Why Homemade Cocktail Sauce Gets Congealed (And How To Fix It)

Tangy with tomato and piquant with horseradish, cocktail sauce is the perfect accompaniment for seafood. While it's often paired with shrimp cocktail, this sauce also pairs well with other cold shellfish, from crab claws to poached lobster. Cocktail sauce is also a fantastic condiment to drizzle on top of omelets, crab cakes, and even hot dogs and burgers. You can even season a Bloody Mary with it for a spicy kick, perfect for Sunday brunch.

One of the many reasons cocktail sauce is so popular is that it's very simple to make at home. However, many home cooks have noticed that if left out for too long, cocktail sauce can congeal into a thick blob — a rather unappetizing sight. The change in consistency is primarily due to the pectin in the tomato sauce and the enzymes in the horseradish. To remedy this, stirring the sauce vigorously and adding additional liquids can help.

The chemical process behind congealed cocktail sauce is fascinating. Simply put, tomatoes naturally contain pectin, a type of soluble fiber found in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables. Pectin is responsible for giving tomatoes their characteristic gel-like consistency when processed. Horseradish, on the other hand, contains enzymes that are responsible for its characteristic pungent flavor. When grated horseradish, which is acidic, is mixed with tomato sauce, occasionally the chemical reaction between the pectin and the horseradish enzymes will result in a sauce that thickens up — or "gels" — even more. This enzymatic reaction helps explain why when cocktail sauce is left alone for an extended period of time, it becomes thick and congealed.

To bring your congealed cocktail sauce back to life, simply stir vigorously to break up the gelled portion. If the sauce is still too thick for your taste, you can add additional liquids, including a splash of water.

Now that you know cocktail sauce tends to congeal naturally but remains safe to eat, it's time to whip up a batch for your fridge. You will need ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, and finely minced garlic. You can purchase fresh horseradish and grate it into the mixture, or opt for the prepared versions available in jars. Remember, horseradish is a very pungent plant that tastes like Japanese wasabi. In fact, many commercially available wasabi pastes are simply ground-up horseradish that's been dyed green. So, the amount you use should depend on your tolerance for spicy flavors. 

Combine all ingredients together in a ramekin or small bowl, and taste. Add hot sauce until you reach your desired level of spiciness, and garnish with strips of lemon zest. When stored in the fridge, homemade cocktail sauce can keep for up to two weeks. Serve with your favorite cold shellfish platter, and enjoy.