Jezebel sauce is a sweet and spicy condiment popular in southern states, traditionally served with pork and chicken but also used as a topping for cream cheese and crackers. The base consists of peach, apricot, or pineapple preserves mixed with apple jelly, horseradish, and dry mustard. Variations include adding chili flakes or ginger, and it can be served with tortilla chips or mixed with cream cheese.
Jezebel sauce is claimed by a number of southern states, including Mississippi, Kansas and Louisiana. The inclusion of mustard, horseradish, or both as a zippy sheet to the sweet fruit jelly or preserves that make up the milder side of the sauce adds spicy heat. Traditionally, Jezebel Sauce is served with pork and chicken dishes, as well as an accompaniment to beef dishes. Aficionados insist that the sauce should always be served with ham or meatloaf; some go so far as to say that the local police will issue tickets for cooks who serve these dishes unaccompanied.
Many Southerners swear, however, that the sauce shows its true value not as a flavor-enhancing dish companion to meat but as a sweetly sharp topping for cream cheese and cocktail crackers. This can be served simply, with thin slices of cream cheese offered on a plate with the crackers and salsa in a small bowl. For a more elaborate presentation, a “cheesecake” can be created by beating cream cheese and forming it into a small, circular cake. Cooking a dollop of the sauce atop cream cheese as a glaze results in a treat that’s as delicious as it is delicious.
The sweet base of a truly Southern Jezebel sauce typically combines peach, apricot, or pineapple preserves with an equal amount of apple jelly. To this is added a good deal of strong horseradish and dry mustard. Home cooks across the South mix these basic ingredients together and keep them for a week or two in mason jars in the refrigerator, though most cooks will report that the contents rarely last that long.
Traditionalists say the only true Jezebel sauce variations are the result of larger or smaller amounts of horseradish and dry mustard or fresh cracked pepper. Cooks not tied to the seasoning story can heed the wind, experimenting with different fruit jellies or preserves, or adding red or hot chili flakes. Some toss in some chopped yellow raisins that have been soaked in white grape juice. Others start with a base that uses canned fruit and canned crushed pineapple rather than apple jelly.
Cracker topping variations include substituting tortilla chips for crackers. Some cooks insist that this delicious sauce can be mixed with cream cheese rather than served on top to save time or make it simpler. Grating fresh ginger serves as a brilliant counterpoint by offering another kind of heat that complements the dessert.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
