Mix Up Hoisin Sauce And Mayo For A Perfect Sandwich Slathering

If you've never worked with it before, hoisin sauce is basically barbecue sauce's hotter, cooler older sister who went to art college and listens to better music than you. Hoisin is a thick, brown condiment that combines fermented soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chilis, and sugar for a sweet-tart, salty, umami profile that lends instant dimensionality to any dish you smear it on -- which is why hoisin-mayo belongs on your next sandwich.

Hoisin sauce is a key ingredient in stir-frys, moo shu pork, and Peking duck, but it's also commonly used in Chinese cuisine as a dipping sauce or a finishing drizzle. The midway point between those two camps, arguably, is a sandwich spread. When paired, creamy, tangy mayonnaise adds richness to the already-viscous hoisin sauce but slightly tones down its bold flavors with a blanket of mildness.

If you've ever made a quick homemade chipotle aioli before (aka jarred mayo mixed with a drizzle of sriracha), then the assembly for this crave-able hoisin-mayo should look familiar. Just stir 'em together until you've achieved your desired pungency. ¼ cup hoisin sauce and ¾ cup mayonnaise is a solid jumping-off ratio, but feel free to adjust your proportions. Store your hoisin mayonnaise in a resealable airtight container or lidded Mason jar in the fridge to keep on hand to easily incorporate hoisin flavor into your go-to recipe rotation.

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Ferment Your Way To Sandwich Stardom With A Little Help From Hoisin

You can find hoisin sauce in the Asian ingredient aisle of most grocery stores, in Asian specialty groceries, and from a variety of online retailers. Or, if you're feeling ambitious, you can even whip up a batch of homemade hoisin sauce yourself in five minutes. Want it richer? Swap the regular mayo for umami-bomb Kewpie mayonnaise. Don't have time to hit the store? No sweat. We've got a killer copycat Kewpie mayo recipe ready for ya (just don't forget to add the MSG). Also, despite its savory umami taste, and despite the fact that the word "hoisin" comes from the Chinese word for seafood, hoisin sauce is totally vegan-friendly. For a vegan hoisin-mayo sandwich spread, opt for a plant-based jarred mayonnaise.

For a sweet-savory-umami upgrade, smear your hoisin-mayo on these Ground Pork Lettuce Wraps with honey and chili flakes. Or you could spread it on hoagie rolls for sweet-umami oyster sauce meatball subs with scallions, grated ginger, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts. Hoisin-mayo would also instantly upgrade sandwich classics like turkey clubs, BLTs, and grilled cheeses. It doesn't have to be limited to sandwiches either. A little hoisin-mayo drizzle would make this Mongolian Beef Salad a next-level lunch. Or add a dollop to roasted sweet potatoes or a chicken broccoli saute to help your lunch meal prep stay interesting by day three.

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