Recipes: Bloody mary mix not just for cocktails
While cocktail historians can’t agree on exactly who created the bloody mary, you don’t have to look far to see that the hangover cure has evolved from a study in simplicity (just vodka, tomato juice, lemon) to a picture of excess. Remember when your hangover cure came with nothing more than a celery stalk swizzle? Today you can find bloody marys garnished with everything from steak and sliders to lobster tails and sushi rolls.
But that’s just part of the story.
Did you know that bloody mary mix, whether store-bought or homemade, can stand in for tomato juice in recipes? I sure didn’t. Not until AJC Food and Dining Editor Ligaya Figueras told me about a Brunswick hot spot that uses Zing Zang mixer in its famous house chili. Now I confess I did a bit of eye-rolling when Ligaya broached the topic. But it didn’t take long for the bloody-mary lover in me to come around. Maybe a glug or two of Mr and Mrs T is what plain ole chili con carne and Andalusian gazpacho have been lacking all these years.
To get the recipe ideas rolling, I reached out to Nat Hendricks, an Atlanta native who has turned his father’s 55-year-old recipe for bloody mary mix into a sought-after bespoke brand that tastes good all by itself. Sister’s Sauce, founded in 2015 and named after the family’s first Llewellin setter, is used by such tony establishments as the Garden & Gun Club in Atlanta; Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, North Carolina; and Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.
“I have played around and put some in chili,” said Hendricks, 38, whose 12-year-old Millie and 7-year-old Mose are seventh- and eighth-generation descendants of Sister. Apparently, his family is as devoted to food as they are to raising bird dogs. As a kid, Nat enjoyed sandwiches of pate on country French bread while his classmates ate Lunchables. His mother, Kathy, is a student of French cuisine and used to teach cooking classes in their Ansley Park home. His father, Pete, always gave the bloody mary tutorial.
To Hendricks, Sister’s Sauce is too nuanced to enhance a bold dish like chili. “But something more delicate or lighter like a gazpacho, I think you kind of get to taste those flavors,” he said.
Many bloody mary mixes (including Sister’s) contain horseradish; it’s a flavor profile that marries well with seafood. I’d be inclined, then, to use a mixer to make a Mexican seafood cocktail (in which shrimp, oysters, octopus, etc., are served floating in a soupy sauce and eaten with a spoon). Or perhaps a seafood chowder or stew like cioppino. Minestrone and ribollita not so much.
As it turns out, Kathy Hendricks loves to pair tomato aspic with pickled shrimp and homemade mayonnaise, for an elegant appetizer. The Hendrickses graciously adapted their aspic recipe with Sister’s Sauce, and shared it with me to try. I didn’t have the wherewithal to pickle shrimp and whip up mayo on the fly, so it was plain old Duke’s mayo for me. Divine!
Now back to chili: Brian Bartels, author of “The Bloody Mary” (Tenspeed Press, $18.99), a delightful volume that pairs the history of the famous drink with 50 wonderful recipes, told me he hasn’t come across anyone who cooks with the cocktail mix. But he’s hip to the idea. “I would definitely put some in a homemade chili if I make one this winter!” he said via email. “Sounds delicious.”
Indeed, I had wonderful results with the chili recipes I concocted with Mr and Mrs T, which apparently does not contain horseradish. The sausage chili recipe published here is nicely sweet and tangy; the beef version I improvised with just a pinch of warm spice (cinnamon, clove, allspice) was also seriously good. I even figured out a ratio for making chili with bloody mary mix: For every 1 pound of ground meat, add one 14 1/2-ounce can of diced tomatoes and two cups of mix.
Would I run out and buy a mix to make chili? Probably not. But it’s a brilliant way to use up that bottle of mixer in the back of your fridge. Maybe pour yourself a final drink while the pot simmers.
RECIPES
Who knew bloody mary mix is the secret ingredient of many a pot of chili and tomato soup? You may also use the sauce in cold items such as aspic, gazpacho, dips and dressings. Maybe you’d like to stir up your own batch, or set up a bloody mary bar at your Super Bowl party (live or virtual). We provide a recipe for that, too.
