This Jezebel sauce recipe is sweet, tangy, and pungent, made the classic Southern way with pineapple preserves, apple jelly, horseradish, and mustard. Spoon it over a block of cream cheese for the easiest appetizer around, or brush it onto a baked ham for the perfect glaze. Ready in 10 minutes with no cooking at all.
Jezebel sauce is a classic Southern recipe that starts out sweet, but finishes with a touch of pungent heat. The base is made with sweet pineapple preserves and apple jelly, with a kick from prepared horseradish and mustard. People in the South love their hot-sweet combination. It's more of a glaze than a sauce, rather a doctored up jelly.
I add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to enhance the heat factor, as well as a splash of apple cider vinegar, which isn't traditional, but it helps to balance the sweetness. You can heavy or light on the horseradish, depending on your preference.
You'll find Jezebel sauce served over cream cheese with a pile of crackers, which is a classic appetizer or snack, or brushed over ham as glaze. I tested it out both ways and more. Patty LOVES baked ham, and she had nothing but compliments, so this officially approved as a glaze.
Ten minutes to make, no cooking, and it gets even better after a night in the fridge. Let me show you how to make it.
About Jezebel Sauce
Jezebel sauce doesn't seem to have a very clear origin. It showed up around the 1950s in the U.S. South and Gulf region, Mississippi, Florida, and also Kansas. It is likely named from Queen Jezebel from the bible, her reputation lining up with the sweet flavors of the sauce that end with a bite.
Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pineapple preserves. Preserves with the little fruit bits, not jelly, for texture.
- Apple jelly. Milder sweetness and smooth. Note that this is jelly, made from juice, not apple butter. They are not interchangeable.
- Prepared horseradish. You want prepared horseradish, which is grated horseradish in vinegar and salt, not creamy "horseradish sauce," which is mostly mayonnaise and better for a dressing. Drain it and pat it dry with a paper towel before adding it. The liquid dilutes the sauce and adds bite without flavor.
- Dry mustard. I use Colman's, though use your favorite, or grind your own yellow mustard seeds. Dry mustard builds a slower, warmer heat. You can use yellow mustard as a substitute.
- Coarse black pepper. Flavor and background heat.
- Crushed red pepper flakes. Optional, and my own addition. For just a touch of chili heat.
- Apple Cider vinegar. Also not traditional. Just a bit of acid to balance out the large amounts of sweetness from the preserves and jelly. You don't taste it, but you'll know when it isn't there.
Substitutions
- Apricot preserves for the pineapple. I tested this and it's excellent. It's a little more jammy with a slightly less tropical flavor, definitely worth trying on its own.
- Peach preserves or orange marmalade also work in place of the pineapple. Marmalade add a touch of bitter that plays nicely against the horseradish.
- Can't find apple jelly? It isn't stocked everywhere. You can order it at Amazon, if needed. Pear jelly or a second jar of apricot will work. Do not substitute apple butter. It's completely different, darker, spiced, and much thicker, made for a completely different purpose. You can also experiment with other jellies, like pepper jelly, which is great.
How to Make Jezebel Sauce
Warm the pineapple preserves and apple jelly in a microwave-safe bowl for 20 to 30 seconds, just enough to loosen them up. Cold preserves are harder to whisk.
Whisk in the dry mustard, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cider vinegar, and salt until the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the drained horseradish last, after a slight cooling. Too much heat kills the volatile compounds that give horseradish its punch, so best to cool a bit to preserve that kick.
Jar it, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. You can use it right away, but the flavors really come together after a rest, and the horseradish mellows just right.
Stir before serving. BOOM. Done.
How Hot Is Jezebel Sauce?
Jezebel sauce is more pungent that hot. The zest factor comes from horseradish and mustard, which is different from chili pepper heat. It's more of a sharp heat that hits your sinuses and dissipates quickly.
You'll get plenty of that pungency with 2 tablespoons per cup or so, which I tested, though you can very easily double the amount for sharper, more pungent heat and horseradish flavor.
