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Forget about the bottled stuff, this homemade co*cktail Sauce recipe is so much better than anything you can buy at the store. A short list of easy to stock ingredients creates this zingy condiment in about 5 minutes!
My Homemade Tartar Sauce recipe is another easy seafood sauce that rivals store-bought.
I recently bought some gorgeous shrimp for shrimp co*cktail and was positive I had a bottle of co*cktail sauce (or fish ketchup, as my boys have always called it) in my pantry. Well, nope! No sauce.
I had two choices. Mix up a homemade co*cktail sauce or skip the shrimp co*cktail. I went with the former and oh my!
I was shocked at how easy it is to create a super fresh, super delicious co*cktail sauce with ingredients I always have on hand. Why in the heck did it take me so long to do this?
I will now and forever make co*cktail Sauce from scratch. No more store-bought sauce for me.
Table of contents
co*cktail Sauce Ingredients
How to Make co*cktail Sauce
Storage Tips
Serving Suggestions
co*cktail Sauce Ingredients
Ketchup – Sweet and tomato-based – ketchup is the foundation for a good classic co*cktail Sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce – Adds a bit of umami flavor.
Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is a must. It really wakes up the flavor and helps balance it out.
Freshly ground black pepper – Just a pinch for flavor.
Tabasco Sauce – Add a little or a lot or leave it out altogether for a delicious, but milder sauce.
A big bonus to making your own co*cktail Sauce is that theheat can easily be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the horseradish and Tabasco. Make a super mild, kid-friendly sauce or spice it up as much as you’d like.
How to Make co*cktail Sauce
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and 1 tablespoon of the horseradish.
Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and Tabasco.
Taste and add additional horseradish and/or hot sauce, if needed.
The sinus clearing zing in co*cktail sauce comes from horseradish. I recommend starting with a small amount and working your way up to the flavor you’re after.
Storage Tips
If you plan to use the co*cktail Sauce within a day or two, just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For longer storage, transfer the sauce to an airtight container before refrigerating. The acid in the lemon and ketchup should help it stay fresh and tasty for up to two weeks.
Serving Suggestions
What goes with co*cktail sauce? It goes beyond simple shrimp co*cktail!
A triple batch of this recipe can be used to make a stunning Mexican Shrimp co*cktail.
Serve it as a dipping sauce for Air Fryer Fish Sticks or Crispy Baked Fish.
Mix a little into a simple meatloaf recipe or spread it over the top before baking.
Place a small bowl on a platter with homemade Crab Cakes for a delicious appetizer.
Use co*cktail sauce for dipping Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket.
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co*cktail Sauce Recipe
5 from 2 votes
Forget about the bottled stuff, this homemade co*cktail Sauce recipe is so much better than anything you can buy at the store. A short list of easy to stock ingredients creates this zingy condiment in about 5 minutes!
1 to 2tablespoonsprepared horseradish, as needed (extra hot or creamed)
1tablespoonfresh lemon juice, or to taste
¼teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
Pinchof freshly ground black pepper
Few drops of Tabasco, to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, 1 tablespoon of the horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and Tabasco. Taste and add additional horseradish and/or hot sauce, if needed.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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The standard ingredients (in roughly decreasing proportion) are ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco, Louisiana, or Crystal), Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. A soufflé cup is usually set in the middle of the platter of oysters along with a co*cktail fork and a lemon slice.
There is a natural reaction that occurs between the fresh horseradish roots and pectin in the tomato ketchup that can sometimes create a gel like consistency.
So here's some of my favorite ways to use Classic co*cktail Sauce with smoked Maine sea salt and my Tequila Lime co*cktail Sauce with smoked Maine sea salt.
Equal parts ketchup and mustard make this the shrimp co*cktail sauce anyone can make since everything's already in the door of the refrigerator. I use Dijon mustard, but you can try a grainy, coarse mustard instead for some nice crunchy pops of mustard flavor.
Most commonly, a co*cktail is a combination of one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as juices, flavored syrups, tonic water, shrubs, and bitters.
To make your own version, you can muddle fruit or herbs in the bottom of co*cktail shaker, then add your preferred liquor and mixer.Shake the mixture with ice and pour it through a strainer into a co*cktail glass. Or, try a classic like a martini, mojito, mint julep, or margarita.
If you are storing homemade co*cktail sauce, the guidelines differ, however. We recommend tossing from-scratch sauce after two weeks. While you can freeze co*cktail sauce, it is best not to, as it will change the texture. The best way to ensure no co*cktail sauce goes to waste is simply to use it more often.
Daikon and black radish are great swaps for fresh, raw grated horseradish, though they aren't as fiery and will yield a milder, juicier end product. Because of this, use twice as much daikon or radish as horseradish, though it will still be milder than horseradish.
That's where the fun begins: What sets this version of the shrimp co*cktail (or “coctel de camaron”) apart is that there isn't nearly as much tomato sauce involved — instead, it's a blend of ketchup or salsa with lime juice, diced tomatoes, diced onions, diced peppers, chopped cilantro, and often some hot sauce.
There are only five ingredients in co*cktail sauce, and you probably have most of them in your cupboard already. Ketchup and chili sauce are added in equal parts. Heinz chili sauce has a tomato base, like ketchup, but it isn't sweet. Strangely, in defiance of its name, it doesn't contain chilis.
Tomato paste – Be sure to use a good quality tomato paste, as it's the base of the sauce. Apple cider vinegar – Adds some bright tang to the seafood sauce, plus it helps to loosen up the tomato paste. Ground horseradish – Be sure to avoid horseradish sauce, which is mixed with mayo.
If you have a can of tomato paste in your pantry, you are in luck—this is the best substitution for tomato sauce. All you need is the tomato paste and water. Mix together 1 part tomato paste and 1 part water until well blended. Then, season your "sauce" to taste.
Fry sauce is a condiment often served with French fries or tostones (twice-fried plantain slices) in many places in the world. It is usually a combination of one part tomato ketchup and two parts mayonnaise.
Consuming this seafood sauce in moderation is good for your body, but having more than the recommended amount of the sauce may not be suitable for you, especially for those with blood pressure or diabetes. But, co*cktail Sauce can regulate the fat content in your body and provide you with good amount of carbohydrates.
What is the difference between ketchup and co*cktail sauce by the way? Nick Coe: Not much. Basic co*cktail sauce is chili sauce, which is a type of ketchup that has more peppers… and then you add horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.
"co*cktail sauce" is a bit of a misleading name since, despite all these varying mix-ins, the appetizer isn't made with alcohol. Instead, the name refers to the dish's prevalence in Prohibiton-era eateries and how it was served inside a co*cktail glass.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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