FOOD NEWS
Ranking Grocery-Store Cocktail Sauce Brands From Worst To Best
BY SAMANTHA MAXWELL
7. Signature Select
Signature Select's cocktail sauce is budget-friendly to pair with your seafood. It has a distinct tang but not enough to counter its cloying sweetness.
This sauce is on the thinner side. While you can give it a slight upgrade if you have lemon juice and some extra horseradish, you may be better off simply opting for other brands.
6. Primal Kitchen
Primal Kitchen's sauce has a prominent cinnamon flavor that overwhelms all the other complex flavors. Unless you like this flavor, you won't enjoy this sauce.
Costing $8.39 for an 8.5-ounce bottle, it nicely balances sweetness and acidity, with the sauce having no added sugar. It's also quite thick, so it stands up well to shrimp.
5. Waterfront
Waterfront Bistro cocktail sauce costs $2.50 for a 10-ounce bottle and comes in a squeeze bottle for easy servings. However, it disappoints with its watery texture.
This consistency makes it difficult to scoop up much sauce when dipping shrimp into a bowl of it. Flavor-wise, it isn't bad, as it offers a lovely tanginess and balanced sweetness.
4. Heinz
Heinz cocktail sauce is spicier than most other sauces on this list, with plenty of horseradish to deliver that kick of flavor that cocktail sauce is known for.
Its texture is thick, which makes for easier scooping, and it won't leave a watery ring on your plate. A 12-ounce bottle costs only $3.79 and is widely available.
3. Backyard Food Co.
Backyard Food Co.'s cocktail sauce is somewhat a mix between cocktail sauce and barbecue sauce. It also has a smokier flavor unlike other cocktail sauces.
It has a weight and richness that makes it more flavorful. It packs a lot of tang without being too sweet and is perfect if you want a cocktail sauce with more complex flavors.