The whitest thing about me—and there is a lot to choose from—is my love for mayonnaise. I think it’s great. Not only is it an essential part of nearly every sandwich, it can be mixed in or spread on a whole variety of foods to excellent, delicious results. Even if you consider yourself a proud mayo-hater, I encourage you to take a peek at the following suggestions and recipes, some of which you “can’t even taste the mayo” in. Trust me, as a white lady from northern Mississippi, I know what I’m talking about.
Making your own
Photo: A.A. Newton
I have nothing against store-bought mayo, be it Duke’s, Hellman’s, or Kewpie, but homemade mayo is in a league of its own. Whether you want to make a tangy Duke’s-style spread (I like to add extra paprika), a smoky duck fat-based mayo, or something a little wild like cheese mayo, the only special tool you’ll need is an immersion blender, which makes the process easy and breezy. (Don’t have an electric mixing implement of any kind? Don’t worry. We have a guide for making mayo without a blender.)
Our favorite immersion blenders for makin’ mayo:
Brushing it all over a chicken and seafood
Photo: Claire Lower
Mayo is an emulsion of egg, oil, sugar, and some sort of acid, and that combination of ingredients makes it an excellent browning agent for poultry skin. Just brush it on before roasting and let those proteins and sugars transform that flabby outer layer into something crisp and crackling. If you’re worried about tasting the mayo, don’t. It doesn’t add much, which is why I like to mix in a little Worcestershire sauce or crumbled bouillon before brushing it on the bird.
Photo: Claire Lower
Mayonnaise can also act as an excellent breading substrate. Rather than dipping in egg and/or milk, you can paint it on your chicken pieces in a completely even layer, meaning nary an inch of nug goes un-breaded. You can also season the mayo directly, giving an extra layer of flavor to your nugs and tenders.
If you’re cooking fish, shrimp, or steak, brushing a little bit mayo on the outside of those proteins before tossing them on a hot grill or skillet can promote browning and discourage sticking at the same time. Mayo’s gel-like makeup means you can put it exactly where you want it, without the risk of oily splash-back, and keep more delicate foods like salmon or prawns from getting torn up on the hot metal. For heartier proteins like steak, it creates a most excellent crust.
Spreading it on your breakfast sandwich
Photo: Claire Lower
For some reason, people don’t treat breakfast sandwiches the way they treat other sandwiches. They fear condiments (and pickles), which can lead to one relying too heavily on egg yolk for lubrication and flavor. Though a yolk can act as a sauce of sorts, its application on a sandwich is uneven at best. What about the yolk-less portions of the sandwich? Should they be left all dry and sad? No. No way. Add a swipe of mayo and let that sandwich sing.
Using it to make easy sauces and dressings
Photo: Claire Lower
Replacing or supplementing your salad oil with a bit of mayonnaise, you can makes for a creamier, dreamier vinaigrette. Incidentally, the “last bit” of mayo that clings to the sides of the jar is usually the perfect amount, and you can use the almost-empty jar to shake all of the ingredients together.
Mayo also makes a pretty good marinade, especially when combined with extra-savory miso, garlic, and lemon. The combination also makes a stellar dip and sandwich spread—try it on your next burger, or your next crudite platter, or your next batch of grilled chicken breasts if you don’t believe me. It just might make you appreciate everything the sauce has to offer
Photo: Claire Lower
Wilted, pathetic-looking herbs still have a good bit of flavor trapped inside their cellular walls, and you can free that flavor by blending them into some mayonnaise, even if they’ve turned to mush. Aim for a ratio of one cup of mayonnaise for every cup of roughly chopped herbs and alliums. If you’re dealing with woody guys (like rosemary or thyme), remove the leaves from the stems, but tender herbs can be tossed in whole.
Making better mashed potatoes
Photo: Claire Lower
There is always some knee-jerk, anti-mayo backlash to this particular hack, but trust me when I say that a few tablespoons of this excellent emulsifier will up the creaminess factor in your mash like you wouldn’t believe. (Also, you won’t be able to taste it. My stepmom has been adding mayonnaise to our mashed potatoes since I was a child, and I didn’t know until 2016.)
Baking with it
Photo: Ahanov Michael (Shutterstock)
An egg wash it key to creating a shiny, golden finish on baked goods and pastries, and mayo is mostly eggs. If you’re out of whole eggs, or don’t want to crack into your egg supply, you can use mayo in their place. Just brush it on. A thin, translucent layer is plenty. On a scale from “egg white only” to “egg yolk only,” this wash clocks in as a dead ringer for the yolk-only approach, thanks to the little bit of sugar present in the condiment (and the eggs, obviously).
Mayonnaise can also help you bake better cakes, especially chocolate ones. As we’ve explained previously, “...the oil makes the cake tender, the egg helps the batter retain moisture, and the acid in the vinegar really brings out the chocolate flavor.”
If you’re worried about tasting the mayo in either of these cases, don’t be. Unless you’re using something flavored, like garlic mayo, you’re palate will be none the wiser.
This post was originally published in June 2021 and was updated on July 18, 2023 to include additional information and photos and to take it out of slideshow format.