Bloody Mary Chili
This recipe is a loose adaptation of Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili, from “The Joy of Cooking.” You may substitute beef, turkey, chicken or any combination thereof for the pork sausage. If you are having a chili party, we suggest setting out lots of toppings, such as grated cheddar, sour cream, scallions and raw or pickled jalapeno.
- 1 pound bulk pork sausage or country sausage
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 2 cups bloody mary mix
- 2 teaspoons maple or sorghum syrup or molasses
- 1 teaspoon apple-cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee (optional)
- 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans dark-red kidney beans (or other beans of choice such as pinto beans, black beans, etc.)
- Grated cheese, sour cream, sliced scallions or chopped onion, raw or pickled jalapenos for garnish (optional)
- Place sausage in a large lidded skillet or Dutch oven, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up the sausage until it is rendered and nicely browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate, and drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.
- Add onion, bell pepper, celery, chili powder, cumin, ground sage and black pepper; stir well to combine, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
- Return sausage to the skillet. Add diced tomatoes, bloody mary mix, syrup or molasses, vinegar and coffee (if using). Mix well, cover with lid, and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to medium-low, and cook for 30-45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Open the beans; drain and rinse if desired. (Some beans are covered with a thick, flavorful sauce; if that is the case, do not drain and rinse.) Stir in the beans and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with toppings on the side, if using. Makes 4-6 servings.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, based on 4: 488 calories (percent of calories from fat, 58), 25 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 33 grams total fat (10 grams saturated), 98 milligrams cholesterol, 1,833 milligrams sodium.
Sister’s Sauce Awesome Aspic
Hands down, Sister’s Sauce is the best store-bought bloody mary mix I’ve tried. This recipe is from the family of Sister’s Sauce owner Nat Hendricks. You can find Sister’s Sauce at Ansley Wine Merchants, Elemental Spirits, Lucy’s Market and Star Provisions. Or use any bloody mary mix of choice (including the DIY version included here).
- 2 1/2 cups Sister’s Sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 6 cloves
- 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered gelatin, softened in 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup minced celery
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 1 sprig parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely minced parsley and/or celery leaves for garnish (optional)
- Mayonnaise, for serving on the side (about 3/4 cup) (optional)
- In a small pot or saucepan over medium heat, bring the Sister’s Sauce, bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves to a gentle simmer. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and stir in softened gelatin. Cover with plastic, and chill until the mixture begins to thick, about 2 hours.
- Stir in celery, onion, parsley, olives and lemon juice. Turn into an oiled decorative mold, and chill until set, about 2 hours, or overnight.
- To unmold, run a knife around the edges of the mold; then place mold in a large bowl of hot water just long enough to loosen aspic. Place serving platter over the mold, and turn upside down to release aspic. Garnish with parsley or celery leaves, if using, and serve with mayonnaise on the side, if desired. Serves 6.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 53 calories (percent of calories from fat, 24), 3 grams protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 1 gram total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 432 milligrams sodium.
DIY Bloody Mary Mix
While store-bought bloody mary mix can be used in numerous hot and cold dishes, perhaps you’d like to concoct your own. To make a bloody, combine 3 ounces of mix with 2 ounces of vodka; shake and serve over ice with your preferred accouterment (celery stalks, olives, pickled okra, lemon, lime, etc.). If you think you might be using leftover mix to cook dishes that don’t have a classic bloody mary profile, we suggest leaving out the horseradish. Just add prepared horseradish when you make your cocktail.
- 25 ounces tomato juice
- 3 ounces Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 ounces olive brine
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (smoked salt works nicely)
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- Pour tomato juice into a pitcher or wide-mouth quart jar, and add Worcestershire sauce, olive brine, lemon juice, horseradish, black pepper, salt, celery seeds and Sriracha. Mix well to combine. Cover and chill. Shake well before using. Makes enough for 10 drinks.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, based on 10: 33 calories (percent of calories from fat, 22), 1 gram protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 1 gram total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 361 milligrams sodium.— Adapted from “The Bloody Mary” by Brian Bartels (Tenspeed Press, $18.99)
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