Bacon Mayonnaise: Recipe, Technique, Uses

Mayonnaise is a much-beloved condiment, the backbone of classic recipes like potato salad and an essential ingredient in any sandwich. But bacon mayonnaise? What on earth is it? And why on earth would anyone ever make such a thing? Well, despite what you may think, bacon mayonnaise is not just a prank to strike fear into the heart of your cardiologist. Mayonnaise made with bacon fat is absolutely delicious and can be used in place of regular mayonnaise to kick any recipe up a notch.

Mayonnaise in general is a simple emulsion of oil and egg yolk, flavored with a touch of lemon or vinegar for tang and mustard for stability, seasoned to taste with salt, pepper and even sugar. Supermarket mayonnaise is usually made with a mild tasting oil like vegetable or soybean oil, so that the flavor of the seasoning comes through. However, mayonnaise can be made with any type of oil, including olive oil, nut oils or even bacon grease! Cooking one pound of bacon generally yields approximately 1/2 cup of grease, depending on how lean the bacon is - the perfect amount for the following recipe.

1/2 cup bacon grease, liquefied but NOT hot, strained or unstrained (leaving the grease unstrained will result in crunchy brown bits of bacon in your finished bacon mayonnaise)

1 egg yolk

1.5 tsp lemon juice (more or less to taste, can substitute vinegar)

1/2 tsp mustard (dry or prepared, more or less to taste)

Salt, pepper and/or sugar to taste

Whisk the egg yolk with the lemon juice, mustard and seasoning until well blended. While whisking vigorously, slowly add the bacon grease, a few drops at a time, until the mixture begins to thicken (this means an emulsion is forming). Once the mixture is thick, you can add the remaining oil in a steady (but still slow) stream. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate. Bacon mayonnaise will be a runnier consistency than supermarket mayonnaise at room temperature, but firms up nicely in the refrigerator.

Bacon mayonnaise can also be made in a blender, but you must be very careful not to allow your blender to overheat the ingredients, which can cause the emulsion to break. Because bacon grease must be room temperature or warm to be liquid, it is easy to overheat bacon mayonnaise while making it. If your bacon mayonnaise becomes grainy and separates, your emulsion has broken. This can easily be repaired by allowing the broken mayonnaise to cool slightly, then in a clean bowl, beat another egg yolk and slowly add the broken mayonnaise to it, whisking constantly until a new emulsion forms.

Bacon mayonnaise can be used in any recipe that calls for mayonnaise, but it is especially good in recipes that contain bacon, as it reinforces the delectable smoky pork flavor. It is terrific on BLT sandwiches, in potato or egg salad, on bacon cheeseburgers or used as a base for blue cheese salad dressing. Bon appétit!