Cookout Sauce

Cookout sauce can make the food complete and save your time with its versatility. You can use it in a backyard party dish or your kid’s lunchbox. If BBQ sauce brings the creaminess and traditional sauce brings the smoky tang, then Cookout Sauce is the boss that rules them all. 

But when you’re health-conscious, store-bought sauce isn’t your thing. On the other hand, cookout sauce has that magic in it that you cannot resist. That’s the moment when I started making my own cookout sauce at home. 

So, in this article, I will tell you about how to make this sauce at home with some simple ingredients and surprise your family members. I bet they won’t understand it’s homemade cookout sauce or store-bought. 

What is Cookout Sauce?

Cookout sauce is a sauce which is basically from the fast-food chain restaurant named Cookout. It was established in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989. 

They have many items. Among them, hamburgers, pork BBQ, and milkshakes are the most popular dishes of this restaurant. They serve this sauce with these special dishes as a dip.  

This sauce has a smoky, creamy, and perfect consistency profile that beats any other sauce. It is a combination of barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and mayonnaise. It has that smoky note with little sweetness, which pulls you through its taste. 

How To Make Cookout Sauce At Home?

Here are some common ingredients that I find in the level of cookout sauce, and I succeeded in making the exact copycat of this sauce.  

Ingredients You need

• Mayonnaise

1 cup of mayonnaise gives the sauce a creamy base and richness in texture.

• Ketchup

Only 1/4 cup of ketchup brings sweetness and that signature orange-reddish hue. 

• Yellow Mustard

Take 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard. This thing balances the sweet and creamy ingredients that are used in the sauce. 

• Worcestershire Sauce

For a little funky edge, use 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. 

• Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar can bring extra tang and balance everything. 

• Garlic Powder

Take 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to round out the flavour with mellow, garlicky goodness.

• Smoked Paprika

Want a Southern cookout vibe? Use 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for the warm and smoky flavour. 

• Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is optional here. I use 1 teaspoon of this because I like the sauce sweeter. 

• Black Pepper

Use 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper for seasoning. 

• Salt

1/2 teaspoon or a pinch of salt for enhancing the flavour. 

• Cayenne Pepper (optional, for heat)

This is optional. It helps to heat up the sauce. If you do not want it, you can skip it. But 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper adds a different flavour. 

Make It 4 Simple Simple Steps

Step 1

First, take a medium bowl and pour in 

• Mayonnaise
• ketchup 
• mustard 
• brown sugar 
• Worcestershire sauce 

Now whisk them well until smooth.

Step 2

After that, add

• Vinegar
• smoked paprika 
• garlic powder
• cayenne pepper (if using). 

Stir until fully combined.

Step 3

In this step, taste and adjust the seasoning. You can add extra mustard for more tang if you want.

Step 4 

So, your sauce is ready. Now cover the bowl and chill the sauce for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. This process helps the flavours meld together finely.

Step 5 

Now, serve with your preferred cookout dishes like burgers, fries, grilled chicken, or whatever’s hot off the grill.

Serving Suggestion 

• Burger: Adding this sauce on a burger can make your regular burger even better. Whether it’s beef, chicken, or pork, it gives a tangy and creamy boost. 
• Grilled Chicken: cookout sauce goes best with grilled chicken. You can use it as a dipping sauce or as a marinating sauce before grilling chicken. 
• Quesadillas: add this cookout sauce in your quesadillas, and this sauce will give an extra creaminess. 
• Pulled Pork Sandwich: Sprinkle some sauce over your pulled pork sandwich and make it extra appetizing. 
• Fries: If you’re having fries, take cookout sauce as a dipping, and fries are going to be more delicious. 
• Grilled Vegetables: grilled veggies like corn, broccoli, zucchini, or pepper. You can have any of these with cookout sauce. 

Pro Tips

1. Keep your cookout sauce in an airtight squeeze bottle so that it will stay fresh for more than 7 days. Also, keeping it in the squeeze bottle helps to serve it easily. 
2. Do not skip chilling time. It makes this sauce more flavourful. 
3. You can add a bit of BBQ sauce to this condiment for a smoky flavour. 

Final Thoughts

Cookout sauce makes any food yummy with its versatility. But the store-bought one is not always a healthy option. On the other hand, it’s not always handy. So, now you can make your homemade version and adjust anything you prefer. And enjoy lovely food. 

What is truly surprising is that you can make it with very simple ingredients. No artificial color, no preservatives, and you whip up a healthy version of your favourite sauce.

So the next time you’re planning a backyard cookout, or even just craving a better dip for your fries, skip the store-bought stuff and stir up a batch of this homemade goodness. It’s simple, it’s flavourful, and best of all, it’s made by you.

FAQs

What is Cookout Sauce Made of?

Store-bought cookout sauce is made of soybean oil, tomato purée, white vinegar, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, and mustard. There are more ingredients like phosphoric acid, potassium sorbate, calcium disodium, etc. But the homemade version is simpler, with only a few ingredients that are available in your pantry. 

How to Store Homemade Cookout Sauce?

Store homemade cookout sauce in an airtight squeeze bottle. It helps to make the sauce last longer and be easy to use.  

Can You Freeze Cookout Sauce?

No, absolutely not. It’s not recommended due to the mayo base. The texture may break when thawed.