This cocktail sauce is incredibly delicious and super easy to make. Pair it with shrimp and it makes a delicious appetizer. After you make this sauce, you will never buy it at the store again. And you only need three ingredients to make it. You can serve it with shrimp or fresh oysters. Your guest will be raving about this cocktail sauce.
What does horseradish taste like?
Horseradish has a very strong peppery and spicy hot flavor. It will clear your sinuses if you eat too much of it. It is best when its mixed with something, such as ketchup, mayo, or sour cream. Horseradish does not have the heat that a hot pepper has, it does not burn your mouth, but instead its peppery spicy hot flavor affects the nose and sinuses.
How to use fresh horseradish
To use fresh horseradish, I peel off the brown peel and grate the amount I need. The rest I put it in a freezer bag and freeze it. I use fresh horseradish to make cocktail sauce, horseradish cream, horseradish mayo, or even add it to a creamy pasta sauce.
Fresh horseradish vs prepared horseradish
I am team fresh horseradish all the way. I love to use it fresh and I always have it on hand. I use what is needed for a recipe, then freeze the rest. I do the same with ginger and always have it available. One thing to note is, that sometimes it can lose a little bit of its pungency, so you may need to add more. I have utilized prepared horseradish before, but it tastes a bit like egg to me. So, I always use the fresh stuff. Believe it or not I find that the fresh horseradish is milder in flavor than the prepared horseradish.
Some people use the prepared horseradish to make horseradish cream, but I prefer fresh horseradish. I find that the taste is fresh and not super overpowering.
Best shrimp for shrimp with cocktail sauce
There are many different types of variety of shrimp and sizes at the grocery stores. Some stores carry more varieties than others. I like to buy shrimp that is large and precooked. I personally like to use anything that is extra-large or larger. But this is a preference some people may prefer smaller ones.
Here is a helpful guide I found on sizes of shrimp.
You could also buy uncooked shrimp and cook it yourself, but why go through all that trouble when the precooked shrimp is already chilled and cooked to perfection.
How to make cocktail sauce
To make cocktail sauce you will need ketchup, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce (optional). I start by peeling off the brown peel with a peeler, then I grate the amount I need. For this recipe, I use 1 cup of ketchup, 4 tablespoons of grated horseradish, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (optional). I place all the ingredients in a blender, blend it, and its done! Its that easy. I like to chill the sauce in the fridge for at least an hour. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for several days.
Here is another great appetizer – Chipotle Deviled Eggs
Cocktail Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 4 tablespoons horseradish fresh
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Peel off the brown peel with a peeler from the fresh horseradish, then grate 4 tablespoons of horseradish
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend.
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour
