With the Big Game coming up this weekend, at our house, it is time for some burgers and fries to enjoy during half time. Now, just because we are called The Bourbon Baking Company doesn't mean that we don't cook regular food. Man (and woman) does not live on cookies alone. That just wouldn't be healthy.
So we decided that we need to up our burger game with a little something extra. And what better extra to add than some bourbon mayonnaise.
A lot of people might be intimidated by this, but mayonnaise really only takes about five minutes to make; it is remarkably easy. And trust me when I tell you that it tastes completely different than anything you will buy in the store. In the best way possible.
This starts with seven ingredients:
- An egg yolk
- A neutral oil such as canola oil
- Dijon mustard
- White vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
That's it.
The ingredient list, with quantities, looks like this:
- 1 egg yolk. I prefer to use pasture raised brown eggs for the extra color and because I like happy chickens.
- 150ml, or about 2/3 cup of a neutral oil such as canola oil. You can use some olive oil if you want, but don't use too much or it won't taste good. I speak from experience.
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar. You could use some white wine vinegar here if you wanted to
- 1 tablespoon of bourbon. I like to use 1845 Distilling Company's Texas Four Grant Straight Bourbon Whiskey because it adds a little bit of spiciness.
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of pepper
Mayonnaise is what is known as an emulsion; a blend of oil and a water based liquid. Hollandaise and Bearnaise sauce are also emulsions. When you combine the water and the oil, what you end up with is a thick mixture as the oil is suspended in the water.
After you gather all of your ingredients, grab a whisk and a metal bowl. Place the bowl on a towel on the counter to help hold the bowl in place. Place all of the ingredients, except the oil, in the bowl and mix them with the whisk until they are combined.
Now for the fun part, drizzle a little bit of the oil into the bowl and whisk like crazy. Don't stop. When all of the oil is incorporated into the mixture, add a little more oil. Keep whisking. You want to make sure that all of the oil molecules get incorporated into the other ingredients. As you add the oil, the mixture will start to thicken. Keep whisking. When about three quarters of the oil has been added, taste the mayonnaise. Feel free to add a little more salt or pepper at this point.
If the mayonnaise is thick enough for your tastes, you don't need to add all of the oil. Your end result should be thick but not oily.
This is what our final result is, on the burger with some steak fries.
