets (this page) and on our Catfish Po’ Boys (this page), but you can serve it alongside other fish dishes.
3 oven-roasted plum tomatoes (see Note), cooled and chopped
¾ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4½ teaspoons finely chopped red onion
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
MAKES about 1½ cups
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. It will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.
We use this as a spread for our Po’ Boys (this page). It also goes well with our Popcorn Shrimp (this page) and alongside any raw veggies, or you can use it on a sandwich for a tangy kick.
1 large red pepper
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Blackening Spice (this page)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
MAKES 1½ cups
1 Roast the red pepper by placing it over an open flame—a hot grill or gas burner on your home stove works well. Turn it frequently until the skin has charred and starts to blister from the flame. Place the pepper in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap—or you can seal it in an airtight container. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the skin to separate from the meat a little and makes for easier peeling. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off all the charred skin and remove the seeds.
2 Mince the pepper as fine as you can.
3 Place in a medium bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and whisk until the ingredients are well incorporated. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
These are a “quick” pickle and do not require processing. They will last for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. We also use the liquid as a seasoning for potato salad. They’re the perfect accompaniment to Puerto Rican Mojo Ribs (this page) or Grilled Chipotle-Orange Pork Loin (this page).
¾ cup water
1 cup champagne vinegar
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 large red onions, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
MAKES 1 pint
1 Combine all the ingredients except the onions in a 2-quart nonreactive pot. Place over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve.
2 Remove from the heat and add the onions. Cool completely, then pack into a glass pint jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make crocks of these with the first of the summer Kirbies, as they’re very simple to make. Bear in mind that this is a base recipe, in that we’ve given you basic proportions for the brine—adjust as you see fit. You will need to buy some cheesecloth for this recipe.
4 cups cold water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons pickling spice
5 or 6 garlic cloves
3 to 4 fresh dill sprigs
2 pounds firm Kirby cucumbers without blemishes
MAKES 2 pounds
1 In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the water and the salt. Heat the water until the salt dissolves. Add the remaining water, the pickling spice, garlic, and dill.
2 Place the cucumbers in a crock or a large glass jar. Pour the brine over the cucumbers to cover by 1 inch. Lay a triple layer of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar.
3 Place the jar in a cool, dry place; the pickles will be ready in 2 to 5 days. Be sure to check the pickles after 2 days—if a scum begins to form, carefully pull off the cheesecloth, rinse it out, and place it back on the jar. The pickles will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.
Make sure to vary the colors of peppers you’re using for this. The more diverse the selection, the prettier the jars look when you’re finished.
5 pounds bell peppers (mixed colors)
16 garlic cloves
3½ cups water
3½ cups white vinegar
¼ cup garlic cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ cup sugar
½ red onion, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
4 whole cloves
3 allspice berries
2 bay leaves
MAKES 8 pints
1 Cut the peppers into 1-inch strips and set aside with the garlic.
2 Combine the remaining ingredients in a large nonreactive pot, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve.
3 Meanwhile, fill your canning pot with water and bring to a boil.
4 Bring another, smaller pot of water to a simmer. Clean 8 pint jars in hot, soapy water and place the two-part lids in the smaller pot of simmering water until ready to use.
5 Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.
6 Place 2 cloves of garlic in each pint jar, then fill the jars with the pepper slices.
7 Bring the brine back up to a boil and pour it into the jars, filling each to ¼ inch from the top. Place the lids on and loosely secure.
8 Place the jars into the canning pot and process for 15 minutes. Remove the jars and set aside to cool at room temperature, away from drafts, for several hours. You might hear tiny pops as the jars seal themselves from the pressure. If you have any jars that don’t seal (you can tell by pressing the center of the lid—if it moves, it didn’t seal), store them in the refrigerator and eat within a couple of weeks. When they have cooled completely, secure the ring band and store in a cool, dry place. Once opened, they’ll keep for 1 month in the refrigerator.
The mixture of the vinegar with the heat of the jalapeños combines for a flavorful medley in your mouth. You can also use these for the Jalapeño Poppers on this page.
12 garlic cloves
6 cups cider vinegar
5 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick 4 allspice berries
2 pounds jalapeños
½ pound carrots, thinly sliced
MAKES 6 pints
1 Combine all the ingredients except the jalapeños and carrots in a large nonreactive pot, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve.
2 Meanwhile, get water in your canning pot up to a boil. Clean 6 pint jars in hot, soapy water and place the two-part lids in a pot of simmering water on the stove. Leave them in the water until ready to use.
