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| I snatched this photo off the web just to make people hungry! My sauce was a little thicker and darker. |
There wasn’t anything much to eat in the house last night so I boiled a bag of frozen shrimp that we had in the freezer. While the shrimp were thawing I searched the Internet for a recipe for Comeback Sauce. Comeback Sauce originated Mississippi, being introduced and then copied in several Jackson restaurants. The Mayflower Cafe is often cited as having an outstanding Comeback Sauce, although it apparently didn't originate there.
All recipes for Comeback Sauce contain chili sauce as one of the ingredients. I had never even heard of Heinz chili sauce before researching this recipe. I wonder how many other grocery items are lurking out there, being seen but not seen as I walk down the aisles?
I’ve made Comeback Sauce once or twice before, but I’ve never been able to remember which recipe I used. Last night I found one on the Grillax website which I thought was pretty good (the website also has more of the Mississippi history of the Comeback Sauce). It’s quick and easy to make. I changed the recipe a little and have noted my changes below the recipe:
Comeback Sauce
● 1 clove chopped garlic● 1 cup mayonaise
● 1/4 cup chili sauce
● 1 tsp. dry mustard
● ½ cup corn oil
● ½ t. Wocestershire sauce
● 1 t. black pepper
● 1t. paprika
● ½ t. onion powder
● 2 Tbl. lemon juice
● 1 t. water
● Dash of hot sauce
Put all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Make the day before or a few hours in advance if possible.
My changes
I followed the recipe above but used extra garlic out of a tube (probably two cloves worth) a generous teaspoon of dry mustard, a scant ½ cup of oil, a teaspoon or more of Worcestershire sauce, extra hot sauce (I used Tobasco), and I omitted the water. I also added a teaspoon of white pepper. So here are the ingredients in list form with my changes.
Comeback Sauce (Col. Reb version)
■ 1.5 to 2 cloves chopped garlic■ 1 cup mayonaise
■ 1/4 cup Heinz chili sauce
■ 1 ½ tsp. dry mustard
■ A scant ½ cup corn oil
■ 1 t. Wocestershire sauce (slightly more to taste)
■ 1 t. black pepper
■ 1 t. white pepper
■ 1t. paprika
■ ½ t. onion powder
■ 2 Tbl. lemon juice
■ Several dashes of Tobasco
This recipe makes a pretty generous amount, so it would be pretty easy to make this according to the “official” recipe, split in half, and then add a dab of mustard, Worcestershire, Tobasco, garlic, and a half-teaspoon of white pepper. A taste test could then determine which recipe was the “best.” I was very happy with my version.
The beauty of this sauce is that it is quick and easy to make, and everyone can modify it slightly to suit their own tastes. I know that since I’ve started eating shrimp with Comeback Sauce the jar of cocktail sauce has remained unused.
