Comeback Sauce

As a born-and-bred Yankee, I never thought I would find myself making countless trips to and from the Deep South. Lo and behold, my sister found her prince charming in the form of a Southern gentleman from Jackson, Mississippi. After they got married and relocated to Mississippi, I soon began to enjoy the pleasure of frequent food-fueled visits and took a deep dive into the traditional cuisine of the region. Suddenly I couldn’t get enough of the crawfish boil from the local shack down the street, and no party seemed complete without sweet tea and cheese straws. But of all the local foods, I have to say comeback sauce is hands-down my favorite.

I first tasted this incredible salad dressing meets dipping sauce at the picturesque H.D. Gibbes & Sons restaurant in Learned, Mississippi. Along with my order of redfish, I could pick two sides and one of the options was a salad served with comeback sauce, so of course I had to try it. From the first bite, I was hooked.

I used to ship back bottles of commercially produced comeback sauce from the grocery store, and I soon learned how to make it from scratch. Just a few seconds in the blender or food processor to make this sauce and you can be transported to Mississippi. This recipe makes a good amount of sauce, but it can be used in countless ways. A salad dressing is always a good choice, but using it as a dip is an extra-special treat. You can even use it as a sandwich spread or on hamburgers.

If Mississippi had an official condiment, it would be comeback sauce. Think of it as a spicier, more interesting version of Thousand Island dressing.

Comeback sauce can be used as a salad dressing, a condiment for dipping onion rings or french fries, or as a substitute for mayonnaise in deviled eggs.

Comeback sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.