I take the plunge and finally feature a recipe that includes homemade mayonnaise! Creamy pimento cheese — perfect on burgers, crackers, or as the key ingredient in a oh-so-gooey grilled cheese sandwich!
If you know me in real life, you would know that I do not like mayonnaise. So I am pretty sure that my friends and family will be scratching their heads when they read today’s post. I made mayonnaise. And I am making a recipe that calls for mayo. This is even the first Baked Bree recipe to include it as an ingredient.
So why did I make this you ask? Because I wanted to see if I could do it. And you know what, it was really easy to make. And I was so glad that it worked out because I was able to pair it with this delicious pimento cheese recipe, which will really knock your socks off.
Ingredients //
The Mayonnaise:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups Canola oil
The Pimento Cheese:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp sage, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups Colby cheese, shredded
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 (4 oz) jar chopped pimentos, drained
- salt and pepper
- hot sauce
How To Make Pimento Cheese // The Steps
Step 1: Start by making the mayonnaise. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, dry mustard, salt, sugar, and cayenne to the food processor.
Step 2: Pulse a few times until combined.
Step 3: Slowly, and I mean super slowly, drizzle the olive oil through the funnel with the food processor running.
Once all of the oil has been incorporated, you have mayo! Totally easy.
Quick tip – to make your cheese grate easier, put it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
Step 4: To make the pimento cheese, add one cup of mayo to a large bowl. Add sage, lemon juice, dry mustard, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and mix to combine.
Step 5: Add drained pimento and shredded cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste.
Step 6: Mix to combine. Serve with crackers.
What Makes This Pimento Cheese Recipe So Good? //
- Patience. This recipe will teach you patience. You have to dribble the oil into the food processor (you could also use a blender or an immersion blender) very, very, slowly for the mayonnaise to emulsify.
- It features homemade mayo, and any time you can make something at home instead of going with the store-bought stuff, you can rest knowing you’re making a product that is better for you. It also gives you the freedom to increase/decrease the ingredients as you prefer. Bespoke mayo!
- The cheese can be used in so many ways (see the ‘Serving Suggestions’ section below): it’s a dip, it’s a topping, it’s a sauce — you’ll have fun experimenting with it and your favorite dishes.
Serving Suggestions //
My husband has many memories of pimento cheese, and it was always slathered between two pieces of white bread. It is a requirement that it has to be white. I think that it would make an incredibly gooey and delicious grilled cheese, and have seen it served on hamburgers a lot lately. But it would also be great with some crackers, pretzels, or sliced baguette and glass of wine. You could avoid the bread and go with raw vegetables like celery sticks, carrot sticks, and cucumber slices, or mix it into Chili Mac and Cheese, or stuffed in jalapeno poppers. This Easy Tomato Ravioli Soup is another option.
FAQs //
My mayo also started to break a little, so I whisked it and it came right back together. It happened because I got lazy at the end and added too much oil at once. If I was using the mayo for a sandwich or as a sauce, I would have remade it. But since I was mixing it with cheese, I was okay with the breakage.
Sure, you can use store-bought mayonnaise in this recipe, although the homemade mayonnaise comes with it a freshness and flavor you won’t get with the store-bought stuff. If using store-bought mayo, opt for a good quality, full-fat version for the best taste and consistency.
Colby or sharp cheddar cheese gives it that classic pimento cheese taste. If these aren’t options, you can substitute with Monterey Jack, mild cheddar, or any other semi-hard cheese that melts well.
How To Store Pimento Cheese //
Transfer your cheese to an airtight container. Because of the dairy and homemade mayo, this needs to be stored in the fridge, where it can keep for up to one week. You can keep it for longer, if you like, by storing it in the freezer. Be warned, though, that this may affect the texture of the mayo and cheese slightly. To freeze it, wrap it in aluminum or plastic then place it in a resealable freezer-safe bag. When you’d like to eat the cheese, let it thaw for a few hours to overnight in the fridge first. Once thawed, stir it up really well to redistribute the moisture and restore the creamy consistency.
Pimento Cheese
I take the plunge and finally feature a recipe that includes homemade mayonnaise! Creamy Pimento Cheese -- perfect on burgers, crackers, or as the key ingredient in a oh-so-gooey grilled cheese sandwich!
Ingredients
Homemade Mayonnaise:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil
Pimento Cheese:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp sage, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups Colby cheese, shredded
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 (4 oz) jar chopped pimentos, drained
- salt and pepper
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Start by making the mayonnaise. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, dry mustard, salt, sugar, and cayenne to the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
- Slowly, and I mean super slowly, drizzle the olive oil through the funnel with the food processor running. Once all of the oil has been incorporated, you have mayo! Totally easy.
- To make the pimento cheese, add one cup of mayo to a large bowl. Add sage, lemon juice, dry mustard, cayenne, Worchestershire sauce and mix to combine. Add drained pimento and shredded cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste. Mix to combine. Serve with crackers.
Notes
Quick tip - to make your cheese grate easier, put it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 536Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 586mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 10g
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