Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

In the Carolinas, where barbecue is all about pork, the sauces that pitmasters pair with smoked hog tend to adhere to the following blueprint: high acidity to cut through the fattiness of the meat, with a touch of sweetness for balance, and background heat that sneaks up on you on the finish.This particular sauce, found in coastal Eastern North Carolina and rolling down to South Carolina, is characterized by its sharp vinegar bite that’s just barely tempered with a pinch of brown sugar, and a kick from red pepper flakes and cayenne. It’s the perfect foil for rich, smoky pork shoulder.

Eastern North Carolina–Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce