Mason-Dixon Recipes

Comeback Sauce

"Y'all come back now, y'hear."

         — Southern saying

A classic Southern sauce, Comeback Sauce originated in Jackson, Mississippi. From a culinary standpoint, it's one of the few things that Mississippians can claim as their own, and it's remarkable.

One of the larger groups of Greek immigrants in the South settled in north-central Alabama to work in the mining and steel industries that fueled the local economy in the early and middle parts of the twentieth century. As the steel market softened and folks started to migrate, Greek families began setting up restaurants in and around Birmingham. As families grew, movement became inevitable, and a number of those families ended up moving west to Jackson, Mississippi. Out of them sprang comeback sauce.

It's similar in flavor to a Louisiana remoulade or Thousand Island dressing, but a bit more spicy. It goes well with fried seafood or chicken, but is just as tasty as a salad dressing, a dip for French Fries, or dressing for sandwiches and burgers. It tastes best after having been refrigerated beforehand.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup mayonnaise
¹/₄ cup chili sauce
¹/₄ cup ketchup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1¹/₂ tsp onion powder
1¹/₂ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight before using.

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