Favorite Uses for Mayonnaise

[NulloModo]

Hey,

A recent comment in the hot-dog thread combined with some other posts I have read around make me wonder if I don't have some odd views on the use of mayo.

I will come out and admit it, I find mayonaisse to be a wonderful comment suited for just about any and all situations. Hot dog? gotta have some mayo, same with a cheeseburger (or a cheesteak for that matter), or pastrami on rye, or a rueben, peanut butter on toast, or liverwurst and onion. Really, as far I'm concerned there is nothing that mayo doesn't go with. Heck, it is even the perfect topping (along with tons of vinegar) for french fries.

What possibly bizarre and strange uses for mayo do you have? How do you enjoy it most? Do you make it yourself, or are you just as happy with storebrought?

Let the emulsified love-fest flow.

[Gary]

I made my own mayo once... sort of a tribute to Julia Child. I even whisked it by hand. Nobody in the house would touch it but me. Taste was OK but not overwhelming considering the effort put in. Maybe kicking it up a notch and turning it into aioli would have made it better.

Anyway, I'm from a Miracle Whip family. Tough to break old habits.

[Gifted Gourmet]

What possibly bizarre and strange uses for mayo do you have?  How do you enjoy it most?  Do you make it yourself, or are you just as happy with storebrought?

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Of course after making my own, I still find it simpler and just about as close to either Hellman's or Kraft ... once went to a taste testing/market research group on these two types ... came out with a deeper appreciation for Hellman's ...

Low fat mayos and Miracle Whip still verboten in my home ... for obvious reasons ...

Unusual uses? Wasn't there a thing a long time ago about using it as a treatment for dried out hair? but that isn't culinary ...

[fifi]

Hellman's in my house. Even better, my local grocery has started carrying the Hellman's Mayonessa which is made with lime juice. I rarely make my own. I also admit to preferring mayo over mustard on hot dogs (the dog must be burnt) and cheeseburgers. The one habit that I picked up in the Netherlands is french fries dipped in mayo. That raises some eyebrows. But, they have these wonderful stands for "frites" and this lovely mayonaise that is somehow lighter and often carries some flavoring, like Sambal, my favorite. I am told that the stuff they serve is a Belgian style mayonaise. I would like to learn how to make that.

[Lone Star]

I use Hellman's for anything I need mayonnaise for. I will make a special trip to the store for it to avoid using anything else.

I have never liked mayonnaise as a condiment, only as a salad dressing for tuna, chicken and potato salads etc...

[*Deborah*]

Miracle Whip for many things (tuna salad, pasta or potato salads, etc.) although I will use mayo and lemon in a pinch; I think mayo tastes greasy without that lemon in most applications. BUT mayo on fries is a very good thing, and a Clubhouse needs mayo on the toast, not Miracle Whip.

I really rue the day I read the Miracle Whip label, though.

Hellman's over Kraft.

[Ling]

I like both Miracle Whip and Hellman's, on different foods.

I prefer the tang of Miracle Whip in chicken salad, tuna salad, and sandwiches etc. but there's no substitute for mayonnaise on burgers, fries, and baked salmon.

edit: I've made aioli several times, but I'm too lazy to make it on a regular basis. I have both Miracle Whip and Hellman's in the fridge.

Edited February 15, 2005 by Ling (log)

[daniellewiley]

I used to be a Hellman's-only kind of gal, but we've switching to the Whole Foods 365 brand mayo. I'm just too freaked out by the thought of non-organic eggs. And the 365 brand uses canola, which is nice.

No one in my family has noticed the difference. We mostly use it for egg salad, chicken salad, potato salad, etc.

[Busboy]

I'm taking down the names of everyone who admits to using Miracle Whip and will use it against you some where down the line....

We do homemade if it's for something special -- cumin/lime mayo for pork sandwiches, something resembling aioli for shrimp -- but otherwise we "bring out the Hellman's and bring out the best."

Miracle whip (mutters to himself...).

[DTBarton]

I meant no disrespect in the hot dog thread, just a gentle jest. Food (like art, wine, music, and stereo equipment) is thoroughly subjective. If you like it, it's good!

I tend to be old fashioned though, with respect to condiment usage. What to me is kosher deli stuff (beef dogs, knockwurst, corned beef, pastrami) I like with mustard. I guess this tradition stems from real kosher delis that would not have mayonaise on the premises. I prefer mayonaise on turkey or roast beef sandwiches (actually both mayo and mustard together on the roast beef is good, horseradish essential), can go either way on burgers.

As for making it, I agree with previous posts. I have made it, but been underwhelmed with the results, probably a personal problem or lack of practice. For brands, I'm partial to Hellman's over Kraft. Wife likes Duke's, but she's a true southerner, I think that helps you to be a Duke's fan.

[bilrus]

One fact about Mayonnaise that I remember from a colleg emarketing class is that brand loyalty for Mayonnaise is higher than for any other consumer product - something like 97 or 98 percent.

In other words - if you like one brand you most likely won't be switching any time soon.

I'm a Hellman's man myself.

[scott123]

I am more loyal to Hellman's than I am to any other brand and have been so since I was an adolescent.

