Cocktail Sauce
A bold, five-minute cocktail sauce made from ketchup and prepared horseradish, brightened with fresh lemon juice and Worcestershire, that beats any bottled version with a sharp, sinus-clearing bite.
Equipment
- Small glass mixing bowl - 1 quart (1 liter) capacity; glass does not react with the acid
- Small whisk - A mini whisk breaks up horseradish clumps better than a spoon
- Measuring cups - 1 cup (240 ml) measure for the ketchup
- Measuring spoons - Tablespoon, teaspoon, and half-teaspoon amounts
- Citrus juicer - Handheld juicer for half a lemon
- Silicone spatula - Scrapes the bowl clean into the storage jar
- Glass jar with airtight lid - 12 ounce (350 ml) jar for storing the full batch
- Small ceramic serving bowls - For individual dipping portions
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup - 240 g; sweet, tangy tomato base, a version without high fructose corn syrup gives a cleaner flavor
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish - 45 g, plus up to 1 tablespoon (15 g) more for extra heat; refrigerated horseradish has a sharper bite than a shelf jar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - 15 ml; about half of a small lemon, seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce - 5 ml; adds savory, slightly tangy depth
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce - 2.5 ml, such as Tabasco; vinegar-based hot sauce adds a second layer of heat
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - 0.5 g; pre-ground pepper works but tastes flatter
Instructions
- Squeeze half a small lemon to get 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of juice and pick out any seeds. Measure the ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and black pepper.
- Add the ketchup to a small glass bowl, spoon the horseradish on top, and whisk for about 30 seconds until no pale clumps remain and the color is uniform red with tiny flecks.
- Pour in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, then sprinkle in the black pepper. Whisk for 15 to 20 seconds until smooth and glossy.
- Taste with a clean spoon and wait a few seconds for the heat to build. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of horseradish a teaspoon at a time for heat, or a few drops of lemon juice for tang.
- Transfer the sauce to a glass jar with an airtight lid, scraping the bowl clean, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the horseradish blends into the ketchup.
- Give the sauce one last stir, spoon it into small serving bowls, and serve cold with shrimp, oysters, crab, or fried seafood.
Notes
- Start with 3 tablespoons of horseradish and taste before adding more; a heaping scoop at the start can make the sauce too sharp to dip.
- Use a whisk instead of a spoon to break up horseradish clumps that otherwise create pockets of intense heat.
- Use a recently opened jar of prepared horseradish, since the heat fades once a jar has been open for a while.
- Fresh lemon juice tastes brighter than bottled, which can be dull and slightly bitter.
- Very sweet ketchups can overpower the horseradish, so choose a tomato-forward brand for a sharper sauce.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) before serving; the flavor intensifies as it sits, so stop seasoning slightly before it tastes perfect.
- Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 2 weeks; do not freeze, as thawing makes it watery and dulls the horseradish.
- Do not leave the sauce at room temperature for more than 2 hours; on a hot day, serve it in a bowl set over ice.
- To fix a sauce that is too hot, stir in a tablespoon of ketchup or a squeeze of lemon; to fix a mild sauce, whisk in horseradish a teaspoon at a time and wait a few minutes before tasting.
- For a chili sauce variation, replace half of the ketchup with ½ cup (120 g) of chili sauce for a chunkier, spicier result.
Nutrition
Serving: 2TablespoonsCalories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 0.5gSodium: 270mgSugar: 6gVitamin C: 2mg
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