The Hirshon Mississippi Comeback Sauce

Comeback Sauce Image Used Under Creative Commons License From meatsrootsandleaves.com

The South has a slew of iconic sauces: New Orleans has remoulade sauce, the Eastern half of North Carolina has vinegar-based barbecue sauce, and Mississippi has Comeback Sauce.

Now in case you haven’t heard of Comeback Sauce, don’t be surprised. It is barely known outside the Southern United States. That said, you’ve actually tried it if you’ve ever eaten a “Bloomin’ Onion” at Outback Steakhouse – the sauce is a clone of this famous Southern recipe.

You can use this delectable multi-purpose sauce as a salad dressing, a dip for appetizers, or just on crackers for a snack mixed with a bit of cream cheese. A cross somewhere between a rémoulade sauce and Thousand Island salad dressing, this is one sauce that can be claimed as a Mississippi original.

Comeback sauce originated in the 1930s at a Greek restaurant, The Rotisserie, located in Jackson, Mississippi. Known back then as simply their house dressing, it very quickly caught on, spreading across the city to other restaurants and eventually across the South.

Comeback’s essentials are garlic, chili sauce and mayonnaise. One theory about its name is that the recipe compels the diner to return for more.

The versatility of Comeback sauce is legendary. It is universally used as a salad dressing, a dip for fries, a condiment to be served with onion rings or fried mushrooms, a dip for crudités, and more!

I would like to think that my version of this legendary sauce would meet with great approval in the great state of Mississippi. I’ve specified the legendary Southern brands of condiments to make my version: Duke’s, Heinz and French’s. I also add capers and a touch of Cajun Spice, as well as a touch of curry powder.

Citizens, I hope you will give this tasty sauce a try! 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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2 large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup grated yellow onion
1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
¼ cup Heinz chili sauce
¼ cup Heinz ketchup
⅛ cup French’s yellow mustard
½ cup salad oil
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Large pinch of paprika
2 dashes Tabasco
2 T. Lemon Juice
1 T. capers, minced
1 T. caper liquid
Pinch or two of kosher salt
8 turns of the peppermill
1 teaspoon celery seeds, freshly ground
½ teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon K-Paul’s Cajun spice seasoning

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Place garlic and onion in blender and blend until mixed. Add other ingredients and blend well. Refrigerate.