I like mayo in some unorthodox scenarios as well. On hot dogs, hamburgers, fries. Mixed with BBQ sauce, sf honey/mustard, ketchup, lemon pepper, blue cheese, garlic/sour cream, you name it.

I'm also partial to a liberal smear of mayo on a piece of bread then cheese on that and then a trip to the broiler.

[Lone Star]

One fact about Mayonnaise that I remember from a colleg emarketing class is that brand loyalty for Mayonnaise is higher than for any other consumer product - something like 97 or 98 percent.

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You know, I have never really thought about it, but that must be true. I don't really care what type of ketchup or generic yellow mustard I use, but I do care about the mayonnaise.

Perhaps it is because a lot of the salad-type dishes are so time consuming and sometimes expensive to make, we want only what we periceve to be "the best".

[judiu]

A generous schmeer of Hellmann's on the outside of a Swiss on rye, then into the frying pan for a great grilled cheese. Hellmann's mixed with onions, a bit of lemon juice, a little dash of water for texture, some garlic, a dab of horseradish and s&p is a great dip for shrimp, and Hellmann's 1:1 with seedless raspberry jam and a slug of decent mustard goes great on leftover roast chicken breast! Oh, yeah, almost forgot: fresh warm tomatoes out of the garden, sliced, with Hellmann's and sugar !

Edited because I forgot the tomatoes, and my grandfather would never forgive me!

Edited February 15, 2005 by judiu (log)

[bloviatrix]

On the rare chance we use commercial mayo it's Hellman's. But it's just so easy to make it homemade that I rarely buy it. Right now we're on a chipotle mayo kick. It's great with smoked meats.

[Viola da gamba]

Hellman's here too, unless we want aioli or some other mayonnaise type dip - then it's homemade. Mayonnaise with fries - definitely - and for my favourite fat-fest, bacon & brie sandwiches with Hellman's on both pieces of lightly toasted bread, . If I want to pretend there's a vegetable in there, I'll add some iceberg lettuce.

[ludja]

If purchasing mayo, I always buy Helllmans (on the west coast, it is the same stuff but called "Best Foods").

I like to make mayo for certain apps; like if I want aioli or some other flavored mayo.

One other favorite is to make a Southern Mayonnaise using cider vinegar and flavoring with cayenne pepper. This is great on freshly sliced tomatoes in the summer.

Edited February 15, 2005 by ludja (log)

[CaliPoutine]

Miracle whip will NEVER cross my lips. Oh gosh, its vile.

I like Hellman's and lately trader joes mayo is really good. No preservatives.

[Behemoth]

Wow, I wouldn't have thought I was in the minority here. I make my own. In a blender, there's nothing to it. The only downside being that I end up with a cup of mayo I need to use for something. (Any suggestions welcome, BTW...)

[NulloModo]

I think the loyalty comment about mayo is spot on. I bought a big jar of Acme brand mayo a bit ago because it was cheap, and wow, the stuff just seemed vile. I am also not a huge fan of miracle whip, it just tastes disgustingly sweet to me.

Oh, how could I have forgotten about club sandwhiches, truly, they must be thickly slathered. BMLTs as well, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and enough mayo to make it a named ingredient.

I am curious what else everyone uses mayo on, the texture, the taste, the richness, just seems such a perfect addition to so many things. I saw a recipe for a 'mayo cake' a bit ago, and honestly, I have to say that I never thought about using mayo in sweet baked goods before, but people seem to be raving over it. Then again, eggs, oil, and salt usually go into baked goods so it isn't that much of a stretch...

[Busboy]

On the rare chance we use commercial mayo it's Hellman's.  But it's just so easy to make it homemade that I rarely buy it.  Right now we're on a chipotle mayo kick.  It's great with smoked meats.

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So, how long does homemade mayo last?

[zilla369]

No Hellman's. Duke's!!!

[francois]

I make mayo at least once a week. It is great with asparagus, cold meats, leftover fish, etc, etc. It is so easy and fast to make in small amounts by hand (1 egg yolk, 2/3 cups of oil), just a couple of minutes. Much faster than cleaning the blender. It lasts for several days, specially if made with grapeseed oil. Otherwise it tends to seperate when cold.

Strange, I thought most people on eGullet would make there own mayo...

In a tomato sandwich, I admit that I prefer Helman's.

Edited February 15, 2005 by francois (log)

[Gifted Gourmet]

So, how long does homemade mayo last?

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Making your mayonnaise? Make sure to keep it refrigerated at all times since it has no preservatives. Make only what you are going to use... lasts a few days ...

[bleachboy]

I'm a mayo fanatic.

I'm a Hellmann's man.

I've made homemade mayo a bunch of times and I must say that I prefer Hellmann's. I usually do homemade just because I'm out of Hellmann's.

Hellmann's plus dried garlic powder equals an aioli that is -- in my opinion -- superior to a more traditional one. Absolutely spectacular with fries or hot potato chips.

Mayo on hot dogs? Yes (esp. with 50/50 dijon mustard) Mayo on burgers? A resounding HELL yes. Slather the bottom bun good to combine with the burger juices for a spectacular sauce. Any mayo-based dip is great.

Mayo!