NOTE: Prepared horseradish pungency varies a lot by brand, but also by how long the jar has been open. A freshly opened jar will hot quite bit harder than an old jar from your refrigerator door. It's worth buying a new jar to get the real heat.
Adjust the Heat - Mild to Wild
Here's how to adjust it to get it right where you want it.
- Full wild. Stir in a tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce or a spoonful of chili crisp right before serving for heat and crunch. Or go full on with my ghost pepper jelly swap.
- A little warmth. Bump the crushed red pepper to 2 teaspoons.
- Pepper jelly swap. Replace half the apple jelly with pepper jelly, jalapeño jelly, or habanero jelly. I love this, because it keeps the texture and sugar while adding chili heat.
- Fresh chilies. Stir in a finely minced a serrano or habanero. Start with one and taste after the overnight chill.
How to Serve It
- Over cream cheese. The classic way. Set an 8-ounce block of cream cheese on a plate, let it come to room temperature, and pour Jezebel sauce over the top. Serve with buttery round crackers. People will love you if you bring this to the party. Patty and I almost ate a whole one ourselves!
- As a ham glaze. I brushed this on a spiral ham and it was outstanding. Apply it in the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking only. It's loaded with sugar and it will scorch if you put it on early. This earned kudos from Patty.
- On pork tenderloin or chicken. Brush it on at the end and let it caramelize. So good off the grill.
- With shrimp. Toss seared shrimp with a couple spoonfuls right in the skillet.
- On a biscuit. Split a biscuit, add country ham and a smear of pimento cheese, then spoon Jezebel sauce over it. This is a real thing in the South and it's addictive.
- As a dipping sauce. Chicken tenders, egg rolls, little smokies, fried shrimp, boom.
- Cheese board. Put some out next to a sharp cheddar and let people go to town.
Storage
Store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. It keeps for at least 2 weeks and the flavor continues to develop the first several days. The horseradish loses some of its bite over time, which some people prefer.
Keeping it golden. If your sauce turns dull brown after awhile, it's usually the ingredients. Darker jellies and older, oxidized horseradish can dull the golden amber color. Use light-colored apple jelly and a fresh jar of horseradish, stir the horseradish in last, and refrigerate immediately. It'll still taste great either way.
Freezing. Freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. It freezes nicely. One thing to watch for is that low-sugar jelly or preserves can affect the texture, since the sugar does a lot to hold everything together. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this recipe for Southern Jezebel sauce. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
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Jezebel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple preserves 10-ounce jar
- 1 cup apple jelly 10-ounce jar
- 1/4 cup prepared horseradish drained and patted dry
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard Colman's
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the pineapple preserves and apple jelly to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 20 to 30 seconds, just until loosened. This makes them much easier to whisk.
- Whisk in the dry mustard, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, cider vinegar, and salt until smooth.
- Stir in the drained horseradish last, off the heat, so it keeps its punch.
- Transfer to a jar, cover, and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors come together. Stir before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
FAQs
Is Jezebel sauce spicy?
It's pungent rather than spicy. The bite comes from horseradish and mustard, which is a sharp heat that hits fast and clears quickly, not the slow burn you get from chili peppers.
What is Jezebel sauce used for?
Two classics. Poured over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers as an appetizer, and brushed onto ham or pork as a glaze in the last few minutes of cooking. It also works as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders, shrimp, and egg rolls, and as a sandwich spread.
What can I use instead of apple jelly?
Pear jelly or apricot jelly are your best bets. Don't use apple butter. It's darker, thicker, and spiced, and it changes both the color and the flavor of the sauce entirely.
Why is it called Jezebel sauce?
Almost certainly after the biblical queen, whose name became shorthand for someone seductive and dangerous. The sauce tastes sweet and then turns on you, hence the name. Beyond that, nobody knows who first made it or named it.
Can you freeze Jezebel sauce?
Yes. Freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. It freezes nicely. If you're using low-sugar jelly or preserves, the texture can change and turn watery, since the sugar helps hold everything together. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and give it a good stir before serving.
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