How to Make Mop Sauces

Mop sauces are intensely flavorful liquids used to baste foods during grilling. Most mops are vinegar based, with salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes or cayenne added for seasoning. Additional flavor often comes in the form of sliced onion, garlic, and chiles. Unlike barbecue sauces, mops contain no sugar, so you don’t have to worry about them burning when exposed to heat for prolonged periods of time.

Mops are part of the barbecue tradition in the United States—especially in Tennessee and the Carolinas. They are usually destined for pork (especially whole hogs and pork shoulders) and chicken.