3 Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.
4 Divide the jalapeños among the jars and divide the carrot slices on top.
5 Bring the brine back up to a boil and pour it into the jars, filling each to ¼ inch from the top. Place the lids on and loosely secure.
6 Place the jars into the canning pot and process for 12 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and set aside to cool at room temperature, away from drafts, for several hours. You might hear tiny pops as the jars seal themselves from the pressure. If you have any jars that don’t seal (you can tell by pressing the center of the lid—if it moves, it didn’t seal), store them in the refrigerator and eat within a couple of weeks. When they have cooled completely, secure the ring band and store in a cool, dry place.
We use these in our Bloody Mary drinks at the restaurants, which make Sunday brunch that much better—but they’re perfect for snacking on, too.
2¼ quarts white vinegar
2½ quarts water
1¼ cups kosher salt
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
3 tablespoons celery seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons chipotle chile powder
½ cup garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
8 to 10 pounds string beans, stem ends trimmed
MAKES 8 quarts
1 Place all the ingredients except the string beans in a large nonreactive pot, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the salt dissolves.
2 Meanwhile, get the water in your canning pot up to a boil. Clean 8 quart jars in hot, soapy water and place the two-part lids in a pot of simmering water on the stove until ready to use.
3 Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.
4 Place the string beans in the jars with the pointy ends up.
5 Bring the brine back up to a boil and pour it into the jars, filling each to ¼ inch from the top. Place the lids on and loosely secure.
6 Place the jars into the canning pot and process for 12 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and set aside to cool at room temperature, away from drafts, for several hours. You might hear tiny pops as the jars seal themselves from the pressure. If you have any jars that don’t seal (you can tell by pressing the center of the lid—if it moves, it didn’t seal), store them in the refrigerator and eat within a couple of weeks. When they have cooled completely, secure the ring band and store in a cool, dry place.
Many people find cauliflower bland, which is why it is often drenched with butter and piled high with mounds of cheese. This brine is a simple and low-fat way to get the white vegetable spiced up with a burst of flavor.
4 cups cider vinegar
2 cups water
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves
2 heads cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
8 whole cloves
MAKES 8 pints
1 Combine all the ingredients except the cauliflower and whole cloves in a large nonreactive saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve.
2 Meanwhile, get the water in your canning pot up to a boil. Clean 8 pint jars in hot, soapy water and place the two-part lids in a pot of simmering water on the stove until ready to use.
3 Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.
4 Pack the cauliflower into the jars and add 1 whole clove to each.
5 Bring the brine back up to a boil and pour it into the jars, filling each to ¼ inch from the top. Place the lids on and loosely secure.
6 Place the jars into the canning pot and process for 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and set aside to cool at room temperature, away from drafts, for several hours. You might hear tiny pops as the jars seal themselves from the pressure. If you have any jars that don’t seal (you can tell by pressing the center of the lid—if it moves, it didn’t seal), store them in the refrigerator and eat within a couple of weeks. When they have cooled completely, secure the ring band and store in a cool, dry place.
This rich coleslaw is great on its own or as a topping for an array of sandwiches, like pulled pork—which is the traditional way it’s served in North Carolina. If you want a lighter slaw, try our Rainbow Slaw (this page) or our Spicy Carolina Slaw (this page).
½ medium head green cabbage
2 scallions
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
4½ tablespoons white vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground thyme
½ teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon sugar
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Finely shred the cabbage using a box grater or food processor.
2 Thinly slice the green part of the scallion.
3 Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cabbage and scallions and mix until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
This is the perfect bed for our Garlic, Jalapeño, and Lime–Brined Chicken (this page), but it also goes great alongside light fish or any other summer treats coming off the grill.
4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1½ cups grated carrots
4 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
SERVES 6 to 8
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and let sit for 45 minutes while the flavors meld. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
The addition of our Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce helps heat up this lighter version of our creamy coleslaw, and a touch of sugar keeps it from being overpowering. We recommend throwing this atop your pulled pork as an alternative to our creamy slaw.
5 cups green cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
2 scallions, chopped
6 tablespoons Eastern Carolina Sauce (this page)
¼ cup ketchup
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
SERVES 6 to 8
1 Shred the cabbage using a box grater or food processor.
2 Place the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.
3 In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add to the cabbage and carrot and mix well.
4 Let the slaw sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
